The team investigates various aspects of the formation and the history of galaxies and their stellar populations.

More specifically, we study the physical properties of the Milky Way, the local group galaxies, and other nearby galaxies. We observe and analyse the stellar populations of these galaxies and study the gravitational dynamics governing the motions of gas and stars. The history and evolution of the stellar populations, combined with the stellar kinematics, allows us to reconstruct key moments in the life of these galaxies.

We study the stellar populations of our Galaxy, the local group and the tidal streams produced by small galaxies being accreted, as the Sagittarius dwarf or Canis Major.

Similarly, we study the stellar populations of nearby galaxies for which individual stars can be resolved.

For more distant galaxies, we use spectral energy distributions to investigate their history and identify past star formation episodes. The latter bursts are likely linked to accretion or interaction with other galaxies.

Research is also led in the field of stellar clusters. Numerical simulations are carried out combining the gravitational dynamics of clusters with up-to-date stellar physics models, in an attempt to match the observed properties of these objects. These studies will help understanding the formation of galaxies, since clusters are important building blocks of galaxies.

Among other additionnal topics, fundamental gravitational dynamics are studied: the formation of bars, density waves and spiral arms, as well as the formation of globular and open clusters are investigated.