Research Units

The biological nonlinear dynamics data science unit investigates complex systems explicitly taking into account the role of time. We do this by instead of averaging occurrences using their statistics, we treat observations as frames of a movie and if patterns reoccur then we can use their behaviors in the past to predict their future. In most cases the systems that we study are part of complex networks of interactions and cover multiple scales. These include but are not limited to systems neuroscience, gene expression, posttranscriptional regulatory processes, to ecology, but also include societal and economic systems that have complex interdependencies. The processes that we are most interested in are those where the data has a particular geometry known as low dimensional manifolds. These are geometrical objects generated from embeddings of data that allows us to predict their future behaviors, investigate causal relationships, find if a system is becoming unstable, find early warning signs of critical transitions or catastrophes and more. Our computational approaches are based on tools that have their origin in the generalized Takens theorem, and are collectively known as empirical dynamic modeling (EDM). As a lab we are both a wet and dry lab where we design wet lab experiments that maximize the capabilities of our mathematical methods. The results from this data driven science approach then allows us to generate mechanistic hypotheses that can be again tested experimentally for empirical confirmation. This approach merges traditional hypothesis driven science and the more modern Data driven science approaches into a single virtuous cycle of discovery.

We seek the principles governing the behavior of whole organisms, integrating physics, biology and computational approaches to understand life's most complex and fascinating phenomena.

The Information Theory, Probability and Statistics Unit performs theoretical research at the intersection of the fields described in the name with applications to various areas that include Estimation Theory, Computational Biology, Hypothesis Testing, etc.

The Marine Physics and Engineering Unit advances the forecast of ocean dynamics and the development of hydrodynamic disaster mitigation alternatives, paving the way for novel ocean technologies.

The OIST Neural Computation Unit aims to develop novel algorithms and to reveal brain mechanisms for reinforcement learning and Bayesian inference by combining top-down theoretical and bottom-up experimental approaches.