Shape analysis deals with the geometrical informations of objects that is left after location, scale and rotation effects are removed. If scale effects are not removed, then we are led to form (size and shape). In applications, bodies rarely have exactly the same shape within measurement error; hence randomness of shapes need to be taken into account. Thanks to the development of information technologies, the last decade has seen a considerable growth of interest in the statistical theory of shape and its application to many and diverse scientific areas. 
>From the mathematical point of view shape analysis uses a variety of mathematical tools from differential geometry, geometric measure theory, stochastic geometry, etc. As far as applications are concerned, we will emphasize here topics which are relevant in medicine and biotechnology. 

We will care about direct and inverse problems. Among direct problems spatio-temporal pattern formation deals with the analysis of how patterns are created and develop in biology. Particular attention will be paid here to 
- pattern formation in tumor growth and angiogenesis 
- morphology applied to the control of biological reactions (in particular for the production of oxygenated compounds) 
- characterization of relevant morphological traits of single HRC (Hairy Root Cultures, derived from tobacco plants) and HRC-clusters 

Among inverse problems, various statistical techniques of shape analysis will be proposed to measure in a quantitive way the random variability of objects; 
recent methods of image analysis include optical imaging of objects in turbid media, which can be used as a non-invasive technique for the detection of tumors in the body.

See also the presentation (in pdf) of the moderator at the Midterm Meeting, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, November 27, 2002.

Subjects:

• angiogenesis 
• cell cycle 
• cell signalling 
• immunology 
• cellular organization 
• chemotaxis and haptotaxis 
• metastasis 
• tissue mechanics 
• bioconversions 
• fermenters 
• tobacco-HRC 
• oxigenated compounds 
• light propagation in turbid media (tissues) 
• optical imaging 
• tomography 

Past Events:
Workshop (4-5 July 2002 Milan/Italy)
Shape and size in tumor growth (5 March 2003, Torino/Italy)