In a transformative stride forward in the field of single-cell biology and genomic research, the Arc Institute has announced an ambitious expansion of its Virtual Cell Atlas, a project that already encompasses over 300 million individual cells. With new strategic partnerships forged with industry leaders 10x Genomics and Ultima Genomics, Arc is poised to dramatically accelerate the generation of large-scale, high-resolution perturbational single-cell datasets. This initiative aims to revolutionize how biologists understand cellular states before and after genetic or chemical perturbations, ultimately empowering the creation of sophisticated virtual cell models to shed light on complex disease mechanisms and therapeutic avenues.
At the core of this development is Arc’s commitment to producing and openly sharing datasets of unparalleled scale and quality. The fusion of Arc’s deep expertise in biological systems with the cutting-edge single-cell sequencing and analysis technologies from 10x Genomics and Ultima Genomics heralds a new era in biological research where data acquisition is not only faster and more scalable but also immensely cost-effective. This synergy is central to pushing the boundaries of what is possible in biological modeling, enabling machine learning algorithms to generate predictive, mechanistic insights into cell behavior under various perturbational conditions.
10x Genomics contributes its state-of-the-art single-cell analysis platforms, notably the chromium Flex system endowed with the GEM-X Flex technology. This platform allows researchers to interrogate millions of individual perturbed cells simultaneously, achieving a remarkable combination of high resolution, robust data fidelity, and affordability at an unprecedented scale. The ability to handle such enormous sample throughput radically enhances the statistical power of experiments, accelerating discoveries in immunology, oncology, and neuroscience by capturing the subtle nuances of cellular responses and heterogeneity with single-cell precision.
The sequencing side of this groundbreaking approach is fortified by Ultima Genomics’ revolutionary UG100 sequencing system equipped with Solaris chemistry. Unlike conventional sequencing solutions, Ultima’s wafer-based technology and novel chemistry significantly lower per-base sequencing costs while boosting throughput and overall data quality. When integrated with 10x Genomics’ single-cell capture strategies, the UG100 platform’s performance ensures that large perturbational datasets can be generated efficiently, reliably, and at scale — an essential prerequisite for pushing virtual cell atlasing far beyond current resource limits.
Moreover, the UG100 Solaris Boost mode, available in early access, promises to further elevate data yield, allowing Arc to expedite its data generation pipeline as the Virtual Cell Atlas expands. This high-throughput mode represents a critical advancement in sequencing technology, tackling the historical tradeoffs between data depth, breadth, and cost. Such technological leaps are vital in enabling multi-dimensional profiling of millions of cells during various perturbations, providing a comprehensive roadmap of cellular states to fuel data-driven biological modeling and therapeutic hypothesis testing.
Leaders from all three institutions emphasize that their combined technologies and vision underpin a transformational shift toward building predictive “world models” of cellular function. Rather than relying on traditional guess-and-check experimental frameworks, which are often laborious and time consuming, these models leverage vast, perturbational single-cell datasets to simulate and predict how specific interventions might restore diseased cells to healthy states. This approach fundamentally changes the landscape of preclinical research and drug development by focusing resources on the most promising mechanistic hypotheses, thereby accelerating translational impact.
The Arc Institute, headquartered in Palo Alto, California, operates as an independent nonprofit research organization dedicated to pushing scientific boundaries through curiosity-driven investigations and interdisciplinary collaboration. Its Virtual Cell Atlas serves as a foundational resource for the scientific community, designed to catalyze innovation by providing open access to richly annotated single-cell perturbation datasets. The project is envisioned to be a long-term platform to underpin AI-driven models that transform biological understanding and enable precision therapeutics development.
From 10x Genomics, CEO Serge Saxonov highlighted the disruptive potential of GEM-X Flex technology for biological modeling. By delivering scalable, high-quality single-cell data at a cost structure accessible to broad scientific consortia, this platform empowers more ambitious experimental designs that integrate large sample sizes and intricate perturbational schemes. This democratization of single-cell sequencing infrastructure is critical to unlocking new frontiers in systems biology and personalized medicine.
Similarly, Gilad Almogy, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Ultima Genomics, underscored how their sequencing architecture was purpose-built to surmount the cost and scalability limitations of legacy sequencing technologies. By enabling high-throughput, low-cost sequencing without sacrificing data integrity, Ultima fuels the generation of comprehensive datasets necessary for next-generation AI and machine learning applications in biology. Their collaboration with Arc and 10x Genomics exemplifies how technological innovation can coalesce around pressing scientific challenges, driving rapid progress.
Beyond technology, this collaborative effort highlights the scientific imperative to build integrated resources combining single-cell data from diverse sources, expanding the scope and resolution of perturbational atlases. The collective vision unites researchers aiming to refine predictive biological models that not only elucidate disease mechanisms but also guide the discovery of novel therapeutic strategies by simulating the effects of interventions at the cellular level.
One of the principal investigators at Arc, Patrick Hsu, noted the profound shift this initiative represents. By moving away from iterative, trial-based experimentation toward predictive models grounded in multi-million cell datasets, scientists can more efficiently identify key perturbations that revert pathological cells to healthy phenotypes. This model-driven experimental design paradigm holds promise to accelerate drug discovery timelines and inform clinical strategies with unmatched precision.
In sum, the partnership between Arc Institute, 10x Genomics, and Ultima Genomics encapsulates a major inflection point for biology, sequencing, and data science convergence. Their collective innovations in single-cell capture, ultra-high-throughput sequencing, and advanced perturbation data generation set the stage for virtual cell atlases that will become pivotal in the era of AI-driven biomedical research. As the datasets grow in size, quality, and accessibility, they will empower a new generation of computational tools and models capable of unraveling biological complexity and delivering targeted, mechanism-based therapies for complex diseases.
Scientists, clinicians, and researchers interested in exploring the Arc Virtual Cell Atlas and utilizing these rich perturbational datasets can access the resource at https://arcinstitute.org/tools/virtualcellatlas. This portal promises to be a nexus of collaborative discovery where unprecedented volumes of single-cell data inform next-generation biological models, potentially transforming medicine and health outcomes worldwide.
Subject of Research: Generation and utilization of large-scale perturbational single-cell data for predictive modeling of cellular states.
Article Title: Arc Institute, 10x Genomics, and Ultima Genomics Collaborate to Scale High-Resolution Single-Cell Perturbation Data for Virtual Cell Atlas Expansion.
Web References:
- Arc Virtual Cell Atlas: https://arcinstitute.org/tools/virtualcellatlas
- 10x Genomics: https://www.10xgenomics.com/
- Ultima Genomics: http://www.ultimagenomics.com/
Image Credits: Arc Institute, 10x Genomics, Ultima Genomics
Keywords: Scientific data, single-cell sequencing, perturbational data, virtual cell atlas, genomic technologies, biological modeling, AI in biology, high-throughput sequencing, single-cell analysis, computational biology, genomics, cell state perturbations
