AMS Seminar: Dr. Marina Vannucci (Rice University) @ Whitehead 304

Title: Edge-Selection Priors for Graphical Models and Applications to Complex Biological Data
Abstract: There is now a huge literature on Bayesian methods for variable selection in linear models that use spike-and-slab priors.
Such methods, in particular, have been quite successful for applications in a variety of different fields. A parallel methodological development has happened in graphical models, where priors are specified on precision matrices. In this talk I will describe priors for edge selection for the estimation of multiple graphs that may share common features, such as presence/absence of edges or strengths of connections. I will also describe modeling frameworks for non-Gaussian data and discuss computational challenges.
I will motivate the development of the models using specific applications from neuroimaging and from studies that use biomedical data.