Research at IMSI ranges from basic to applied, and has a strong collaborative aspect, as it is typically conducted with national and international partners from industry as well as academia, in the context of innovative R&D projects. IMSI is creating knowledge and technologies in some of the most aggressively developing sectors of the economy.
Scientific research at IMSI is currently focused on the following five thematic priorities:
1. Big Data Analytics and Machine Learning
ΙMSI develops large-scale algorithms and systems for managing, processing, and analyzing static and dynamic Big Data. Key focuses include interactive data analysis, complex event processing, and predictive analytics, alongside privacy-preserving data mining and scalable machine learning models.
2. Distributed and Web Information Systems
Research targets data management and processing in web and distributed environments, covering Semantic Web, knowledge graphs, heterogeneous data integration, personalized retrieval, and sensor networks/peer-to-peer systems.
3. Cloud Platforms and Data Services
IMSI innovates in cloud computing for data-intensive applications, including FaaS/PaaS/SaaS models, secure third-party data processing, and end-to-end big data analytics (cloud/edge). The Institute also develops cloud-native tools for data analytics and service catalogs.
4. User-Centric Systems and Applications
IMSI focuses on adaptive, human-like data access and ethical data use, including recommender systems, conversational AI, visual analytics, and explainable algorithms to democratize data across domains like healthcare, policy, and education.
5. Big Data Research Infrastructures
IMSI designs scalable systems for organizing, storing, and curating large datasets, ensuring long-term preservation and knowledge extraction. The Institute has leading role in European and National RIs for several scientific domains (OpenAIRE, ELIXIR, EOSC, Apollonis, IBISBA, ECRIN etc) and promotes Open Science with interdisciplinary solutions for high-quality digital assets.