#IDIBELLseminars: Single-cell genomics and machine-learning: impeccable timing?

Single-cell sequencing has allowed researchers to tackle questions that other sequencing methods often cannot address. With enhanced statistical power and advanced analytical tools, analyzing tissue heterogeneity, clonality, gene expression, epigenetic profiling, and genetic alterations at the single-cell level is now achievable. An apparently straightforward yet still underused analytical approach that could greatly enhance our understanding of cell biology and enable detailed examination of single-cell sequencing is deep learning. The multiome (investigating multiple macromolecules simultaneously in a given cell) further enriches the application of machine learning by supplying an additional and potentially complementary set of information for each cell. We have effectively applied deep learning in several single-cell projects. This talk will highlight some of our findings, focusing on the timely advancements in single-cell technologies, improved computational capacity, and machine-learning methods that we believe will transform the breadth and depth of biological hypotheses researchers can propose.

Hosted by Carolina Florian – Stem Cell Aging group

Professor (since 2014) and head (since 2022) of single-cell genomics unit, Medical Faculty, Ulm University, Germany
Post-doc, Medical Faculty, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany (2012 – 2014)
Post-doc, Faculty of Medicine, Ludwig-Maximilians-University (LMU), Munich, Germany (2009 – 2012)
Lecturer at the Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Addis Ababa (2000 – 2005)
University (AAU)

2009 PhD in Human Biology, Ludwig-Maximilians-University (LMU), Munich, Germany
2000 M.Sc., Biology (Genetics), Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
1997 B.Sc., Plant Sciences, University of Asmara, Asmara, Eritrea

Current Research Focus:
• Functional genomics with an emphasis on single-cell genomics and machine-learning approaches to elucidate normal and malignant hematopoiesis mechanisms
• Genetic and epigenetic dynamics of Hematopoietic Stem Cells (HSCs) aging and rejuvenation