René Doursat
 PhD, Habil.

Research Scientist & Fmr. Director

Complex Systems Institute, Paris Ile-de-France (ISC-PIF)
French National Center for Scientific Research (CNRS)

Research Unit UPS3611

113, rue Nationale
75013 Paris, France
email: rene.doursatiscpif.fr

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   • Morphogenesis
   • Morphogenetic
     Engineering
   • Neuroscience
   • Evolution & Ecology
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Research in Complex Systems  
In the vast land of complex systems, I commute back and forth between computational biology and bio-inspired computing. On the way, I founded the field of morphogenetic engineering (ME), which explores new methodologies to model and create complex architectures that self-organize from a swarm of heterogeneous agents, in particular by development. Such emergent structures can be modular robots, synthetic organisms, or large autonomic networks of computing devices. ME could also explain brain representations based on dynamic "neural shapes" in phase space, formed by myriads of correlated spikes. Additionally, I am interested in the evolutionary mechanisms leading to diversity, and how they can help us understand and automate the design of ME systems. More →
Core scientific network
A few (current and past) close colleagues, collaborators, co-authors & co-editors
Martyn Amos, Northumbria University, UK (novel computation)
Arnaud Banos, CNRS, Paris & U Arizona (comput geography)
Wolfgang Banzhaf, Michigan State U (evolutionary comput)
Jake Beal, BBN Technologies & U Iowa (spatial computing)
Mark Bedau, Reed College, Portland, OR (artificial life)
Hugues Bersini, Université Libre de Bruxelles (artificial intell)
Elie Bienenstock, Brown University (comput neuroscience)
Paul Bourgine, Ecole Polytechnique, Paris (complex systems)
Nicolas Bredeche, Université Paris 6 (swarm robotics)
Jean-Louis Giavitto, IRCAM, Paris (spatial computing)
Isabelle Guyon, Université Paris-Saclay (machine learning)
Guy Hoelzer, University of Nevada, Reno (evolutionary biology)
Jean-Marc Montanier, Faurecia, France (evolut robotics)
Jean Petitot, EHESS & Ecole Polytech, Paris (cognit science)
Nadine Peyriéras, CNRS, France (developmental biology)
Jeremy Pitt, Imperial College London (pervasive adaptation)
Hiroki Sayama, Binghamton University, NY (bioengineering)
Susan Stepney, University of York, UK (natural computing)
Franck Varenne, Sorbonne/University of Rouen (epistemology)
C. von der Malsburg, Goethe-Universität (comp neuroscience)
Morphogenesis
Computational models of collective cell behavior in 2D/3D, such as organism development (embryogenesis), tumor growth, or bacterial mats (synthetic biology)
•  MECAGEN – Mechanogenetic Model and Simulation of Biological Morphogenesis
•  BIOEMERG – BioEmergences: Reconstructing the Physiome of Model Organisms
•  SYNBIOTIC – Synthetic Biological Systems: From Design to Compilation
Morphogenetic Engineering
Designing decentralized, autonomous systems inspired by morphogenesis, with applications in swarm robotics, distributed software, and ICT networks or power grids
•  EMBENG – Embryomorphic Engineering (2D)
•  MAPDEVO – Modular Architecture by Programmable Development (3D)
•  PROGNET – Network Growth by Programmable Attachment (nD)
Neuroscience
Mesoscopic emergence, interaction and composition of spatiotemporal patterns of activity and connectivity in large-scale spiking neural networks
•  SYNDEVO – Synfire Chain Development and Composition
•  WAVEMAT – Wave-Based Shape Storage and Matching
•  COGMORPH – Morphodynamical Models of Cognitive Linguistics
Evolution & Ecology
Agent-based, genetic programming or grammar models of population dynamics combining the short and long time scales of individual interactions and evolution
•  EVOSPACE – Evolutionary Dynamics and Speciation in Space
•  DIVPLANT – Emergent Diversity in Communities of Virtual Plants
•  HETCA – Long-Term Evolutionary Dynamics in Heterogeneous Cellular Automata