Inference for Hawkes processes with challenging data. The Hawkes processes are statistical models for the analysis of high-impact event sequences, such as bushfires, earthquakes, infectious diseases, and cyber attacks. When the times and/or marks are missing for some events or when the data is otherwise incomplete, it is challenging to fit these models and perform diagnostic checks on the fitted models. This project aims to develop novel statistical methods to fit these models in the presence of ....Inference for Hawkes processes with challenging data. The Hawkes processes are statistical models for the analysis of high-impact event sequences, such as bushfires, earthquakes, infectious diseases, and cyber attacks. When the times and/or marks are missing for some events or when the data is otherwise incomplete, it is challenging to fit these models and perform diagnostic checks on the fitted models. This project aims to develop novel statistical methods to fit these models in the presence of incomplete data and to check the goodness-of-fit of the fitted models. The expected outcomes include publications documenting these methods and software packages implementing them. The primary benefits include the advancement of statistical methodology and the training of junior research personnel. Read moreRead less
Technology-Driven and Scalable Regression Methodology, Computing and Theory. Regression is a mainstay of data analysis, statistics, machine learning and data science but is in continual need of enhancement in the face of technological change. Scalability and flexibility for the handling of non-linear signals are fundamental to the practical utility of new regression methodology. Several streams of research aimed at confronting data from specific technologies as well as generic types of data are ....Technology-Driven and Scalable Regression Methodology, Computing and Theory. Regression is a mainstay of data analysis, statistics, machine learning and data science but is in continual need of enhancement in the face of technological change. Scalability and flexibility for the handling of non-linear signals are fundamental to the practical utility of new regression methodology. Several streams of research aimed at confronting data from specific technologies as well as generic types of data are proposed. The project is to be networked with researchers in the United States of America and aims to have Australia-based researchers providing leadership in terms of methodological, theoretical, computational and software development.Read moreRead less
Stochastic majorization--minimization algorithms for data science. The changing nature of acquisition and storage data has made the process of drawing inference infeasible with traditional statistical and machine learning methods. Modern data are often acquired in real time, in an incremental nature, and are often available in too large a volume to process on conventional machinery. The project proposes to study the family of stochastic majorisation-minimisation algorithms for computation of inf ....Stochastic majorization--minimization algorithms for data science. The changing nature of acquisition and storage data has made the process of drawing inference infeasible with traditional statistical and machine learning methods. Modern data are often acquired in real time, in an incremental nature, and are often available in too large a volume to process on conventional machinery. The project proposes to study the family of stochastic majorisation-minimisation algorithms for computation of inferential quantities in an incremental manner. The proposed stochastic algorithms encompass and extend upon a wide variety of current algorithmic frameworks for fitting statistical and machine learning models, and can be used to produce feasible and practical algorithms for complex models, both current and future.
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New Developments for Bayesian statistical models and computational methods. Bayesian methods of statistical analysis provide a flexible theory for addressing inference in the presence of uncertainty. Consequently Bayesian methods have enabled scientific discovery in areas characterised as complex systems where new developments in modelling and computational methods have been crucial. Significant barriers to further success involve challenges in formulating and validating models, dealing with l ....New Developments for Bayesian statistical models and computational methods. Bayesian methods of statistical analysis provide a flexible theory for addressing inference in the presence of uncertainty. Consequently Bayesian methods have enabled scientific discovery in areas characterised as complex systems where new developments in modelling and computational methods have been crucial. Significant barriers to further success involve challenges in formulating and validating models, dealing with large data sets, and developing efficient computational methods. The principal aim of this project is to develop new Bayesian modelling and computational methodology which address these challenges with broad application.Read moreRead less
Statistical and computational methods using a multiscale approach for protein identification and quantification. Proteins are critically important in the onset and ongoing illness associated with disease. Key proteins may serve as markers to diagnose or predict the course of a disease, or even become the target of pharmaceuticals. Accurate, efficient and robust algorithms are a critical component in protein identification. This research provides novel statistical algorithms for protein identific ....Statistical and computational methods using a multiscale approach for protein identification and quantification. Proteins are critically important in the onset and ongoing illness associated with disease. Key proteins may serve as markers to diagnose or predict the course of a disease, or even become the target of pharmaceuticals. Accurate, efficient and robust algorithms are a critical component in protein identification. This research provides novel statistical algorithms for protein identification using multiscale analysis techniques. Their applications in the bio-medical field will enable Australian and international researchers to identify key proteins more accurately, than current methods, leading to improve health, medical, and biological research outcomes.Read moreRead less
