Publication in Advanced Science
IMMEI researchers have developed a new AI-based tool called MERLIN that can reconstruct where immune cells originally resided within an organ—even after they have been isolated for single-cell analysis. By analyzing transcriptome data, the algorithm taps into a kind of molecular “memory” that reflects the cells’ local environment. MERLIN works in both mouse models and human tissue and provides new insights into region-specific immune responses, particularly in kidney disease. The study was published in Advanced Science and highlights the power of combining immunology and machine learning.
Publication
Yin J, Mei Q, Paust HJ, Song N, Zhao Y, Klaus D, Eichler M, Hua Y, Qin J, Cheng W, Weisheit CK, Lukacs-Kornek V, Ludwig-Portugall I, von Vietinghoff S, Krebs CF, Klughammer J, Panzer U, Kurts C, Li J
Predicting Macrophage Spatial Localization from Single-Cell Transcriptomes to Uncover Disease Mechanisms
Advanced Science 2026; doi:10.1002/advs.202410924
