Cognit’s Large Genomic Model: A Detailed Landscape of Oncological and Genetic Research

Freedom Preetham
Meta Multiomics
Published in
5 min readNov 8, 2023

Cognit.AI is building a Large Genomic Model (LGM) that covers a meticulous representation of the cellular and molecular constituents implicated in oncogenesis and cancer progression. The model is crafted with a compendium of cellular phenotypes, genomic aberrations, therapeutic responses, and treatment regimens, providing a high-resolution framework for cancer research. As we examine the current intricacies of this genomic model and look forward to its strategic expansion, its role in advancing precision medicine becomes increasingly evident.

Cellular Diversity in Oncology

Central to Cognit’s genomic atlas is the cataloging of cell types, each characterized by distinct phenotypic markers and genetic signatures. Lymphocytes, including B cells and T cells, are profiled for their immunological engagement in tumor surveillance and immunoevasion. Carcinoma cells, derived from epithelial origins, are annotated for their mutational landscapes and oncogenic pathway activations. Hematological malignancies are represented through detailed molecular characterizations of leukemia and lymphoma cell populations.

The model extends to melanocytes, outlining the genetic etiology behind melanoma progression. Sarcomas are classified based on their mesenchymal differentiation patterns, offering insights into their heterogeneous nature. Neurological malignancies, including neuroblastoma and glioma cell populations, are examined for their unique epigenetic and transcriptomic alterations.

Cognit’s Coverage of Cellular Diversity

Here are few examples for diverse cell types covered by the Cognit’s LGM.

Lymphocytes (B cells and T cells)

  • Naive thymus-derived CD4-positive, alpha-beta T cell
  • CD8-positive, alpha-beta T cell
  • CD4-positive, alpha-beta memory T cell
  • Effector memory CD4-positive, alpha-beta T cell
  • CD4+CD25-CD45RA+ naive conventional T cells expanded

Carcinoma Cells

  • Testicular germ cell embryonal carcinoma cell line: NEC14
  • Choriocarcinoma cell line: T3M-3
  • Oral squamous cell carcinoma cell line: HSC-3
  • Hepatocellular carcinoma cell line: HepG2 ENCODE
  • Choriocarcinoma cell line: BeWo
  • Teratocarcinoma cell line: NCR-G1
  • Clear cell carcinoma cell line: TEN
  • Merkel cell carcinoma cell line: MS-1

Hematological Malignancies (Leukemia and Lymphoma Cells)

  • Leukemia cell line: K562

Melanocytes

  • Melanocyte information was not explicitly detailed in the extracted data.

Sarcoma Cells

  • Chondrosarcoma cell line: SW 1353
  • Rhabdomyosarcoma cell line: KYM-1
  • Epithelioid sarcoma cell line: HS-ES-1
  • Osteosarcoma cell line: 143B/TK^(-)neo^(R)
  • Synovial sarcoma cell line: HS-SY-II
  • Fibrosarcoma cell line: HT-1080
  • Leiomyosarcoma cell line: Hs 5.T

Neurological Malignancies (Neuroblastoma and Glioma Cells)

  • Neuroblastoma cell line: NB-1
  • Glioma cell line: GI-1

These examples reflect the broad spectrum of cell types and their corresponding genetic and phenotypic characterizations that are captured within Cognit’s model.

This data is essential for understanding the genomic basis of various cancers and how they react to different treatments, such as chemotherapy agents, targeted therapies, and immunotherapies.

The inclusion of these cellular entities within the Large Genomic Model provides a comprehensive view of the oncological landscape, enabling researchers and clinicians to pinpoint specific genomic alterations and therapeutic responses. This level of detail is crucial for advancing targeted cancer therapies and represents a significant stride in the evolution of personalized medicine.

Pathophysiological Events and Conditions

A key feature of Cognit’s model is the comprehensive documentation of pathophysiological events such as metastasis, capturing the multi-step process of tumor cell dissemination and colonization at distant sites. The model delineates the cellular interactions and microenvironmental factors facilitating metastatic niche formation.

