The SenNet Consortium Working Groups have a wide range of focus, each addressing specific areas of Consortium administration. Each Working Group provides opportunities for members to collaborate with other each other, while allowing them to inform and influence Consortium decisions.

 

If you would like to join a Working Group, please email the helpdesk.

Charter | SOP

The SenNet Steering Committee was established to provide a governance mechanism for the entire SenNet Consortium. Among other things, this body is charged with articulating, implementing, and navigating the policies that will allow for the efficient collection and dissemination of the data that will be generated by the constituent TMCs (Tissue Mapping Centers) and Technology Development and Application Projects (TDAs).

The Chair is Marissa Schafer. Steering Committee meetings began in December 2021 and have been scheduled for the 3rd Wednesday of each month.

The Benchmarking Working Group ensures consortium-wide research integrity through consistent standards of technologies and assays, as well as computational and analysis methods. This WG is developing best practices and metrics to guarantee consistent, unbiased results from the Consortium’s research sites. 

Projects include: 

  • Coordinating Phase 3 of the cross-Consortium benchmarking project.
  • Creation and distribution of surveys to all TMCs/TDAs on current benchmarking activities. 
  • Creation of a Consortium-wide guideline paper for best benchmarking practices.

Accomplishments include:

  • Identified intrinsic, empirical, and consensus-based benchmarking metrics for evaluation of experimental and computational methods. Findings presented at SenNet Spatial Technologies Workshop. 
  • Assigned point persons for development of benchmarking metrics for comparative methods.
  • Coordinated tissue collection and antibody validation across multiple teams.
  • Advanced planning for Phase 3 final data generation, ensuring alignment across transcriptomics and proteomics efforts.

The Benchmarking WG meets on the second Thursday of each month at 4:00-5:00PM EST. The WG Chair is Vilas Menon and the Project Manager is Jesse Helfer. 

The Data Coordination Working Group is responsible for specifying, formatting, and collecting data in a findable, accessible, interoperable, and reusable (FAIR) compliant manner. This WG sets data submission, ingestion, processing, and publication standards.

Projects include:

  • Cross-Consortium initiative on data presentation from all SenNet TMCs and TDAs. Weekly DCWG meetings ask TMC/TDA representatives to prepare presentations on data ingest/upload blockers and milestone achievements.
  • Ingesting existing datasets from SenNet data providers and maintaining regular office hours to assist with data curation. 
  • Publishing and visualizing full datasets for Consortium and public consumption. 
  • Conducting data tours of CODCC PIs to meet with data providers and provide assistance

Accomplishments include:

  • Identified and managed the first round of Consortium data to be submitted and ingested. 
  • Alongside HuBMAP HIVE, established the use of CEDAR templates for metadata, the standards for data ingestion by entity type, and data ingestion documentation. 
  • Established a cloud-based platform for data, metadata, and for the directory structures in which to submit data.
  • Over 2,200 total datasets now available, including ~1,600 primary datasets.
  • Enhanced visibility with Data Previews page and Ingest Board visualizations.

The Data Coordination WG meets every Friday at 1:00-1:30PM EST. The WG Chair is Jonathan Silverstein and the Project Manager is Jesse Helfer. 

The Good Practices: Analytical Methods & Modeling Working Group is a new working group responsible for developing a foundation of methodological modeling assurances and trust in the quality and value of modeling approached, developed, and used.

Projects include:

  • Adopting and developing good computational modeling practices, ensuring the highest level of rigor and reproducibility for SenNet.
  • Working with analysts to identify the properties of main methods used across SenNet to ensure reliable hypothesis testing and appropriate interpretations.
  • Developing safeguards against misinterpretations of modeling results.
  • Informing and enriching the design of benchmarking efforts.
  • Sensitizing and empowering both modeling groups and biologists to address pitfalls and maximize value of results, respectively.
  • Learning from diverse approaches and minimizing unwanted variation, protecting against analysis creep and model overfitting.

Accomplishments include:

  • Designed, refined, and deployed consortium-wide modeling survey to direct WG efforts.
  • Proposed a “new methods label” initiative for transparent reporting of modeling methods.

The Good Practices WG meets every other Monday at 12:00-1:00PM EST. The WG co-Chairs are Constantin Aliferis and Yuval Kluger, and the Project Manager is Gar Misra. 

The Human Reference Atlas Working Group aims to address cross-consortium needs for unified terminology and ontology references for all facets of senescence biology. 

Projects include:

  • HRA Release 8 is now officially available as of Dec. 2024.
  • Developing and annotating 3D reference organs in support of spatial and semantic tissue registration, mapping, and exploration.  
  • Developing consensus master anatomical structures, cell types, and biomarkers tables as a reference for healthy human adults.
  • Preparing digital object listings for Spring 2025.

Accomplishments include:

  • Numerous submissions and publications in reputable journals like Nature Reviews Molecular Cell, Nat Methods, Frontiers in Bioinformatics, Communications Biology, Scientific Data, and Nature Aging. 
  • Presentations on the use of VR in data exploration, ASCT+B tables, and onboarding new Tissue Mapping Centers (TMCs). 
  • SenNet-branded Atlas User Interfaces developed: Registration User Interface integrated in May 2023 and Exploration User Interface integrated by Dec. 2023. 
  • Developed training materials and videos focused on tissue data acquisition, single-cell analysis and mapping techniques, and data ingestion. 
  • Hosted recurring 5×5 and VCCF-Vis meetings supporting collaboration and visualization.

