Alpha Cell

Through Alpha Cell, the participating researchers aim to create AI-based models to gain a holistic, molecular understanding of the functions of the human cell. Functions that are important for core cell functions such as division and metabolism that are key to understanding disease.

Strategic grant

Host of the project:
SciLifeLab and KTH.

Grant:
270 million SEK

Alpha Cell is based on the unique data resource of the Human Protein Atlas, HPA. The HPA project mapped all the proteins that build and control the human body and is now one of the most widely used biological databases in the world. It for example contains more than 12 million images showing protein localization at the cellular level. The Human Protein Atlas is the largest single project funded by the Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation, with a total investment of nearly SEK 1.1 billion.

The starting point of Alpha Cell is to use the rich single cell data from the HPA resource for building initial models, integrating the antibody-based with other molecular, interaction and predicted structural data.

In addition, Alpha Cell will generate new data that map molecules down to their structure and dynamic function in space and time inside the cell. This will include very high-resolution 3D maps of the molecular machinery inside cells and their functional dynamics over time, exploiting recent breakthroughs and ongoing technology developments in light and electron microscopy technologies. These will be key quantitative data sources to create a new generation of AI-based cell models.