Oncological Entities and Their Genomic Constituents

The model is exhaustive in covering a spectrum of neoplasms, from benign adenomas to invasive astrocytomas. It distinguishes carcinomas based on tissue-specific gene expression profiles and mutational burdens. Gliomas are subtyped by IDH status and 1p/19q codeletion patterns, while hepatomas are classified through their AFP expression levels and P53 mutational status.

Leukemias are annotated with their respective Philadelphia chromosome status, FLT3 mutations, and expression of cell surface markers like CD19 or CD20. Lymphomas are subcategorized into Hodgkin and non-Hodgkin with further subclassifications based on cell of origin and genetic rearrangements. The model also delves into the molecular underpinnings of rare cancers such as mesothelioma and multiple myeloma, profiling their unique genomic alterations and gene fusion events.

Prevalent Cell Lines and Their Genomic Profiles

Cognit’s model includes widely-utilized cancer cell lines, each serving as a model system for specific cancer subtypes. The K562 cell line is leveraged for its BCR-ABL fusion gene, representing chronic myeloid leukemia. The HEK293 line, although embryonic and not cancer-derived, is frequently employed in gene expression and toxicity studies due to its well-characterized genome. The HepG2 cell line provides a platform for studying hepatocellular carcinoma, with particular focus on its beta-catenin mutations.

Additional cell lines like hESC provide a baseline for normal karyotype and pluripotency marker expression. The GM12878 line offers a model for lymphoblastic leukemia, while LoVo and MCF7 lines provide cellular contexts for colorectal and breast adenocarcinomas, respectively, each annotated for their hormone receptor status, growth factor dependencies, and drug resistance profiles.

Treatment Regimens as a New Frontier

Cognit’s model incorporates a detailed record of treatment regimens that encompass a range of pharmacological agents and conditions, providing insight into their impact on cellular genomics and potential therapeutic avenues. Here’s a selection from the comprehensive list of treatments:

  • Treated with doxycycline hyclate at various concentrations and durations
  • Treated with estradiol and its analogs for time frames ranging from 30 minutes to several hours
  • Treated with bisphenol A, reflecting studies on endocrine disruptors and their genomic impacts
  • Treated with dexamethasone, a corticosteroid, for immune modulation studies
  • Treated with afimoxifene, tamoxifen, and vorinostat, agents used in cancer treatment

These treatments are critical for understanding the genomic and transcriptomic alterations that occur in response to therapeutic interventions. This information is key for the development of targeted treatment strategies, which can be more effective and personalized to individual patient profiles.

In the context of Cognit’s model, these treatment regimens represent a frontier expanding beyond the static mapping of genomic data. They highlight the dynamic nature of genomics in a therapeutic setting, showcasing the model’s capacity to adapt and incorporate new layers of data. This dynamic mapping is essential for precision medicine, as it enables the prediction and assessment of treatment efficacy and the potential for drug resistance.

Future Expansion: Integrating Multi-Omics Data for Holistic Understanding

The prospective expansion of Cognit’s Large Genomic Model aims to integrate comprehensive multi-omics data, including whole-genome sequencing, transcriptomic profiling, proteomic analysis, and metabolomic insights. This integration will not only delineate the static genomic alterations but also capture the dynamic changes across different stages of cancer development and under varying therapeutic interventions.

The future iterations of the model will incorporate single-cell sequencing data to resolve intratumoral heterogeneity, clonal evolution, and the tumor microenvironment’s complexity. Advanced computational models and machine learning algorithms will be employed to predict oncogenic interactions, therapeutic responses, and potential synthetic lethality targets for drug development.

Cognit’s Large Genomic Model stands as an expansive and evolving repository, underpinning the complexities of cancer biology and fostering the development of targeted therapies. Its meticulous assembly of genomic data, enriched with treatment regimen records, serves as a cornerstone for the scientific community, propelling forward the era of precision oncology. Through this model, Cognit is charting a course toward a future where cancer can be understood and treated with unprecedented precision.

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