Researchers call for a pediatric cell atlas 

A group of more than 70 researchers is calling for a comprehensive registry of all the cells in children for a pediatric cell atlas. The project will be associated with the Human Cell Atlas, which was launched in 2016 and is focused on single-cell profiling of all human cells. Like the charts that map children’s expected growth trajectory, the pediatric atlas would be a cellular equivalent that would track tissue and organ development to offer insights into how children not only develop normally but also develop disease. “Without a systematic inclusion of children in the current atlassing endeavors, advancements in pediatric precision medicine and therapeutic development will continue to fall behind,” the researchers write.