HUTER · Project

Complete Cell Map of the Human Uterus to Unlock Better Fertility and Disease Treatments

healthPrototypeTRL 3Thin data (2/5)

Imagine having a detailed street map of a city you've never explored — that's what HUTER built, but for the human uterus at the cellular level. By cataloguing roughly 1 million individual cells across different life stages, the team created a reference guide showing exactly which cell types are present, how they change month to month, and what goes wrong in diseases like endometriosis or uterine fibroids. Think of it as giving doctors and drug developers a "parts list" for the uterus so they can finally understand why things break down and how to fix them.

By the numbers

~1 million

Single-cell RNA sequences generated for endometrium at reproductive age

~1 million

Single-cell RNA sequences for endometrium across the full lifespan

~1 million

Single-cell RNA sequences for myometrium across the lifespan

Total project deliverables produced

Consortium partners across 4 countries

SMEs in the consortium

The business problem

What needed solving

Uterine diseases like endometriosis and fibroids affect hundreds of millions of women globally, yet drug development and diagnostics for these conditions have been held back by a fundamental gap: no one had a complete cellular map of the healthy human uterus. Without knowing what 'normal' looks like at the single-cell level, identifying disease mechanisms and drug targets has been largely guesswork. This lack of baseline data slows R&D pipelines, increases failure rates, and keeps effective treatments out of reach.

The solution

What was built

HUTER built the first comprehensive single-cell and spatial reference atlas of the human uterus, generating approximately 1 million single-cell RNA sequences each for endometrium and myometrium tissues across the full female lifespan, plus whole genome sequencing data for healthy study populations. In total, the project produced 25 deliverables including datasets that map how uterine cells change across menstrual cycles and life stages.

Audience

Who needs this

Pharma companies developing endometriosis or uterine fibroid treatmentsIVF clinics and fertility technology providers seeking better implantation diagnosticsDiagnostics companies building biomarker panels for women's healthRegenerative medicine startups exploring endometrial tissue engineeringComputational biology firms offering drug target discovery services

Business applications

Who can put this to work

Pharmaceutical & Biotech

enterprise

Target: Drug development companies working on women's health conditions like endometriosis or uterine fibroids

If you are a pharma company developing treatments for endometriosis or uterine fibroids — this project produced single-cell reference maps from approximately 1 million sequenced cells that reveal which cell types and gene pathways drive these diseases. This data can help you identify new drug targets with higher precision, reducing the cost of early-stage target validation. The atlas covers both endometrium and myometrium tissue across the full lifespan, giving you a complete biological baseline to benchmark your candidates against.

Fertility & Reproductive Medicine

any

Target: IVF clinics and fertility technology companies seeking better implantation success rates

If you are a fertility clinic or IVF technology provider struggling with implantation failure rates — this project mapped endometrial cells at reproductive age using approximately 1 million single-cell RNA sequences, revealing the cellular changes that make the uterus receptive or hostile to embryos. This reference data can inform new diagnostic tools that assess endometrial receptivity before embryo transfer. The dataset also captures variability among individuals, which is critical for personalizing fertility treatments.

Diagnostics & Medical Devices

mid-size

Target: Companies developing non-invasive diagnostic tests for uterine conditions

If you are a diagnostics company looking to develop tests for early detection of uterine diseases — this project generated whole genome sequencing data and single-cell transcriptomic maps across the full female lifespan. These reference datasets define what 'healthy' looks like at the cellular level, making it possible to identify disease biomarkers with far greater accuracy. With 25 deliverables including spatial mapping data, there is a rich foundation for building new diagnostic assays.

Frequently asked

Quick answers

What would it cost to access or license this data for our R&D pipeline?

The project was publicly funded under Horizon 2020 as a Research and Innovation Action (RIA), which typically means core datasets are made available under open access principles. However, specific licensing terms for commercial use of the single-cell sequencing datasets would need to be negotiated with the coordinator (FUNDACION INCLIVA) and relevant consortium partners. Some proprietary analytical methods may carry separate licensing terms.

Can these datasets support industrial-scale drug discovery or diagnostic development?

The datasets are substantial — approximately 1 million single-cell RNA sequences each for endometrium and myometrium tissues, plus whole genome sequencing data. This scale is sufficient for computational drug target identification and biomarker discovery. However, translating findings into commercial products would require additional clinical validation steps beyond what this research project delivered.

What is the IP situation — are there patents we should be aware of?

Based on available project data, HUTER was primarily a data-generation and atlas-building effort rather than a technology development project. No specific patents are mentioned in the deliverable descriptions. The consortium includes 2 SMEs and 2 industry partners, so some commercial IP arrangements may exist. Direct inquiry with the coordinator is recommended.

How reliable is this data for regulatory submissions?

The project generated single-cell sequencing data from healthy human tissue across the full lifespan, which provides a strong biological reference baseline. However, this is research-grade data from a 2.5-year academic project. Any use in regulatory submissions (e.g., for diagnostic device approval) would require additional validation under GLP or equivalent quality standards.

How long before this research could translate into a commercial product?

HUTER closed in June 2022 and delivered reference atlas data, not a commercial product. Realistic timelines for translation depend on the application: a computational biomarker panel might reach clinical testing within 2-3 years, while a new therapeutic target could take 5-10 years. The 7-partner consortium across 4 countries provides a network to accelerate follow-on work.

Can we integrate this data with our existing genomic or clinical databases?

The deliverables include standardized single-cell RNA sequencing datasets (approximately 1 million cells per tissue type) and whole genome sequencing data, which are formats widely compatible with standard bioinformatics pipelines. Integration with proprietary clinical databases would require mapping to common ontologies, but the data structure follows Human Cell Atlas standards.

Consortium

Who built it

The HUTER consortium brings together 7 partners from 4 countries (Estonia, Spain, Sweden, UK), with a mix of 3 research organizations, 2 universities, and 2 industry players. The 29% industry ratio and presence of 2 SMEs signal some commercial awareness, though the project is led by a hospital research foundation (FUNDACION INCLIVA in Spain), which anchors it firmly in clinical research. The geographic spread across Northern and Southern Europe provides access to diverse patient populations, which strengthens the representativeness of the cell atlas data. For a business partner, the key contacts would be the 2 industry partners and 2 SMEs who likely have the strongest motivation to commercialize findings.

FUNDACION PARA LA INVESTIGACION DEL HOSPITAL CLINICO DE LA COMUNITAT VALENCIANA, FUNDACION INCLIVACoordinator · ES
UNIVERSITY OF EAST ANGLIAparticipant · UK
GENOME RESEARCH LIMITED LBGparticipant · UK
UPPSALA UNIVERSITETparticipant · SE
CELVIA CC ASparticipant · EE
BAHIA SOFTWARE SLparticipant · ES

How to reach the team

FUNDACION INCLIVA (Valencia, Spain) — hospital research foundation coordinating HUTER. Look for the PI through the project website or institutional directory.

Order a report on this consortium See FUNDACION PARA LA INVESTIGACION DEL HOSPITAL CLINICO DE LA COMUNITAT VALENCIANA, FUNDACION INCLIVA profile →

Next steps

Talk to the team behind this work.

Want to explore how HUTER's uterine cell atlas data could accelerate your drug discovery or diagnostics pipeline? SciTransfer can connect you with the right consortium partners and prepare a tailored briefing.

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