Complex data, model selection and bootstrap inference. The project will provide new statistical methods and associated software for the analysis and modelling of complex data, as well as quality research training. This project will benefit researchers in statistics and users of statistics who encounter the complex data considered in this project and who need to model and make inferences from these data. Since these kinds of data arise in many areas (such as medicine, genetics, chemistry etc), ....Complex data, model selection and bootstrap inference. The project will provide new statistical methods and associated software for the analysis and modelling of complex data, as well as quality research training. This project will benefit researchers in statistics and users of statistics who encounter the complex data considered in this project and who need to model and make inferences from these data. Since these kinds of data arise in many areas (such as medicine, genetics, chemistry etc), Australia and Australian industry will ultimately benefit from the proposed research. The strengthening of international link and the training of highly trained research scientists in an area of national importance will also benefit Australia.Read moreRead less
Innovations in Bayesian likelihood-free inference. Bayesian inference is a statistical method of choice in applied science. This project will develop innovative tools which permit Bayesian inference in problems considered intractable only a few years ago. These methods will expedite advances in multidisciplinary research across a range of applications. With these foundations, this project will accelerate national research efforts into improving frameworks for projecting trends in water availabil ....Innovations in Bayesian likelihood-free inference. Bayesian inference is a statistical method of choice in applied science. This project will develop innovative tools which permit Bayesian inference in problems considered intractable only a few years ago. These methods will expedite advances in multidisciplinary research across a range of applications. With these foundations, this project will accelerate national research efforts into improving frameworks for projecting trends in water availability and management, the impact of climate extremes, telecommunications engineering, HIV and infectious disease modelling and biostatistics. With many sectors unable to recruit appropriately trained statisticians within Australia, this project will train four PhD students in Bayesian statistics.
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Statistical methods for analysing multi-source microarray data and building gene regulatory networks. I will devise a statistical learning technique that does not force a gene to be assigned to exactly one category. This technique reflects the biological reality that a gene can belong to two or more functional categories. Therefore, the new technique will improve a model's ability to identify regulatory genes in different types of cancer; these regulatory genes can be targeted by new anti-cancer ....Statistical methods for analysing multi-source microarray data and building gene regulatory networks. I will devise a statistical learning technique that does not force a gene to be assigned to exactly one category. This technique reflects the biological reality that a gene can belong to two or more functional categories. Therefore, the new technique will improve a model's ability to identify regulatory genes in different types of cancer; these regulatory genes can be targeted by new anti-cancer drugs resulting in a more effective treatment. I will model gene regulatory networks using microarray data from multiple sources. These networks will be used to identify regulatory cliques - a group of genes that are vital for a cellular function. This will improve our understanding of debilitating conditions such as asthma.Read moreRead less
Modelling mean and dispersion using fixed and random effects. The aims of the project are to develop methods for joint mean and dispersion modelling using fixed and random effects, in the generalized linear models context and for Gaussian longitudinal data. The significance is the more efficient, precise and appropriate analysis of data arising from many areas of application. The expected outcomes are therefore better methods of analysis, software to carry the analyses out, and potentially impor ....Modelling mean and dispersion using fixed and random effects. The aims of the project are to develop methods for joint mean and dispersion modelling using fixed and random effects, in the generalized linear models context and for Gaussian longitudinal data. The significance is the more efficient, precise and appropriate analysis of data arising from many areas of application. The expected outcomes are therefore better methods of analysis, software to carry the analyses out, and potentially important results in applications.Read moreRead less
Bootstrap methods for data with multiple errors. This project will provide new methods for data analysis and quality research training. The results will benefit researchers in statistics and users of statistics who encounter data with multiple errors and who need to make inferences from these data. The many areas from which such data arise (including medicine, genetics, chemistry, education, social surveys etc) mean that Australia and Australian Industry will also ultimately benefit from the r ....Bootstrap methods for data with multiple errors. This project will provide new methods for data analysis and quality research training. The results will benefit researchers in statistics and users of statistics who encounter data with multiple errors and who need to make inferences from these data. The many areas from which such data arise (including medicine, genetics, chemistry, education, social surveys etc) mean that Australia and Australian Industry will also ultimately benefit from the research. The strengthening of international links and the training of highly trained researchers will also benefit the Australian community.Read moreRead less