Research themes
Research at OUCL is classified into seven broad themes. This provides a map of the research landscape of the Laboratory for public presentation of our work. The themes also help to structure our research management: each researcher is nominally assigned a primary theme, according to research interests; each theme has a head, who has general oversight of its work.
Within (and across) themes, research is conducted by teams of people, or individually, as best suits the staff, the topic, and the funding. If the research has a specific target, or an end-date, then it is presented here as a project; otherwise, it is presented as an activity. Most activities are focussed around a named research group or a funded research centre.
The Department's research activity was evaluated in the most recent Research Assessment Exercise ( RAE2008), published in December 2008. 80% of the submitted researchers were found to be in the top two tiers, either 4* (world-leading) or 3* (internationally excellent). A more detailed analysis is available.
Computational Biology
The Computational Biology Group engages in theoretical and applied, interdisciplinary and practise-based research at the interface between computer science, mathematics and the biomedical sciences. Our research focuses on applying computer science and mathematical techniques to clinically and biologically pressing problems. Key applications include physiological modelling (heart, cardiovascular and cardiorespiratory systems, soft tissue mechanics and cancer), biological image and signal analysis, and systems biology. Work is almost entirely done jointly with domain specialists in life sciences and clinical departments. The Computational Biology Group also plays a key role in interdisciplinary initiatives across the University, including the Life Sciences Interface and Systeme Biology DTCs, the BBSRC/EPSRC-funded Centre for Integrative Systems Biology, and the EU FP7 projects euHeart and PreDiCT.Foundations, Logic and Structures
The Foundations, Logic and Structures theme encompasses our research into the mathematical underpinnings of computer science and their application in a variety of different areas. Major activities within this theme include our work on Quantum Information and Computation, led by Samson Abramsky and Bob Coecke; on Game Semantics and applications to Verification, led by Luke Ong; on Dynamic Epistemic Logic, led by Alexandru Baltag; and on Constraints, led by Peter Jeavons.
Information Systems
The Information Systems group carries out world leading research covering four broad and overlapping areas:- Databases, where the focus is on topics ranging from query languages and optimisation to web data extraction and the implementation of lightweight database applications for devices such as mobile phones;
- Knowledge Representation and Reasoning, where the focus is on knowledge representation formalisms, ontology languages, reasoning systems, and applications in areas such as e-Science and the Semantic Web;
- Computational Linguistics, where the focus is on combining established knowledge-based approaches with statistical and machine learning methods; and
- Spatial Reasoning, where the focus is on problems whose solution is highly dependent on the exact shape of objects, such as collision detection, path planning, wire-loom design, and assembling jig-saws.