US based company nference has announced the launch of a first-in-class software resource that synthesizes disparate Single Cell RNA-sequencing (scRNA-seq) data sets to combat the COVID-19 public health crisis.

The resource is equipped with the nferX augmented intelligence technology that teaches machines to comprehend over 100 million unstructured biomedical documents and triangulate these emergent insights from scientific literature with deep biological signals at single cell resolution.

By enabling researchers to study intricate molecular patterns and investigate the heterogeneity of healthy and pathologic tissues alike, the resource will help scientists to rapidly generate and pressure-test new hypotheses.

The resource is envisioned to help researchers respond to the coronavirus outbreak, including decoding molecular signatures of viral infection, human-to-human transmission, and increased mortality risk from underlying health conditions or medication regimen. The nference Single Cell resource is free to all scientists in the academic community, including physicians and practitioners in academic medical centers.

nference partnered with Janssen, through a broad data science effort that spans across therapeutic areas and functions. The Single Cell resource was developed by nference in-part to support Janssen’s discovery of novel therapeutic targets, including cancer sub-types with high unmet clinical need.