The HuBMAP FUSION Research Experience was launched in Spring 2025, to provide students with a unique opportunity to explore the cutting-edge intersection of artificial intelligence, bioinformatics, and spatial-omics data analysis. While the program was primarily designed for undergraduates, postdoctoral scholars, faculty, and other researchers are also welcome to apply and participate.
This flexible learning format allows participants to engage with structured instructional modules and comprehensive guidelines at their own pace, while participating in interactive and collaborative research experiences. The course introduces students to FUSION’s (Functional Unit State Identification) functionality for visualizing and analyzing spatial transcriptomics data and develops their skills in using the “BulkLabels” component for annotating Functional Tissue Units (FTUs) based on predefined molecular or histological criteria. It also enhances familiarity with HuBMAP’s Workspaces feature and its applications in bioinformatics research, provides hands-on experience in managing data visualization, and fosters interdisciplinary collaboration and scientific communication within research teams.
One of the central tools in the program is FUSION, an interactive AI-powered interface that integrates spatial transcriptomics data with histopathology. FUSION enables segmentation of FTUs and links them with gene expression data, offering insights into both healthy and injured cell types, mapped directly onto histological features in Whole Slide Images (WSIs). These capabilities make FUSION a transformative tool for understanding tissue health and pathology.
Through active participation in HuBMAP projects and engagement with FUSION’s interactive tools and assignments, students gain valuable hands-on training, contribute to the development of cutting-edge research tools, and enhance their skills in Python scripting, data visualization, and collaborative scientific inquiry. This program is ideal for learners seeking to bridge computational methods with biomedical research while supporting structured yet flexible learning.
Note: Click here to sign up. For any queries contact Mishal Khan @mkhan2321@phhp.ufl.edu.
Stakeholders and Collaborators
Principal INvestigator
Pinaki Sarder, Ph.D.
ASSISTANT PROFESSOR
Yulia A. L. Strekalova, Ph.D.
PROJECT COORDINARTOR
Mishal Khan, MHA
