The researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT Madras) have developed a groundbreaking approach called 'MultiCens' to unravel the communication between organs and tissues in the human body.

Working at the Robert Bosch Centre for Data Science and Artificial Intelligence (RBC-DSAI), their research opens up new avenues to comprehend inter-organ communication networks (ICNs) and their impact on overall health.

The focus of their latest research is on exploring genes and biomolecules responsible for tissue-tissue signaling. Such interactions between cells in various tissues and organs are vital for the proper functioning and survival of multicellular organisms. It allows organisms to adapt to their environment, regulate physiological processes, and assess energy reserves.

'MultiCens' (Multilayer/Multi-tissue network Centrality measures) is a powerful computational tool that leverages genomic information from diverse tissues. It can analyze and identify the interactions between genes responsible for communication across different organs.

Unlike the traditional reliance on experiments with model organisms like fruit flies, MultiCens offers a more comprehensive and efficient analysis of ICNs. This method enables the identification of key genes involved in inter-organ communication, be it in healthy or disease conditions.

With MultiCens, scientists can predict genes associated with crucial hormones that impact various bodily functions. It also sheds light on changes in gene interactions within different brain regions affected by conditions like Alzheimer's disease. Furthermore, it aids in understanding cancer metastasis, the spread of cancer cells from one organ to another over time.

This pioneering research has the potential to transform our understanding of the human body's intricate communication system and pave the way for new insights into various diseases and their treatments.