Explore the groundbreaking Human Cell Atlas project in this 50-minute Aspen Lecture. Delve into the ambitious effort to create a comprehensive, searchable map of human cells, akin to a "Google map for the human body." Learn about the project's potential to revolutionize personalized medicine by cataloging cellular subtypes, gene expression profiles, and environmental influences. Discover how this atlas is being applied to various test cases, including airway studies, zebrafish development, and human blood formation. Gain insights into the project's impact on cancer immunotherapies and inflammatory bowel disease research. Understand the mission, principles, and international scope of the Human Cell Atlas initiative, including its large-scale funding and phased approach to data collection and platform development.
Overview
Syllabus
Intro
Cells are our basic units
The central dogma
Cells express the genes they need at the right quantities
A gene expression profile is the calling card of a cell
Knowing our cells is essential to understand the genes that cause disease
Gene expression: coordinates for a map of all human cells
Test case: the airways
Test case: Zebrafish development
A cell tree for zebrafish embryogenesis
Tracing blood formation in humans
Algorithms allow us to "play back the tape"
Immunotherapies are the most important therapeutic advance in cancer care, but...
New proposed option for combination treatment
Test case: Inflammatory bowel disease
A single cell atlas of the colon of healthy and UC patients
A map across multiple diseases
Human Cell Atlas: Mission
HCA principles and values
Large scale, international funding for data collection, method development, and data platform
Phase 1: the first draft
Taught by
The Aspen Institute
