Research Units

The Model-Based Evolutionary Genomics Unit works at the crossroads of computational and evolutionary biology. Our long-term goal is to achieve an integrative understanding of the evolution of Life on Earth and the origins and emergence of complexity across different biological scales, from individual proteins to ecosystems. To move towards this goal, we develop and apply model-driven evolutionary genomics methods to reconstruct the Tree of Life and the major evolutionary transitions that have occurred along its branches.

The ambition of NetQ, the Networked Quantum Devices unit, is to develop the necessary theoretical tools such as novel error correction mechanisms, cryptographic protocols, and simulation alg...

Cognitive functions of the brain, such as sensory perception, learning and memory, and decision-making emerge from computations by neural networks. The advantages of biological neural comput...

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.

(Closed since June 2025) The unit studied natural time series data, from NLP to genome sequences to cephalopod camouflage, with dynamical systems and machine learning methods, letting the data lead the way.

Quantum information science and technology brings quantum mechanics and information theory together and includes, but is not limited to, quantum computation, quantum communication, and quantum metrology.

The research unit will conduct theoretical research into all aspects of quantum information processing with focus on the nature of randomness and its applications in secure communication.

We study in theory and experiments the engineering of quantum devices built from different subsystems that can collectively perform beyond the individual capabilities of their parts.

We investigate the neurophysiology of olfaction to gain insights into how functions arise from neuronal interactions - both local and long-range.

The Theory of Quantum Matter (TQM) Unit carries out research into a wide range of problems in condensed matter and statistical physics.