Nicolas Brunet
Contact
Education
Dr. Brunet earned a BA in Physics from the Universidad de Las Americas in Puebla (Mexico) and a PhD in Molecular Biophysics from Florida State University. Before joining CSUSB, he held research positions at several R1 institutions: the University of Washington (Seattle, WA), the Donders Institute for Brian, Cognition and Behavior (The Netherlands), the University of Pittsburgh (Pittsburgh, PA), and the State University of New York (Brooklyn, NY). He also was an Assistant Professor of Neuroscience at Millsaps College in Jackson, Mississippi.
Research and Teaching Interests
Research
Visual neuroscience, eye movements (oculomotor behavior), visual attention, motivation and perception, neural mechanisms of face and object recognition, and the cognitive modulation of visual processing pathways. The Neurophysiology Lab focuses on how the brain processes and responds to visual information. Our research investigates how cognitive factors—such as attention, motivation, and experience—shape the way visual inputs are transformed as they move from primary visual areas to specialized regions involved in face, object, and scene recognition.
Using a combination of eye-tracking, neuroimaging, psychophysics, and computational methods, we explore the brain’s dynamic processing of visual information and oculomotor behavior. Our lab is equipped with a state-of-the-art eye-tracker, electroencephalography (EEG) system, a functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy (fNIRS) system, and physiological sensors for measuring autonomic nervous system responses.
Current projects include studies examining how eye movements can serve as potential biomarkers for concussion diagnosis, as well as investigations into the brain’s role in perceiving and identifying faces and objects.
Join the Neurophysiology Lab
Are you curious about how the brain turns what we see into perception and action? The Neurophysiology Lab is actively recruiting motivated undergraduate and graduate students to join our team. We are looking for individuals eager to explore the intersection of neuroscience, cognition, and visual behavior.
Whether you're interested in gaining hands-on experience with advanced neuroimaging tools or contributing to projects that address critical research questions in cognitive neuroscience, we’d love to hear from you. Email Dr. Brunet to learn more about how you can get involved.