Calico Life Sciences

Scientific discovery depends on innovation, both in research and in the technologies that make it possible. At Calico, we’re not just investigating the biology of aging, we’re also building the tools to help researchers advance the field. In a new Nature Methods publication, our researchers showcase Nellie, a freely available image analysis pipeline that makes it easier for scientists to study how organelles —tiny structures inside cells— move and change over time. Unlike traditional methods that require specialized tools or extensive fine-tuning, Nellie is designed to automate segmentation, tracking, and analysis across virtually any organelle type. By making advanced microscopy analysis more accessible, we hope to help researchers across disciplines unlock new insights into cellular function, aging, and disease. Learn more in our latest Calico Story: https://lnkd.in/gVVUn5H5 ?? What are you seeing in this video? It shows the different analyses that are performed by Nellie's generalized pipeline, starting from raw fluorescence data of an organelle (in this case, mitochondria), through its structural enhancement, hierarchical segmentation, and finally motion capture marker-based tracking. These different analyses allow a researcher to learn new things about the organelle they are investigating.

Science is a team sport at Calico, driven by curiosity, creativity, and a shared commitment to better understand the biology of aging so that one day people may live longer, healthier lives. Today and every day, we recognize and celebrate our talented team who make this work possible. Thank you for your dedication, expertise, and contributions! #EmployeeAppreciationDay #LifeAtCalico

We’re celebrating International Women's Day early with Qi Hao, Director, Protein Sciences at Calico. In her new interview in Nature Communications Chemistry, Qi shares her deep passion, collaborative spirit and commitment to mentoring early-career women in science. Her "never give up" philosophy is a good reminder for all of us. Read her Q&A to learn how her journey began and what she believes is the potential for AI in structural biology and beyond: https://lnkd.in/gTEJr3mX #AgingResearch #WomenInSTEM #InternationalWomensDay

Human biology is complex. While scientists continue to learn a great deal through the study of model organisms, directly studying human data can lead to new discoveries that aren’t always possible through research on other species. Through our ongoing collaboration with @UKBiobank, our scientists have access to de-identified health data from over half a million people to support their research. We’ve also joined forces to build the world’s largest longitudinal imaging dataset. Repeat imaging scans of 60,000 volunteer’s organs, including the brain and heart, taken over the course of many years, will help us to study human biology more directly and gain a greater, more comprehensive understanding of the aging process. In our newest Calico Story, read more about what we’re learning and how these insights are helping move us toward new interventions that may one day extend healthy lifespans. https://lnkd.in/gfduhutD #AgingResearch

Understanding gene function at scale is a major challenge in genomics. PERISCOPE, a new research tool co-developed by Calico and the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard and published in Nature Methods, maps how genes shape cell structure and behavior across 20,000 genes and 30 million cells. By combining cell painting imaging with in situ sequencing and an open-source analysis pipeline, PERISCOPE creates a comprehensive, unbiased atlas linking genetic changes to cellular effects. This publicly available resource provides scientists with a new method to explore gene function, reconstruct biological pathways, and uncover new insights into disease. Learn more about this collaboration and how it contributes to advancing our understanding of aging and age-related disease in our latest Calico Story: https://lnkd.in/gzNmVp_q #AgingResearch #CalicoStories

It’s a pleasure to see our team member David Kelley recognized as a rising star in AI by Nature Index. David's work here at Calico in machine learning is helping unravel the complexities of how cells regulate gene expression throughout their lifespans. Explore the article to learn how David and other researchers apply AI to speed up scientific discovery: https://lnkd.in/eVGwxktv We're proud to have such talent on our team, working together to increase understanding of aging biology and develop ways to help people live longer, healthier lives. #AgingScience #AI

We’re now welcoming applications for our Calico Summer Internship Program from ambitious students who share our passion and curiosity for exploring the biology of aging and working at the frontier of science. As an intern at Calico, you’ll be fully embedded in one of our labs or teams, working under the mentorship of a Calico scientist or engineer to help contribute to advances in the science of aging and the development of new interventions that may help people live longer and healthier lives. This new class of interns will join a 12-week paid summer program beginning in June 2025 at our headquarters in South San Francisco. Interns gain hands-on experience working with leading research technologies, enjoy cross-disciplinary collaboration, and tackle a unique project to help advance the field of aging science. Explore our summer 2025 internship opportunities here: https://lnkd.in/gUr-G2E #AgingResearch #ScienceInternships #LifeScience

We’re delighted to partner with the UK Biobank as they launch the most comprehensive study to better understand how proteins found in the blood and circulating throughout our bodies influence disease as we age. As a longtime collaborator, our scientists work with the UK Biobank’s extensive genetic and health data to advance our research and explore new ideas to tackle aging and age-related diseases. We’re looking forward to utilizing this new resource.? #AgingResearch #Proteomics?

DNA is the blueprint for genetic functions, but predicting regulatory processes from DNA sequences alone is challenging. In a new study published in Nature Genetics, Calico researchers share how they developed a machine learning algorithm called Borzoi that predicts how DNA sequences influence RNA production and processing. Borzoi uses RNA-seq data to learn how genes are activated, how RNA is processed, and how genetic variations influence these steps, helping to predict how DNA sequences affect RNA production and processing. Unlike other models that focus on just one part of the regulatory process, Borzoi provides a more complete picture, helping us better understand how DNA controls gene activity in different cells and tissues. Read the full paper: https://lnkd.in/gwDx8b5Q

Collaboration– both internally and externally– is foundational to our approach at Calico because we believe that breakthroughs happen when curious people work together. As Associate Director of Information Technology User Support, Stephanie ensures the IT team delivers outstanding support to everyone at Calico. She also plays a vital role in optimizing our workflows and processes, so our scientists always have access to the right technologies to drive our discoveries. Learn more about what Life at Calico is like for Stephanie and her colleagues: https://lnkd.in/gdFFYBHb #ExploreWithUs #ScienceCareers