Postdoctoral researcher Denis Chaimow recognized for replication study

Organization for Human Brain Mapping (OHBM) acknowledges his important contribution to laminar functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI)

Straight to the point: 

• Special award: The Organization for Human Brain Mapping (OHBM) honors an outstanding replication study that makes an important contribution to the reproducibility of research in neuroimaging.
• Solution for the reliability of fMRI studies: Despite the latest developments in high-field magnetic resonance imaging, the analysis and replicability of laminar fMRI studies can be difficult due to complex blood flow patterns.
• Method sets new standards: Postdoctoral researcher Denis Chaimow developed an automated method that improves the repeatability of such studies and the confidence in fMRI as an analytical tool for exploring cognitive processes in the brain.

With the rise of ultra-high field MRI, scientists can now explore the human brain at sub-millimeter resolution, opening new possibilities for studying how different layers of the cortex process information. This approach is known as laminar fMRI. However, complex blood flow patterns can distort these signals, making accurate and reproducible analysis a known challenge.

To address this, team member and postdoctoral researcher Denis Chaimow conducted the first pre-registered replication study in laminar fMRI. Replication studies repeat a previously published study and examine whether the results can be confirmed again under comparable conditions.

He revisited a landmark study by Emily S. Finn (Yale University), which suggested that different cortical layers are involved in working memory and motor responses. Using an automated and transparent analysis pipeline, he and the team confirmed some of the original findings but also uncovered key differences, while highlighting the need for rigorous methods in this research field.

This work sets a new standard for transparency and reproducibility in neuroimaging and strengthens the role of laminar fMRI in understanding human cognition.

About the Organization for Human Brain Mapping (OHBM)
The Organization for Human Brain Mapping (OHBM) is an international society dedicated to advancing the understanding of the human brain’s structure and function through neuroimaging. Founded in 1995, OHBM brings together researchers from around the world to share cutting-edge methods in brain mapping.