In less than one month from now, we will release a new version of our database, HPA16! The biggest news is the introduction of a brand new Cell Atlas. It will be an image-based atlas over the subcellular distribution of the human proteome.

– Cells are the machinery of life. Much of the bustling activity in the human cell results from proteins performing specific tasks in designated compartments, the organelles. The Cell Atlas that we are creating will be image-based and describe the subcellular distribution of the human proteome, says Emma Lundberg, Director of the Cell Atlas.

Emma Lundberg is group leader of the Cell Profiling group within the Human Protein Atlas, and Associate Professor of Cell Biology Proteomics at the Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm, Sweden. She received her Ph. D. in Biotechnology in 2008 and holds a M. Sc. in Biotechnological Engineering, both from the Royal Institute of Technology.

–My research lies in the interface between bioimaging and proteomics, and aims to define the spatiotemporal organization of the human proteome at a subcellular level, and understand how variations and deviations in localization can contribute to cellular function as well as disease.

For the effort to create the Cell Atlas Emma Lundberg´s lab has developed technology platforms for large-scale immunostaining and systematic validation of antibody specificity.

– In addition, we have initiated a citizen science project, called Project Discovery.

The project is a joint endeavour between Iceland's CCP Games, the Human Protein Atlas, Massively Multiplayer Online Science (MMOS), and Reykjavik University where players in the online game EVE help the scientists in Emma Lundberg´s group.

– Participants categorize protein patterns from images of cells into different categories of structures in the cell that belong to the nucleus, the cytoplasm and also the periphery of the cell, Emma Lundberg explains. Players of Project Discovery will be helping the scientists to understand protein function in cells by recognizing patterns in protein localization.

On December 4, the new version of the Human Protein Atlas, including the brand new Cell Atlas will be launched during a Tech Talk at the American Association of Cell Biology´s Annual Meeting in San Francisco. If you are not able to attend the Tech Talk, there will be a live streaming from the event. Keep your eyes open for more information!

During the coming weeks here on our blog you will be able to learn more about the team behind the Cell Atlas; the people, the methods, the lab. Don´t miss it!

Our Tech Talk at ASCB16: Explore the Human Cell, were Assistant Prof. Emma Lundberg will introduce the Cell Atlas, will be held on December 4, 2:00 - 2:45 PM in Theater 1