In a recent breakthrough at the 12th CNAG Symposium on Genome Research held in Barcelona, Spain, DoCTIS partner Dr. Holger showcased a significant research initiative focusing on the “Interpretable Inflammation Landscape of Circulating Immune Cells.” The study, presented among a series of expert talks, is the first deep characterization of inflammation at the circulating level, exploring its implications across various physiological and pathological processes.

For this work, the single cell data generated in the DoCTIS project from 176 patients from six immune-mediated inflammatory diseases (IMIDs) was key. Combining this data with other diseases with an inflammatory component, Dr. Holger’s team generated a comprehensive single-cell atlas.  In total, over 2 million peripheral blood mononuclear cells sourced from 356 patients across 18 diseases were analyzed. The findings shed light on the activation spectrum of circulating immune cells during infection, immune-mediated inflammatory diseases, and cancer.

Utilizing a precision medicine framework and employing unsupervised and explainable machine learning, the research is poised to offer valuable insights for researchers worldwide striving to enhance the understanding of inflammation and identify more effective drug targets.

The ground-breaking nature of this research fostered by the DoCTIS project positions it as a pivotal step forward in the field, providing valuable insights into both acute and chronic inflammatory processes. The implications of this work extend beyond the symposium, promising to influence future research in immunological diseases and related fields.