Single cell transcriptomic technology is a new and essential technology that allows for the direct measurement of gene expression at the single cell level to quantify cell population intracellular heterogeneity and characterize cell phenotypes, cell signaling pathways and functions, and dynamic cellular transitions cell by cell. This provides an analysis at the single cell level thus providing insights into biology that have been previously inaccessible and also at a greatly reduced cost. The 10x Single Cell RNAseq (scRNA-seq) Chromium Single Cell Gene Expression Controller provides an unparalleled approach for uncovering cell-to-cell gene expression variability and identifying rare cell types in heterogeneous samples derived from tissue or cells. This single cell sequencing platform will allow VA researchers to extend beyond traditional global marker gene analysis to characterize cell types or cell functional states and the concomitant dynamic gene changes in regulatory pathways. scRNA-seq is now widely employed in studies seeking to resolve previously under-recognized cellular heterogeneity, define key processes in cell development and differentiation, unravel critical pathways of hematopoiesis, and understand the gene regulatory networks that predict immune function. A static snapshot of single-cell transcriptomes can provide a powerful window onto the various stages of differentiation and activation states, which are rarely synchronized between cells. Importantly, complex biological processes in developmental biology, cancer, neuroscience, immunology, and infectious disease usually involve multiple individual cells that have different fates, states, and functions. These can be now characterized, captured and resolved at the cellular level with a single scRNA-seq experiment. This single cell RNA sequencer with the Chromium Single Cell Gene Expression Solution will provide an unparalleled resource for all of the VA research investigators at our VA Medical Center Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System. The 10x Single Cell RNAseq will support the following VA funded Merit Review and Career Development research projects that have the ultimate goal to improve and help Veterans healthcare at our institution: 1. Treatments for neural regeneration, such as restoring neural function after stroke or spinal cord injury, 2. Hypothyroidism, 3. Microbial regulation of appetite, obesity, metabolic syndrome, diabetes and fatty liver, 4. Prostate cancer, 5. Alzheimer disease, 6. Leptospirosis, 7. Regenerating myocardium after ventricular resection, 8. Modulation of colonic response to stress and inflammation, 9. Intestinal epithelial cell proliferation and permeability, 10. Regulation of gut motor function, and visceral pain altered by various stressors, 11. Gut bacterial metabolites, 12. Parkinson?s disease, and 13. Colon cancer.
This shared equipment application is to acquire a single cell RNAseq Cromium Single Cell Controller platform to meet the needs of the different investigators? research projects that are included in the application. This single cell RNA sequencing platform will allow VA researchers to understand the complex interactions between different cell populations in a certain organ and tissue and obtain a high-resolution detailed analysis of the cell populations and their interactions that contribute to the pathogenetic pathways of various diseases. This scRNAseq platform will support multiple VA funded research projects on colon cancer, neural regeneration, microbial regulation of obesity, prostate cancer, Alzheimer disease, Parkinson?s disease, leptospirosis, intestinal epithelial cell proliferation and permeability, that are all extremely relevant to our Veterans? health.
