On Jul. 13, 2026, a team led by bioengineers at the University of California San Diego has developed a genome-scale reference map that details how individual genes control the functions and identities of human stem cells. This open-access resource could help researchers build virtual cell models for complex diseases, as well as design patient-specific treatments for these diseases. The study was published in Nature Biotechnology.

This is the first genome-scale map of gene function in human induced pluripotent stem cells, which are adult cells that have been reprogrammed back into an embryonic-like state and can turn into any type of cell in the body, such as muscle, heart, skin or bone. Such a reference map is needed because the vast majority of what human genes actually do inside these cells remains a mystery.

To build this comprehensive reference map, the team used CRISPR technology to systematically switch off 11,692 expressed genes one by one, then measured the effect on cellular transcriptomes across more than 2.5 million single cells.

By compiling these data, the researchers grouped related genes and cellular components together based on shared molecular traits and functions. This allowed them to isolate previously hidden metabolic and self-renewal genes. The map enabled researchers to uncover previously unrecognized cell regulators and confirm their roles experimentally. For example, they identified a specific gene, called DBR1, as the main regulator for RNA editing — specifically, the conversion of adenosine to inosine.

The team envisions that this open-access map could serve as a resource for streamlining and accelerating biomedical research.