My research focuses on distributed programming models, more precisely using objects and components. In this area, I provided tools easing the programming of large-scale distributed applications and verifying their correct behaviour. To facilitate the programming of distributed applications, I contributed to the design and the development of languages with a high level of abstraction. My work aims to provide a strong model of programming languages, libraries, and runtime environments to the developer, and to guarantee the safe behaviour of distributed applications. In the OASIS team, we contributed to the definition of a distributed component model - the GCM (Grid Component Model) -, to its formalisation, and to its use for programming adaptive or autonomous components. After a short introduction to the principles of distributed computing and to the use of formal methods in this area, this talk will provide an overview of those aspects focusing on the programming models. I will conclude with a focus on a couple of my current research topics that include distributed algorithms for peer-to-peer systems, and programming on multicore and distributed architecture.