Faculty and Research Units
OIST research units take a cross-disciplinary approach to research, and the PhD program encourages students to explore the intersections of disparate fields of science and technology. Find the research unit of your interest below.
Faculty and Research Units
Find a Faculty Member or Research Unit
Biodiversity and Biocomplexity Unit
The Biodiversity and Biocomplexity Unit explores how ecological and evolutionary processes generate and sustain biodiversity, and how those processes are being altered by human activities.
Evan P. Economo
Professor
Biological Complexity Unit
The Biological Complexity Unit studies how biophysical systems, ranging from subcellular circuits to cellular populations, can function despite being subject to random fluctuations.
Simone Pigolotti
Professor
Biological Nonlinear Dynamics Data Science Unit
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.
Gerald Pao
Assistant Professor
Biological Systems Unit
The Biological Systems Unit is working on devices in which microorganisms break down waste, releasing energy in the process. Key Okinawan industries such as awamori distilleries, pig and chi...
Igor Goryanin
Professor (Adjunct)
Cognitive Neurorobotics Research Unit
The Cognitive Neurorobotics Research Unit is dedicated to investigating the principles of embodied cognition by conducting experimental studies in synthetic neurorobotics. The primary goals of our research are to understand:on how innate structures can be leveraged to develop cognitive constructs through iterative but limited behavioral experiences; how primary intersubjectivity in social cognition can be formed through enactive and contextual interactions with others; and how subjective experiences such as consciousness and free will can be scientifically and phenomenologically explained. In addition, our developmental neurorobotics approach is intended to uncover the underlying mechanisms of neurodevelopmental disorders, such as schizophrenia and autism. Through these researches, we can expect to deepen our ontological understanding of human beings, rather than simply creating another smart machine-learning robot.
Jun Tani
Professor
Complexity Science and Evolution Unit
The CSE Unit analyzes the dynamics of complex adaptive systems, focusing on behavioral dynamics shaping social systems, eco-evolutionary dynamics shaping ecosystems, and their interactions.
Ulf Dieckmann
Professor
Embodied Cognitive Science Unit
We are developing theoretical and experimental projects in cognitive science, guided by the hypothesis that agent-environment interaction is an essential part of mental activity.
Tom Froese
Assistant Professor
Evolution, Cell Biology, and Symbiosis Unit
The ECBS unit studies the effects of symbiotic interactions on the origin and evolution of cellular life.
Filip Husnik
Assistant Professor
Evolutionary Genomics Unit
The Evolutionary Genomics Unit studies the evolution of insects and their associated symbionts.
Tom Bourguignon
Associate Professor
Evolutionary Neurobiology Unit
Research projects of the Evolutionary Neurobiology Unit include (1) anatomical and physiological dissections of the nervous systems of basal metazoans, mainly on diffused and regionally cond...
Hiroshi Watanabe
Associate Professor
Evolutionary and Synthetic Biology
The Evolutionary and Synthetic Biology Unit focuses on understanding how living things evolved using computation, theory, experiments and field work. Combining the understanding of evolutionary mechanisms with evolutionary theory, computational and synthetic biology approaches we design novel biological objects and further penetrate the mysteries of the evolution of life.
Fyodor Kondrashov
Professor
Genomics and Regulatory Systems Unit
To function normally, organisms must ensure that genes are switched on and off at the right times and locations. Gene expression control is a complex process that requires the coordinated ac...
Nicholas M. Luscombe
Professor
Human Evolutionary Genomics Unit
We use the genomes of Neandertals and Denisovans, the closest evolutionary relatives of present-day humans, to identify genomic variants that are unique to modern humans.
Svante Pääbo
Professor (Adjunct)
Integrated Open Systems Unit
The Integrated Open Systems Unit aims to understand the fundamental principles that govern open, complex systems and apply such knowledge for real-world applications
Hiroaki Kitano
Professor (Adjunct)
Integrative Community Ecology Unit
Our unit employs theory-informed experiments, genetics, and mathematical models to identify how species interactions vary over time and space to influence ecosystem dynamics and functioning.
David Armitage
Assistant Professor
Macroevolution Unit
Investigating how environmental challenges, ecological interactions and key features shape biodiversity on scales outside human observation (macroevolution).
Lauren Sallan
Assistant Professor
Marine Climate Change Unit
The Marine Climate Change Unit aims to understand how coral reef fish respond to human society driven environmental changes such as climate change, heatwaves, overfishing, and urbanization.
Timothy Ravasi
Professor
Marine Eco-Evo-Devo Unit
Most coral reef fishes have an incredible colors but why and how do they appear ? We use clownfish as a model we decipher the origins of the colors and how the fish are using them.
Vincent Laudet
Professor