DECYDE

International consortium
for developmental cytomics and functional histomorphology:

Deciphering cell functions, origins, and fate decisions during the processes of
human organogenesis, morphogenesis, damage, healing, repair, and regeneration.

WHAT WE DO

This is an international collaborative effort organized by Slovak Histochemical Society, a non-profit scientific association. We produce 3D / 4D maps of all cells forming human bodies. Our participating teams explain the genesis of organs and other body parts from a single initial cell, the fertilized egg. Then we study how our amazingly complex bodies are organized as a whole, and why we become old, get ill, or why we die - with the goal of understanding the role and destiny of every individual cell.

STATUS

Ultimately, all ages and developmental stages will be included - from embryos up to old people. Our current pilot activities are predominantly oriented on the beginning of life. The reason is that these early stages are technically easier to study than bigger bodies, and moreover, all later properties of human bodies are critically dependent on the processes occurring during the very first weeks of our existence.

IMPORTANCE

Would you be able to repair a watch or a car, without knowing what is inside and how all the components are supposed to work? The situation is similar when humans encounter an accident or illness. Yes, medicine can do a lot to help sick people. And based on the volume of medical literature and years needed to become a skilled doctor, it may seem that the modern health care is close to perfect. That's an illusion. The truth is that there is still more of what we don't know about human bodies than things we really understand. That is why our cell-by-cell research is a fundamental prerequisite for developing new medicines, vaccines, surgeries, therapies, and diagnostic tools.

ETHICS

Never believe misinformation. Medical researchers do not secretly collect samples from the examined or surgically treated patients (prior informed consent is always needed). Prisoners are not experimental subjects (in fact, it is almost impossible to meet legal requirements for including inmates in medical studies). No one takes organs from traffic accident victims (this can only be done when specific conditions are met, and if the person signed a written agreement in advance). The cell mapping research is legally and logistically complicated, and therefore slow. It can only make a step forward when there is a consenting volunteer, and a painless and harmless (or almost harmless) sampling procedure is available. "Nihil nocere", which means 'never make any harm', is the first rule in our research - and it applies to both physical as well as emotional comfort. We feel the same for animals, too.