IMPA, Ciência Pioneira, and IDOR Form a Partnership in Biomedicine

IMPA, IDOR (D’Or Institute), and Ciência Pioneira have entered into a partnership to combine biomedical research with mathematical tools. Formalized through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed on Friday (the 12th), the collaboration will bring together researchers from these institutions on projects that apply mathematics, computational modeling, and artificial intelligence to challenges in contemporary medicine. IDOR and Ciência Pioneira will invest 2.5 million over the next three years in the selected projects.

“This partnership creates a collaborative environment in which mathematics, artificial intelligence, and computational modeling can contribute to significant advances in our understanding of diseases and the development of new approaches to healthcare. “We are very excited about the opportunities that will arise from this collaboration between IMPA, IDOR, and Ciência Pioneira,” said IMPA Director-General Marcelo Viana.

The initiative combines the expertise of Centro Pi (IMPA’s Center for Projects and Innovation) in applied mathematics and machine learning with the experience of IDOR and Ciência Pioneira in biomedical research. The goal is to create new approaches for analyzing complex data, deepen our understanding of diseases, and accelerate the generation of knowledge with potential clinical applications.

“Pioneering Science believes that significant scientific advances occur when talented individuals from different fields find opportunities to collaborate. The desire to conduct research with IMPA is longstanding; some specific initiatives had already been established, and now this step is essential to open new frontiers of knowledge,” says neuroscientist Jorge Moll Neto, founder of IDOR Ciência Pioneira.

During a meeting held at IDOR’s headquarters in Rio de Janeiro, researchers presented six proposals for collaboration. The initiatives cover fields such as cardiology, neuroscience, molecular biology, the study of consciousness, and quantum physics applied to health. See below for details on each research project.

Artificial Intelligence in Cardiovascular Imaging: This proposal uses machine learning and advanced image analysis to integrate data from cardiac magnetic resonance imaging, clinical exams, and electronic health record information, enabling the development of predictive models for cardiovascular events and the early identification of biomarkers associated with heart disease.

Aging, Balance, and Neurological Disorders: This research investigates how aging and neurological disorders, such as Parkinson’s disease, affect balance, gait, and motor control. The study integrates neural and biomechanical signals with clinical data to develop biomarkers capable of early identification of functional changes and fall risk, using advanced artificial intelligence and machine learning models.

Decoding neural activity in vitro: Focused on the study of Dravet syndrome, a rare and severe form of genetic epilepsy, the project uses human cellular models and highly complex electrophysiological recordings to understand the functioning of neural networks and their response to different therapeutic interventions. Mathematical and artificial intelligence tools may help identify patterns associated with the disease and contribute to the development of new treatment strategies.

Neuroscience and cognition: This research investigates how signals of brain activity can be used to reconstruct and understand mental content, such as perceptions and imagined images. Using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data and advanced artificial intelligence models, the project aims to link patterns of brain activity to computational representations, contributing to new tools for studying cognition, emotions, and subjective states.

Is consciousness computable?: The study investigates non-ordinary experiences of consciousness, such as altered states of perception, intense emotions, and feelings of depersonalization. The project combines large population-based databases, mathematical modeling, and artificial intelligence to identify patterns in these experiences and better understand the brain and cognitive mechanisms involved in human consciousness.

Neurophysics: This research applies mathematics and artificial intelligence to the analysis of data generated by experiments involving light and photons, contributing to advances in spectroscopy, imaging, and the understanding of the mechanisms of human visual perception.

Following the presentations, researchers and scientists from IMPA projects discussed potential collaborations for each proposal. The next step is to determine which projects will be selected to receive financial support.

The partnership between IDOR, Ciência Pioneira, and IMPA reinforces the growing integration between mathematics, computing, and the life sciences—an area considered strategic for the advancement of scientific research and precision medicine. The collaboration is expected to generate new analytical methodologies, expand the capacity to interpret complex data, and accelerate the transformation of scientific discoveries into tangible benefits for society.

Partnership in Student Training

In addition to its scientific collaboration with Centro Pi, IDOR Ciência Pioneira also works with IMPA Tech, IMPA’s undergraduate program. Undergraduate students had the opportunity to take a course taught by researchers from the initiative. The course explored ways to apply mathematics and data analysis to science across various fields, bridging theory, practice, and real-world challenges. A new class will begin soon. The partnership will also be expanded, with IMPA Tech students teaching programming classes to IDOR graduate students.