# A Spatially Resolved Molecular Atlas of Human Endothelium

> **NIH NIH U54** · CALIFORNIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY · 2020 · $1,892,659

## Abstract

ABSTRACT - OVERALL
We propose to establish the Caltech-UW Tissue Mapping Center (TMC), which will serve as one of the T​MCs
of the NIH’s Human BioMolecular Atlas Program (HuBMAP). The overarching goal of the TMCs is to generate
high-resolution, high-content multiscale maps of non-diseased human organs and systems. To this end, we
propose a TMC that brings together the developers of leading technologies for multiplex spatial transcriptomics
(Long Cai, seqFISH) and ultra-scalable methods for single cell profiling of chromatin accessibility and
transcriptomes (Shendure & Trapnell, sci-ATAC-seq and sci-RNA-seq). Through an organ specific project
(OSP), we describe a pipeline to collect high quality, normal human samples with explicit consent for open
access genome data sharing (GDS) and distribution to consortium members. We will characterize and quantify
the molecular heterogeneity of the human circulatory system in relation to multiple facets of its anatomical
distribution, including organ-specific heterogeneity, intra-organ zonality, down to cell-to-cell heterogeneity.
Through an iterative approach involving profiling of spatially intact tissues by seqFISH and disaggregated cells
by sci-ATAC-seq and sci-RNA-seq, we will obtain a spatially resolved, comprehensive molecular portrait of
both chromatin accessibility and gene expression across the human circulatory system. Through incidental
collection, we anticipate generating expression and chromatin accessibility data for diverse cell types in all
organs that we survey, which will critically inform and increase the value of the datasets collected by other
TMCs and OSPs. We will work closely and openly with the other TMCs and the broader HuBMAP program to
share and integrate data as well as methods and ultimately build a broadly useful platform for exploring and
understanding human organs and systems at high molecular and anatomical resolution.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9966762
- **Project number:** 5U54HL145611-03
- **Recipient organization:** CALIFORNIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
- **Principal Investigator:** Long Cai
- **Activity code:** U54 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $1,892,659
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2018-09-20 → 2022-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9966762

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9966762, A Spatially Resolved Molecular Atlas of Human Endothelium (5U54HL145611-03). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9966762. Licensed CC0.

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