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  • CIFAR MacMillan Multiscale Human

CIFAR MacMillan Multiscale Human

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Is it possible to create a multiscale map of the human body?

The human body has 37 trillion cells. In this incredibly complex and dynamic system, changes at the molecular level alter cell behaviour, tissue architecture and the function of organs; in the other direction, changes in the environment can feed into the body and cause molecular changes. The CIFAR MacMillan Multiscale Human Team seeks to understand the system at all these scales to create an unprecedented map of the human body and help drive medical advances.

The fundamental challenge the researchers will address in the CIFAR MacMillan Multiscale Human program is how to integrate data from various spatial and temporal scales across the body while accounting for diversity in the 8 billion strong global population. To do this, the program will bring together researchers with diverse disciplines and a shared goal — to understand, map, and communicate the multiscale human.


IMPACT CLUSTERS

The CIFAR MacMillan Multiscale Human program is part of the following CIFAR Impact Clusters: Decoding Complex Brains and Data; Exploring Emerging Technologies and Shaping the Future of Human Health. CIFAR’s research programs are organized into 5 distinct Impact Clusters that address significant global issues and are committed to fostering an environment in which breakthroughs emerge.

Path to Societal Impact

Areas of focus:

  • Catalyzing medically relevant discoveries about how the human body works, from development to disease and aging
  • Working with large biobank consortia to explore ways of incorporating global health and genetic data into multiscale maps and models of the human body
  • Bringing together biologists with imaging, computational and digital cartography specialists to spur the development of new tools, both in hardware and software

Founded

2023

Supporters

The MacMillan Family Foundation

CIFAR Contact

Evelyn Asiedu

Fellows & Advisors

Program Directors

Gary Bader

Gary Bader

Program Co-Director

CIFAR MacMillan Multiscale Human
University of Toronto
Canada
Katy Börner

Katy Börner

Program Co-Director

CIFAR MacMillan Multiscale Human
Indiana University
United States
Sarah Teichmann

Sarah Teichmann

Program Co-Director

CIFAR MacMillan Multiscale Human
Wellcome Sanger Institute
United Kingdom

Fellows

Alain Chédotal

Alain Chédotal

Fellow

CIFAR MacMillan Multiscale Human
Institut de la Vision
France
Barbara Engelhardt

Barbara Engelhardt

Fellow

CIFAR MacMillan Multiscale Human
Gladstone Institutes
Stanford University
United States
Ali Ertürk

Ali Ertürk

Fellow

CIFAR MacMillan Multiscale Human
Helmholtz Munich / LMU Munich
Germany
Ferdia Gallagher

Ferdia Gallagher

Fellow

CIFAR MacMillan Multiscale Human
University of Cambridge
United Kingdom
Sidhartha Goyal

Sidhartha Goyal

Fellow

CIFAR MacMillan Multiscale Human
University of Toronto
Canada
Muzlifah Haniffa

Muzlifah Haniffa

Fellow

CIFAR MacMillan Multiscale Human
Wellcome Sanger Institute
United Kingdom
Peter Lee

Peter Lee

Fellow

CIFAR MacMillan Multiscale Human
University College London
United Kingdom
Ed Lein

Ed Lein

Fellow

CIFAR MacMillan Multiscale Human
Allen Institute for Brain Science
United States
Dana Pe'er

Dana Pe'er

Fellow

CIFAR MacMillan Multiscale Human
Sloan Kettering Institute
United States
Aviv Regev

Aviv Regev

Fellow

CIFAR MacMillan Multiscale Human
Human Cell Atlas
Nozomu Yachie

Nozomu Yachie

Fellow

CIFAR MacMillan Multiscale Human
Osaka University
University of British Columbia
University of Tokyo
Canada
Peter Zandstra

Peter Zandstra

Fellow

CIFAR MacMillan Multiscale Human
University of British Columbia
Canada
Mei Zhen

Mei Zhen

Fellow

CIFAR MacMillan Multiscale Human
Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute
Canada

Advisors

Hiroaki Kitano

Hiroaki Kitano

Advisor

CIFAR MacMillan Multiscale Human
Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University
The Systems Biology Institute
Japan
Kay Davies

Kay Davies

Advisor

CIFAR MacMillan Multiscale Human
University of Oxford
United Kingdom
Pavel Kabat

Pavel Kabat

Advisor

CIFAR MacMillan Multiscale Human
Human Frontier Science Program Organization
France

CIFAR Azrieli Global Scholars

Bianca Dumitrascu

Bianca Dumitrascu

CIFAR Azrieli Global Scholars 2024-2026

CIFAR MacMillan Multiscale Human
Columbia University
United States
Ann C. Gregory

Ann C. Gregory

CIFAR Azrieli Global Scholars 2024-2026

CIFAR MacMillan Multiscale Human
University of Calgary
Canada
Tobias Wenzel

Tobias Wenzel

CIFAR Azrieli Global Scholars 2024-2026

CIFAR MacMillan Multiscale Human
Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile
Chile

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An illustration of a woman looking down at her left elbow. The person’s body is illustrated to mimic a Google Map with location markers and roads, as well as organs including the brain, stomach, heart and kidneys. A magnifying glass is on her elbow, zooming in on cells. Illustration d’une femme regardant son coude gauche. Le corps de la personne est illustré de façon à imiter une carte Google avec des marqueurs de localisation et des routes, ainsi que des organes dont le cerveau, l’estomac, le cœur et les reins. Une loupe est posée sur son coude et permet de grossir les cellules.

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