Face Lab LJMU

14/03/2026

We are here at the Royal Museum (The Beaney) in Canterbury today! Come see us in the learning zone upstairs, we have prepared a few activities for you to find out more about facial depictions.

13/02/2026

Really great to be part of this sold out evening with Thackray Lates: Anatomy Uncovered at the Thackray Museum of Medicine in Leeds.

We ran a Face Lab LJMU stall and spoke to so many visitors. Thank you for inviting us!

Super interesting exhibition on anatomical art – Beneath the Sheets: Anatomy, Art and Power. Please do go check it out if you are in Leeds.

29/11/2025

Today we are at the King Richard III Visitor Centre in Leicester together with the Voice for Richard team, premiering the avatar of RIII speaking his own prayer, you will be able to watch this performance at the visitor centre.

25/11/2025

We are happy to announce that we are one of the 2025 winners of the Queen Elizabeth Prizes for Education!

“Pioneering craniofacial analysis in the forensic and digital heritage field, combining interdisciplinary education, research and knowledge exchange at the interface of art and science with a focus on individual and population facial identity, depiction and identification.”

Read more here 👉🏼 https://royalanniversarytrust.org.uk/winners/face-lab-pioneering-craniofacial-analysis/ or via link in bio.

His Majesty The King has approved the award of the Queen Elizabeth Prizes for Education to 19 higher and further education institutions across the United Kingdom. The Prize-winners were announced at a reception at St James’s Palace in London.

24/11/2025

Join us at the King Richard III Visitor Centre in Leicester (or online) this Saturday 29th Nov at 2pm GMT.

This year King Richard’s facial avatar and voice have been recreated once again to speak his personal prayer.

A permanent exhibition will be installed at Leicester’s King Richard III Visitor Centre.

Book tickets now! 👇🏼

Discover the incredible story of the king under the car park at the award-winning King Richard III Visitor Centre in Leicester

10/09/2025

10/09/2025

Chaired by artist Anna Dumitriu, Liverpool-based artist Gina Czarnecki and
Our Director Caroline Wilkinson is speaking at the British Science Festival at the Bluecoat on the topic “Deepfakes, identity, and bioethics”. Check out more events throughout the week!

https://britishsciencefestival.org/

Face Lab will be back again on the 13th September, as part of “Murder Mystery: Use forensics to solve a crime” together with colleagues from the Liverpool John Moores University’s Forensic Institute.

https://britishscienceassociation-tickets.ticketsolve.com/ticketbooth/shows/1173666408

03/09/2025

🔬 One week to go! 🧬 🎉

The British Science Festival starts next week, from 10–14 September. We are proud to co-host the Festival with the British Science Association and the University of Liverpool.

Over 100 events across Liverpool will showcase cutting-edge research, innovation, and creativity, from AI in healthcare, forensic science, and space technology, to urban wildlife and dance therapy.

We invite staff, students, and the public to join us, explore the activities and talks on offer, and see some of the incredible work from our LJMU researchers.

Find out more and book your free tickets ➡️ https://britishsciencefestival.org/

03/09/2025

Sealed inside a ceramic funerary pot for over 4,500 years, an ancient Egyptian man’s skeleton has revealed a surprising secret: his exceptionally well-preserved DNA.

It's the first time scientists have been able to sequence the oldest complete genome from Egypt's Old Kingdom period—offering the chance to reconstruct his face and reveal new insights into the era.

Learn more about this exciting discovery at the link in bio.

Facial depiction by Face Lab’s Director, Prof Caroline Wilkinson

02/09/2025

Looking to do a PhD with Face Lab X Computing Liverpool John Moores University?

Project Title: Prediction of the missing mandible from the cranium
Deadline is 1st Nov, 2025.
Interview date is the 25th Nov, 2025.

Application link: https://www.findaphd.com/phds/project/prediction-of-the-missing-mandible-from-the-cranium/?p186676

Project Description: In forensic science and human identification, it's common to find skulls (craniums) without their lower jaw (mandible). In these cases, experts in facial reconstruction/approximation are often asked to estimate what the person's face would look like based solely on the skull. The methods used to predict the shape of the jaw can significantly affect how the lower part of the face is represented, which in turn impacts the recognisability of the final facial depiction.

This project aims to assess the current techniques for predicting the mandible, investigate how the mandible relates to the cranium using CT scans, and create a tool that helps practitioners make these predictions. By collaborating with the AI team at LJMU, the clinical AI team at the University of Hong Kong (HKU) Dental School, and the National Forensic Services in South Korea, we will use machine learning techniques to connect traditional measurements of the skull with modern computer science.

This fully funded study with the FORRI institute at LJMU aims to create a user-friendly tool for practitioners, enabling them to predict the mandible based solely on cranial data. This tool will benefit forensic science and improve clinical practices in orthodontics and facial reconstructive surgery. In summary, this project addresses existing challenges in mandible prediction by integrating advanced ML techniques with traditional craniometric analysis, ultimately enhancing accuracy and efficiency in forensic and clinical applications.

The student will be based in Face Lab and the computing department in Liverpool.

Applicants should hold at least a first or upper second-class honours degree in a relevant subject from a British higher education institution, or equivalent (see subject area). Candidates with experience in machine learning are preferred.

Subject specific training and opportunities will include:
· International travel for data collection
· Training in anthropological methods used in mandible prediction
· Training in machine learning approaches
· A comprehensive transferable skills development programme via the LJMU researcher development programme

Subject Areas: Computer science, machine learning, forensic anthropology, osteology, odontology

Funding Notes: Only UK citizens can apply for this studentship due to funding restrictions. Funding will consist of full tuition fees for three years and the award of a living stipend at UK Research Council rates paid in monthly instalments. There will also be a contribution to research costs of £1,600 per annum. Funding will be subject to satisfactory progress.

PhD Project - Prediction of the missing mandible from the cranium at Liverpool John Moores University, listed on FindAPhD.com

29/08/2025

We’re exited to be part of this event at British Science Festival 2025 in Liverpool!

The Forensic Research Institute is hosting a Murder Mystery event. A series of forensic experts will present evidence relating to a victim and her murderer and you can use your investigative powers to determine who she was and who killed her. The case is fictional but the research is real. An interactive Whodunnit! The event features experts from the fields of face recognition, CCTV analysis, anthropology, genealogy, psychology, policing and drones.

📅 Saturday 13 September
⏰ 16:30 – 18:15
📍 The Black-E – Main Space, Liverpool
✅ Free but ticket required. Book now!
🔗 https://britishsciencefestival.org/events/?_sf_s=Forensic&_sft_category=experiences

13/08/2025

The latest project from Liverpool John Moores University Face Lab ventures into the extraordinary funerary practice of fusing masks to the faces of the dead, practised by many pre-Columbian peoples of South America.

➡️https://www.ljmu.ac.uk/about-us/news/articles/2025/8/13/demasking-the-dead

LJMU Face Lab's latest project ventures into the extraordinary funerary practice of fusing masks to the faces of the dead, practised by many pre-Columbian peoples of South America.