Abstract
Here we describe the LifeTime Initiative, which aims to track, understand and target human cells during the onset and progression of complex diseases, and to analyse their response to therapy at single-cell resolution. This mission will be implemented through the development, integration and application of single-cell multi-omics and imaging, artificial intelligence and patient-derived experimental disease models during the progression from health to disease. The analysis of large molecular and clinical datasets will identify molecular mechanisms, create predictive computational models of disease progression, and reveal new drug targets and therapies. The timely detection and interception of disease embedded in an ethical and patient-centred vision will be achieved through interactions across academia, hospitals, patient associations, health data management systems and industry. The application of this strategy to key medical challenges in cancer, neurological and neuropsychiatric disorders, and infectious, chronic inflammatory and cardiovascular diseases at the single-cell level will usher in cell-based interceptive medicine in Europe over the next decade.
Highlights
Cells develop and differentiate along specific lineage trajectories to form functionally distinct cell types and states[5], which, together with their neighbouring cells, underlie and control normal physiology (Fig. 1)
Several challenges need to be overcome in order to understand complex disease landscapes, which comprise of vast numbers of potential cellular states (Fig. 1)
This is a main goal of the Human Cell Atlas consortium[6]
Summary
Nikolaus Rajewsky1,2,3,4,204 ✉, Geneviève Almouzni5,204 ✉, Stanislaw A. The timely detection and interception of disease embedded in an ethical and patient-centred vision will be achieved through interactions across academia, hospitals, patient associations, health data management systems and industry The application of this strategy to key medical challenges in cancer, neurological and neuropsychiatric disorders, and infectious, chronic inflammatory and cardiovascular diseases at the single-cell level will usher in cell-based interceptive medicine in Europe over the decade. The stratification of patients on the basis of underlying disease mechanisms, assessed in situ within single cells, will help physicians to select the most appropriate treatment(s) or to use combination therapies that are tailored to the individual These will be used first to identify cells that are deviating from the healthy trajectory, to steer them away from disease, and later to reduce the threat of relapse (Fig. 1). LifeTime builds on and will collaborate with related international initiatives that are paving the way by producing reference maps of healthy tissues in the body, such as the Human Cell Atlas (HCA)[6] and the NIH Human Biomolecular Atlas Program (HuBMAP)[9]
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
