Skip to main content
Go to the home page of the European Commission (opens in new window)
English en
CORDIS - EU research results
CORDIS

Reconstruction and Unification of Neural and Ecological Systems

Project description

Understanding higher-order interactions in complex systems

Traditional network models mainly focus on pairwise interactions, often overlooking the importance of higher-order interactions (HOIs) involving multiple elements, which are crucial to understanding complex systems. The ERC-funded RUNES project will develop a comprehensive framework to understand, predict, and manipulate HOIs by redefining network models to incorporate these interactions, and combining information-theoretic and topological approaches. It will also create statistical methods to infer HOIs from data, revealing their distinct structures and functions. The project will apply them in experimental behavioural science through controlled human group experiments and in neuroscience to study the functional topology of the brain across different conditions, ages, and species.

Objective

In the last two decades, network science has revolutionized our understanding of diverse biological, social, and technological systems, becoming a cornerstone across various scientific and technological domains. Traditional network models, however, predominantly focus on pairwise interactions, often overlooking the complexity of higher-order interactions (HOIs) that involve more than two elements. This oversight is significant, as emerging evidence increasingly demonstrates that HOIs are not only prevalent but also critically influence the emergent behaviors of complex systems, thereby impacting our ability to comprehend and forecast their dynamics.

RUNES aims to pioneer a novel paradigm in network science, tailored to the intricacies of higher-order systems. This project will develop a holistic mathematical, methodological, and empirical framework to effectively understand, predict, and manipulate HOIs. This will involve redefining existing network models to incorporate higher-order interactions, combining information-theoretic and topological perspectives, and formulating new dynamical processes on these advanced substrates.

Concurrently, RUNES will innovate in developing model-informed statistical methods for inferring HOIs from data, enabling us to discern their unique structures and functions. This framework will be applied in two groundbreaking contexts: firstly, in experimental behavioral science, where we will quantify the impact of HOIs in controlled human group experiments; secondly, in neuroscience, where we will investigate the higher-order functional topology of the brain across various conditions, ages, and species.

RUNES’ new science of higher-order real-world complex systems will directly impact how we think about and deal with structural and dynamical patterns in many contexts, including epidemiology, artificial intelligence, economy and medicine.

Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)

CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.

You need to log in or register to use this function

Keywords

Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)

Programme(s)

Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.

Topic(s)

Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.

Funding Scheme

Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.

HORIZON-ERC - HORIZON ERC Grants

See all projects funded under this funding scheme

Call for proposal

Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.

(opens in new window) ERC-2024-COG

See all projects funded under this call

Host institution

Northeastern University - London
Net EU contribution

Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.

€ 1 996 580,00
Address
Devon House, 58 St. Katharines Way
E1W 1LP London
United Kingdom

See on map

Region
London Inner London — East Tower Hamlets
Activity type
Higher or Secondary Education Establishments
Links
Total cost

The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.

€ 1 996 580,00

Beneficiaries (1)

My booklet 0 0