The research project focuses on the multidisciplinary use of an advanced class of statistical models based on latent variables, designed to handle complex data and intricate dependency structures among observable variables. These models are characterized by their flexibility, which allows them to adapt to a wide range of relationships between variables. They employ latent variables—those not directly measurable—to represent and understand the underlying dynamics that influence the observable variables.

The research is organized into five main areas: one methodological and four applied. Each area is led by a research subgroup, with a coordinator responsible for data management. The subgroups will work synergistically under the direction of the scientific leader, Silvia Pandolfi. The specific research themes of the subgroups are divided as follows:

SG1 - Methodological developments on discrete latent variable models (Coordinator: F. Bartolucci): This subgroup develops new approaches for analyzing longitudinal and spatio-temporal data, extending hidden Markov models and improving Bayesian inferential techniques with Monte Carlo algorithms to ensure scalable solutions.

SG2 - Dietary habits and vitamin D receptor polymorphism in young adults (Coordinator: M. Codini): This group explores the relationship between diet, vitamin D levels, and vitamin D receptor polymorphisms in young adults to understand how these variables impact health and develop effective preventive strategies.

SG3 - Food deprivation, insecurity, and eating disorders: the role of policies and family circumstances (Coordinator: L. Pieroni): This subgroup analyzes food vulnerability in developed and developing countries, improving methods to identify the causes of food deprivation and assessing the impact of policies and family circumstances on reducing poverty and eating disorders, particularly among adolescents.

SG4 - Latent variable models and energy/environmental choices (Coordinator: P. Polinori): This group studies unobserved heterogeneity in preferences related to energy and environmental choices, aiming to represent this heterogeneity to better estimate resource demand and willingness to participate in sustainable initiatives.

SG5 - Consumer behavior analysis in retail markets: methodological approaches compared in finance and green products sectors (Coordinators: F. Rizzi – D. Martelli): This project compares different strategies for analyzing consumer behavior in the financial and green product sectors, with the goal of developing models that explain the determinants of social, environmental, and economic choices.