Understanding how human cells function in health and disease requires a comprehensive picture of their components and interactions—and what happens when they malfunction. In 2012, the Klarman Family Foundation established the Klarman Cell Observatory (KCO) as a pilot effort to decipher the inner workings of human cells and foster new insights into the biological underpinnings of disease.

Led by core faculty member Aviv Regev, the KCO brings together scientists from across the Broad—biologists, computer scientists, and clinicians, among others. Together, they are developing innovative experimental and computational methods, which not only advance this emerging field but can also be broadly applied to other research areas. The Observatory also oversees close collaborations with scientists from Israel in order to help advance the country’s biomedical research. Activities include an annual symposium, fellowships and other training opportunities, and joint projects.

We are seeking philanthropic partners in the following projects:

• Creating a human cell atlas.

• Developing methods to understand the function and mechanisms of both coding and noncoding parts of the genome.

• Deciphering the circuits of hallmark cells and tissues in key disease areas.

News coverage on our cell circuitry research