---
title: "Inspired by Brain’s Hidden Half, UMD-led Project Aims for Smarter AI"
date: 2026-06-08T15:00:00-04:00
author: University of Maryland
canonical_url: "https://today.umd.edu/inspired-by-brains-hidden-half-umd-led-project-aims-for-smarter-ai"
section: Articles
---
# Inspired by Brain’s Hidden Half, UMD-led Project Aims for Smarter AI

*June 8, 2026* — by [Georgia Jiang](/author/georgia-jiang)


> $7.5M From Army Research Office Funds Investigation of Abundant, Seldom-Studied Astrocyte Cells

*Adobe Stock 1876762014 1920x1080 — A UMD-led team is examining the function of little-studied brain cells to develop better approaches to AI. (Illustration by Adobe Stock)*

From facial recognition to large language models, recent AI breakthroughs came from systems built on mathematical approximations of cells called neurons that rapidly fire electrical signals across the brain.

But neurons only make up less than half of the human brain; now, a UMD-led project with $7.5 million in funding over five years from the U.S. Army Research Office will focus on unlocking the mysteries of the hidden half to provide models for next-generation AI systems.

This new Multidisciplinary University Research Initiative (MURI) will focus on star-shaped cells called astrocytes, which have remained largely unstudied by neuroscientists and AI researchers. The MURI is led by University of Maryland physics Professor Wolfgang Losert, chemistry and biochemistry Professor John Fourkas, electrical and computer engineering Assistant Professor Sahil Shah and Associate Professor Behtash Babadi; and Claremont Colleges Associate Professor of physics Sarah Marzen.


*diagram showing arrows going from input to green neurons to orange astrocytes to green neurons to prediction — In the team's AI network, artificial neurons (green) and astrocytes (orange) are wired together to replicate the way the two cell types communicate in the human brain. (Image courtesy of Yang et al., *Neurocomputing*)*



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**Topics:** [Research](https://today.umd.edu/tags/research)


**Tags:** [Artificial Intelligence](https://today.umd.edu/topic/artificial-intelligence), [Physics](https://today.umd.edu/topic/physics), [Chemistry and Biochemistry](https://today.umd.edu/topic/chemistry-and-biochemistry), [Electrical and Computer Engineering](https://today.umd.edu/topic/electrical-and-computer-engineering), [Research](https://today.umd.edu/topic/research)


**Units:** [College of Computer, Mathematical, and Natural Sciences](https://today.umd.edu/topic/college-computer-mathematical-and-natural-sciences), [A. James Clark School of Engineering](https://today.umd.edu/topic/james-clark-school-engineering)