# Pre-cancer atlases of cutaneous and hematologic origin (PATCH Center)

> **NIH NIH U2C** · HARVARD MEDICAL SCHOOL · 2020 · $974,841

## Abstract

SUMMARY-ABSTRACT
 The overall goal of this proposal is to construct two pre-cancer atlases (PCAs) from highly accessible pre-
malignant diseases that impose high burdens on human health (i) one focused on progression of pre-
melanoma lesions to invasive cancer and (ii) a second on progression from clonal hematopoiesis (CHIP) to
myeloid neoplasms. Both of these involve expansion of specific clones in normal and diseased niches as
shaped by complex interactions among immune and pre-cancer cells. The resulting Atlases developed by the
Center for Pre-cancer Atlases of Cutaneous and Hematologic Origin (PATCH Center) present complementary
technical challenges, avenues to scientific discovery, and opportunities for the development of precision
prevention strategies and therapies. The key goal in both cases is to precisely delineate and understand the
molecular mechanisms driving progression from pre-malignant to malignant disease, to identify high risk
individuals, prioritize particular therapies and serve as the foundation for precision prevention clinical trials.
This will be achieved by integrated characterization of single cell genotype and cell states using high-plex
tissue imaging and omic characterization of cross-sectional and well-controlled longitudinal patient cohorts.
 Aim 1 will establish an administrative core responsible for scientific management of the Center, coordination
with HTAN members and dissemination of Atlases under the direction of an internal Executive Committee with
three subcommittees. Aim 2 will establish a Biospecimen Unit under the leadership of pathologists, oncologists
and a surgeon. The DFCI Pasquarello Tissue Repository will provide highly annotated hematological
specimens for image-based and omic characterization of CHIP; the BWH dermatopathologic tissue repository
will provide annotated FFPE samples for melanoma precursors. These services will also play a key role in
prospective sample acquisition and analysis. Aim 3 will establish a Characterization Unit directed by an
oncologist and pathologist to perform and integrate single-cell genomics, multiplex flow cytometry and high-
plex imaging using two methods reduced to practice within the Center: tissue-based cyclic
immunofluorescence (t-CyCIF) and DNA exchange imaging (DEI). The Characterization Unit will also validate
reagents and associate all primary results with appropriate metadata, protocols and reagent specifications.
Aim 4 will establish a Data Analysis Unit enlisting systems and computational biologists and data scientists to
manage all aspects of data acquisition, interpretation and visualization. This is expected to be the most
technically challenging aspect of the Atlas projects. The Data Analysis Unit will release Phase I/II atlases each
in preliminary and final stages to facilitate collaborative and crowd-sourced approaches to algorithm
development. The resulting human browsable and machine-readable atlases are expected to yield new
scientific discover...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10252281
- **Project number:** 3U2CCA233262-01S1
- **Recipient organization:** HARVARD MEDICAL SCHOOL
- **Principal Investigator:** JON C. ASTER
- **Activity code:** U2C (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $974,841
- **Award type:** 3
- **Project period:** 2018-09-30 → 2024-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10252281

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10252281, Pre-cancer atlases of cutaneous and hematologic origin (PATCH Center) (3U2CCA233262-01S1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-25 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10252281. Licensed CC0.

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