Alpha Cell
Alpha Cell is a new strategic research program at SciLifeLab dedicated to uncovering the molecular structure and function of single human cells in time and space — and to developing AI-based models that can predict how cells behave. Made possible through generous support from the Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation, the program is set to launch in 2026.
By combining cutting-edge molecular biology, imaging technologies, and artificial intelligence, Alpha Cell represents a major step toward a deeper, more predictive understanding of human biology.
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Built on the Human Protein Atlas
Alpha Cell is founded on the Human Protein Atlas (HPA) — one of the world’s most widely used biological databases. Supported by the Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation through its largest-ever investment in a single research project (SEK 1.2 billion), the HPA mapped the full set of proteins that make up and regulate the human body. It now contains more than 12 million high-resolution images showing the precise localization of proteins within human cells, offering an unparalleled foundation for molecular cell profiling.
Toward predictive models of the human cell
With Alpha Cell, SciLifeLab is taking the next leap: integrating data across molecular layers to build AI-driven models of human cell function. These models aim to predict key cellular behaviours — including metabolism, cell division, and responses related to disease — based on a holistic molecular understanding.
The program will combine antibody-based cell profiling from the HPA with single-cell functional and structural imaging analyses, to provide a comprehensive and dynamic view of cell states and functions.
Next-generation imaging and data integration
To power this modeling, Alpha Cell will generate new datasets using the latest advances in light and electron microscopy, producing high-resolution 3D spatial maps of the molecular structures inside cells — along with insights into how these structures dynamically change over time to give rise to function. This detailed spatial and temporal information will feed into generative AI models of cells, laying the groundwork for data-driven discoveries in health and disease.
More information: press release (November 7, 2024)