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Torsten Wiesel
Neuroscientist

Torsten Wiesel

Famoose for

Explaining how the brain processes visual information.

Cortical processing

Born
3 June 1924
Birthplace
Uppsala

More people

Marie CurieDiscovering polonium and radium.Albert EinsteinDeveloping the theory of relativity.Charles DarwinExplaining evolution through natural selection.

Torsten Wiesel

Swedish neurophysiologist whose collaboration with David Hubel revealed how cells in the visual cortex respond to patterns. Shared the 1981 medicine Nobel Prize.

Early life

Swedish training

Born in Uppsala and began laboratory research at the Karolinska Institute in 1947. Completed a medical degree in 1954.

Career

  1. 1955

    Johns Hopkins

    Moved to the United States to work with Stephen Kuffler.

  2. 1958–1959

    Hubel partnership

    Began collaborating with David Hubel and moved to Harvard.

  3. 1983

    Rockefeller

    Joined the university’s faculty.

  4. 1991–1998

    University president

    Led Rockefeller University.

Contributions

Cortical processing

With Hubel, studied cells responding to lines and other visual features.

Beyond work

Human rights

Chaired the US National Academies’ human-rights committee from 1994 to 2004 and supported international advocacy for scholars.

Sources & photo creditBiography and career ↗Biographical references ↗

Original photograph. Cropped and displayed in monochrome.

Photo: Suawikicommons. CC BY-SA 4.0 · Original image. Cropped and displayed in monochrome.