Editorial: The Human Cell Atlas. What Is It and Where Could It Take Us?

The Human Cell Atlas (HCA) Consortium was founded in 2016 as an open global initiative to map each cell type in the human body and create a three-dimensional (3-D) atlas. As of December 2024, 18 Biological Networks are assembling the first draft of the HCA from organs, tissues, and organ systems, including the heart, lung, liver, and immune system. Although the completed first version of the HCA should be released within a year, possibly two, the HCA Biological Networks are making the atlases available on the HCA Data Portal as they are released.

Editorial: The 2024 Revision of the Declaration of Helsinki and its Continued Role as a Code of Ethics to Guide Medical Research.

This year, 2024, marks the 60th anniversary of the Declaration of Helsinki, with the latest revision adopted by the World Medical Association (WMA) in October 2024. The 2024 Declaration of Helsinki is a statement document of ethical principles for research involving humans, human data, and human cells and tissues. Revising the 2013 Declaration of Helsinki document was undertaken over more than two years with international collaboration to enhance the inclusivity of medical research, protect the rights of research study participants, and address contemporary research challenges such as global health emergencies and data privacy.

A Review of Emerging Viral Pathogens and Current Concerns for Vertical Transmission of Infection.

Vertical transmission, or mother-to-child transmission, of bacterial, viral, or parasitic infection is rare due to the success of the barrier functions of the placental maternal-fetal interface, which provides physical, molecular, and immunological mechanisms to protect the developing fetus. Infections in pregnancy that can cross the placenta and reach the fetus can cause fetal loss, stillbirth, or prematurity or can lead to congenital infection, malformation of organs, and neonatal disease at birth. The acronym TORCH stands for Toxoplasma gondii, other, rubella, cytomegalovirus, and herpes simplex virus (HSV).

Editorial: Artificial Intelligence (AI), Digital Image Analysis, and the Future of Cancer Diagnosis and Prognosis.

On October 8 2024, the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences announced the 2024 Nobel Prize in Physics was awarded to Hopfield and Hinton for their foundation research on machine learning with artificial neural networks, which resulted in the current applications for artificial intelligence (AI). Digital diagnostic histopathology combines image capture with image analysis and uses digital tools to collect, analyze, and share diagnostic information. An increase in chronic diseases, diagnostic departmental workloads, and diagnostic tests to support targeted therapy in cancer patients have driven the use and development of image analysis systems, and several medical device companies have recently developed whole-slide scanning devices.

Editorial: Potentials and Pitfalls in Targeting Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 (GLP-1) in the Management of Increasing Levels of Obesity.

Rising levels of obesity in all age groups are associated with profound effects on health and economies in developed and developing countries. This year, the scientific research behind the development of glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists (GLP-1 analogs or incretin mimetics) has been recognized. On 19 September 2024, three scientists were presented with a Lasker Award for their basic clinical research on identifying and studying the roles of GLP-1.