HuBMAP

HuBMAP Consortium

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has launched the Human BioMolecular Atlas Program (HuBMAP) to develop a framework for mapping the human body cell by cell. HuBMAP utilizes the latest molecular and cellular biology technologies to construct high resolution 3D spatial maps of human organs and tissues. Characterizing all healthy tissues at the cellular and molecular level will allow us to dramatically transform approaches in healthcare. 

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The Lymphatic TMC

The Lymphatic TMC is a tissue mapping center responsible for mapping the human lymphatic vasculature system at gross anatomy down to the molecular level. We will receive a total of $4 million over four years to collect and analyze a range of lymphatic tissues from a diverse set of tissue donors. The Lymphatic TMC is composed of Contact-PI Dhruv Singhal, MD of the Boston Lymphatic Center at BIDMC; Co-PI Ioannis Vlachos, PhD of the Spatial Technologies Unit at BIDMC and Wyss Institute; Co-PI Young-Kwon Hong, PhD of BIDMC & HMS; Co-Investigator Leo Tsai, MD, PhD of BIDMC; Co-Investigator Maxim Itkin, MD of the University of Pennsylvania; Gordon Jiang, MD, PhD of BIDMC.

HuBMAP Lymphatic TMC team

The team hopes that these findings will shed light on causes of lymphatic diseases, such as lymphedema, which affect 200 million people worldwide and is often a long-term side effect of breast cancer treatment.  HuBMAP's support allows us to dive deep into discovering the origins of lymphatic diseases through mapping out a detailed anatomy of the lymphatic system. Our work can be used to develop novel approaches to treatment, care management, and prevention. 

Read news about us

BIDMC Team Joins NIH Initiative Creating Human Cellular Map
BOSTON – Experts estimate that there are more than 37 trillion cells in the human body. The ways in which cells interact with each other impact a person’s health, though how they cooperate — or fail to, potentially leading to disease — is not always clear. In a monumental undertaking to learn more about the relationship between cell function and health, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) launched the Human BioMolecular Atlas Program (HuBMAP) to develop a framework for mapping the human body cell by cell. Now, a team led by researchers at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC) are joining the national program and will be the first HuBMAP group responsible for mapping human lymphatic system at the molecular level. Keep reading

View publications from the HuBMAP consortium

 

  • Jain S, Pei L, Spraggins JM, et al. Advances and prospects for the Human BioMolecular Atlas Program (HuBMAP).. Nature cell biology. 2023;25(8):1089-1100. doi:10.1038/s41556-023-01194-w
    Publisher's Version

    The Human BioMolecular Atlas Program (HuBMAP) aims to create a multi-scale spatial atlas of the healthy human body at single-cell resolution by applying advanced technologies and disseminating resources to the community. As the HuBMAP moves past its first phase, creating ontologies, protocols and pipelines, this Perspective introduces the production phase: the generation of reference spatial maps of functional tissue units across many organs from diverse populations and the creation of mapping tools and infrastructure to advance biomedical research.

    See also: U54 HuBMAP Lymphatic TMC
  • Bustos VP, Wang R, Pardo J, et al. Mapping the Anatomy of the Human Lymphatic System.. Journal of reconstructive microsurgery. 2024;40(9):672-679. doi:10.1055/s-0044-1782670
    Publisher's Version

    BACKGROUND:  While substantial anatomical study has been pursued throughout the human body, anatomical study of the human lymphatic system remains in its infancy. For microsurgeons specializing in lymphatic surgery, a better command of lymphatic anatomy is needed to further our ability to offer surgical interventions with precision. In an effort to facilitate the dissemination and advancement of human lymphatic anatomy knowledge, our teams worked together to create a map. The aim of this paper is to present our experience in mapping the anatomy of the human lymphatic system.

    METHODS:  Three steps were followed to develop a modern map of the human lymphatic system: (1) identifying our source material, which was "Anatomy of the human lymphatic system," published by Rouvière and Tobias (1938), (2) choosing a modern platform, the Miro Mind Map software, to integrate the source material, and (3) transitioning our modern platform into The Human BioMolecular Atlas Program (HuBMAP).

    RESULTS:  The map of lymphatic anatomy based on the Rouvière textbook contained over 900 data points. Specifically, the map contained 404 channels, pathways, or trunks and 309 lymph node groups. Additionally, lymphatic drainage from 165 distinct anatomical regions were identified and integrated into the map. The map is being integrated into HuBMAP by creating a standard data format called an Anatomical Structures, Cell Types, plus Biomarkers table for the lymphatic vasculature, which is currently in the process of construction.

    CONCLUSION:  Through a collaborative effort, we have developed a unified and centralized source for lymphatic anatomy knowledge available to the entire scientific community. We believe this resource will ultimately advance our knowledge of human lymphatic anatomy while simultaneously highlighting gaps for future research. Advancements in lymphatic anatomy knowledge will be critical for lymphatic surgeons to further refine surgical indications and operative approaches.

    See also: Anatomy & Function, U54 HuBMAP Lymphatic TMC