unique

They identified tight regulation of cell types and states in different regions of the organ, as well as a unique segment of the colon that is controlled by immune signals.

"As a computational biologist, it is exciting to be involved in generating and exploring such a unique dataset," Li said.

Though the intestine was stable to many influences, unique niches within the organ were affected by the gut microbiota and showed signs of adaptation.

Mice that had a normal microbiome expressed unique genes in a specific region of the colon compared to germ-free mice.

This interdisciplinary research collaboration bridges the gap between humanities and engineering, driven by the team's passion for advancing the field of archaeology through a unique Arts-Tech partnership with HKU engineers.