Ecological and Evolutionary Processes within Communities (PEEC)

The concept of “community” is now considered central in ecology, evolution, and health sciences. As such, viruses, bacteria, parasites, vectors, cancer cells, and other living entities with a parasitic lifestyle are integrated into complex communities organised within a series of spatial and biological hierarchical scales: between cells, between individuals, between host species, and so on. In order to determine how these different communities come together and interact, and to assess the scientific and health-related consequences of these interactions, the members of the PEEC department study the ecological and evolutionary processes that govern their organisation and operation. The research conducted by this department includes a variety of biological systems and a range of complementary techniques, but always aims to provide a comprehensive and relevant view of the structure and function of communities.

While the immediate goals of the different research programmes may vary, their ultimate objectives are complementary: some focus on increasing our fundamental knowledge of structural processes, while others attempt to envision how this newfound understanding can lead to translational results for animal and human health. This complementarity allows us to combine basic and applied research programmes, thus stimulating the emergence of new and innovative research questions.