We develop predictive models on complex spatio-temporal patterns, integrating the different molecular biology levels, spatially explicit population models and landscape environmental analysis. We aim to create novel mathematical methods and ICT platforms connecting physiopathological patterns of disease with high dimensional data now available for Functional Genomics (e.g DNA microarrays, SNPs, proteomics), with spatially epidemics simulation systems and geodatabases of environmental factors and socio-demographic data.
Our research is interdisciplinary. Since 1996, we have been working on biological and environmental data, porting novel Statistical Machine Learning Methods (classifiers and regression models) within Geographical Information Systems (GIS), with results in landscape epidemiology and environmental risk analysis. More recently, we started developing Individual Based Model (IBM) simulators of global pandemic scenarios (FLUMODCONT). Since 2002, we also develop predictive machine learning methods for functional genomics: we design algorithms for predictive classification and profiling of high-throughput data, with implementation on standard workstations, computer clusters and in grid
For our projects, we develop new software infrastructures (such as MITRIS) for data collection, management and analysis, supporting research and public agencies. We have created innovation in GIS (GRASS) and internet GIS (WebGIS) systems, and the spinoff company MPA Solutions in 2004. For high-throughput genomics data, we develop the complete validation setup BioDCV, several bioinformatics solutions, and we work for the integration of different genomics and patient data.
Finally, we actively promote the dissemination of interdisciplinary science with the WebValley Summer School Project, and by acting as a training lab for undergraduate and graduate students. We are proud to support projects of social interest that require visualizing and understanding data patterns such as the Intersos WebGIS for Humanitarian Response for Darfur and Tchad and the OECD Global Project on "Measuring the Process of Societies".