CNAG Symposium Unveils Ground-breaking Research on Inflammation Landscape

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.