Mapping the Kidney at Single-Cell Resolution
The project will build a kidney cell atlas detailing cell types, states, and interactions across kidney diseases. This atlas will serve as the foundation for controlled large-scale perturbation experiments in kidney organoids, where cells are exposed to genetic or drug interventions. By combining atlas data with perturbation results, AI models can predict how interventions may shift diseased kidneys toward healthy states.
“Integrating AI perturbation models with single-cell atlases and organoid experiments allows us to explore at scale how disease pathways respond to different interventions,” explains Prof. Fabian Theis, Director of the Computational Health Center at Helmholtz Munich and a key contributor to the Human Cell Atlas.
This initiative brings together the expertise of the laboratories led by Prof. Fabian Theis, Dr. Malte Lücken, and Dr. Tingying Peng from Helmholtz Munich, drawing on the center’s expertise in AI-driven modeling, virtual cell simulations, and large-scale perturbation analysis.
A Unique Organoid-Based Dataset to Decode Kidney Disease
Novartis contributes extensive know-how in the generation and characterization of reproducible kidney organoid models – lab-grown tissue models that replicate key features of human kidneys and allow researchers to test potential therapies in physiologically relevant systems, reducing the need for animal studies.
“AI is opening up unprecedented opportunities to explore human and disease biology, and to analyze data at scale,” says Fiona Marshall, President of Biomedical Research at Novartis. “This collaboration, which combines translational organoid models and perturbation experiments with AI analysis, will leverage these transformational technologies to create a unique resource to help uncover insights into kidney disease mechanisms and to refine preclinical disease models.”
