A Google-like search engine for single-cell RNA data could answer previously impossible questions

A new search engine called Malva could revolutionize the field of single-cell RNA data analysis, according to researchers at the Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine in Berlin. Malva allows scientists to quickly search through massive amounts of single-cell data using just sequence information, without needing a reference genome or extensive computational expertise, much like Google transformed internet search 30 years ago.

This platform can provide insights into which cells cause cancer or whether pathogens contribute to disease by analyzing data from thousands of experiments stored in global databases. Malva transforms static transcriptomic atlases into dynamic resources, enabling researchers to understand RNA biology and how health transitions into disease or how cells respond to treatments.

It simplifies the process by eliminating the need to download and reprocess petabytes of raw files and standardize data from different sources. Malva also indexes spatial data, allowing researchers to locate specific RNA within tissue sections. The platform is continuously expanding as new single-cell RNA data becomes available, indexing both public and spatial RNA datasets by nucleotide sequence.

This means researchers can distinguish between different RNA isoforms and even query for rare or unique gene variants, something previously not possible with existing platforms. With sequence information from multiple species, including bacteria, viruses, and fungi, Malva enables the study of how these microorganisms affect human cells and cause disease.

Currently, Malva is freely available to scientists, and the researchers are in the early stages of launching a startup to commercialize the technology, which has a pending patent.