The Human Reference Atlas WG meets on the first Wednesday of each month at 11:00AM-12:00PM EST. The WG Chair is Katie Börner and the Project Manager is Nancy Ruschman. 

The Early Career Investigator Working Group promotes engagement of early career investigators in SenNet and provides opportunities to further their scientific and career development. Early career investigators include students, postdoctoral fellows, and junior researchers and faculty.

Projects include:

  • Leading scientific and career development workshops at biannual SenNet meetings.   
  • Organizing a quarterly webinar series to allow for discussion between established panelists and junior investigators. Topics include academic writing, effective communication around senescent science, and connecting with mentors. 
  • Establishing poster sessions for young scientists to share their findings at biannual SenNet meetings.

Accomplishments include:

  • Collaborated with yICSA (Young Investigators in the International Cell Senescence Association) to hold a joint social event during the SenNet and ICSA meetings in Fall 2023.  
  • Worked with Christy Carter at NIA, who presented a guide to funding opportunities for young researchers at the Fall 2023 SenNet conference.
  • Conducted a technology interest survey and planned educational convergence for December, 2024.
  • Successfully held the April 10–11, 2025 Junior Investigators Atlasing Meeting (HuBMAP/SenNet).

The Junior Investigator WG meets bimonthly. The WG Chair is Lexi Rindone and the Faculty Advisor is Birgit Schilling.

The newly formed “Omics & Imaging-Mapping Working Group” combines the strengths of both the Omics Working Group and the Imaging-Mapping Working Group to create a comprehensive and integrated approach towards tissue analysis and technology application in the field of senescence research.

The Omics & Imaging-Mapping Working Group’s mission is to create a standardized list of tissues and technologies tailored to each SenNet research site’s needs. This includes not only generating and providing guidelines for the latest omics technologies to detect novel senescent cell signatures but also establishing protocols for tissue preservation for transfer and setting standards for senescence imaging.

Projects include:

  • The Omics perspective is being finalized through direct outreach to specific contributors.
  • A seminar series to cover spatial omics platforms, computational omics, senescence signature detection, imaging technologies, and methods for cell and nuclear segmentation.
  • Compiling lists of imaging platforms, methodologies, and tissues pertinent to senescence studies.
  • Providing guidelines for leveraging cutting-edge single-cell and spatial omics technology.

Accomplishments include:

  • Collaborations to ensure consistent antibody reagents.
  • Coordination with CODCC and other working groups to benchmark sub-cellular spatial transcriptome and proteome platforms.
  • Publication of a significant paper in Nature Aging titled “Spatial mapping of cellular senescence: emerging challenges and opportunities.”
  • Secured a supplement from the NIH to support benchmarking projects within the SenNet Consortium.

The co-Chairs of this merged working group are Sheng Li and Joao Passos, with Jesse Helfer serving as the Project Manager. Monthly meetings are scheduled for the second Tuesday at 11:00 AM EST, ensuring regular communication and coordinated efforts towards the group’s objectives.

The Outreach Working Group develops outfacing resources to educate the wider public and scientific community on senescence biology. It also details SenNet’s progress to other NIH Consortiums. 

Projects include: 

  • Consistent website development to best feature the Consortium’s discoveries, ongoing initiatives, and information on meetings, policies, and publications.  
  • Using visuals to represent various stages of senescence biology to educate the public and stakeholders.
  • A regular video interview series featuring scientists from across the Consortium to discuss their latest findings, challenges, and hypotheses for the future of SenNet’s work.
  • Expanding the SenNet Members Portal, a centralized repository of SenNet-related information and resources.

Accomplishments include:

  • Creation of an informational slide for scientists within the Consortium to include in their presentations as they relate to senescence. Covers key points of SenNet research and Consortium initiatives.
  • Establishing SenNet helpdesk (help@sennetconsortium.org) to allow for primary contact for Consortium-wide requests for support or information. 
  • Starting the SenNet Science Talks, a monthly lecture series from members across the Consortium to share their findings and invite discussion and feedback.  
  • Survey sent out to entire SenNet community asking for their feedback and impressions of existing SenNet outreach initiatives, along with their desires for future initiatives.
  • Conducted member audit and onboarding redesign, including updated communications and tutorials.

The Outreach WG meets on the third Thursday of each month at 2:00-3:00PM EST. The WG Chair is Kay Metis and the Project Manager is Joe Bisciotti.

The Policies Working Group develops and promotes policies and guidelines that ensure transparent, fair, collegial, and rigorous scientific conduct toward the goals of the SenNet Consortium.

Policies include:

The Policy WG meets on the second Monday of each month at 3:00-4:00PM EST. The WG Chair is Vidyani Suryadevara. 

The Publications Working Group establishes guidelines on authorship, publication expectations, acknowledgements, peer review, and collaboration with authors both inside and outside of the Consortium.

Projects include:

  • Tracking publications by SenNet authors and citations while simultaneously populating the Consortium’s Google Scholar page.  
  • Building visualizations for co-author citations.   
  • Preparing a second publication package (focusing on murine/functional vs. human tissues).

Accomplishments include:

  • 8 manuscripts submitted to Cell journals.

The Publications WG meets on the third Wednesday of each month at 11:00am-12:00pm EST. The WG Co-Chairs are Rong Fan and Paul Robbins. 

The Senescence Biomarkers Working Group curates a list of senescence-associated biomarkers. Topics of discussion include the specificity and sensitivity of individual biomarkers, associated reagents and their compatibility with experimental methods.

Projects include:

  • Creating an antibody database for senescence research with contributions expected from trainees and Consortium members for the duration of the project. This WG partners with the Organ Mapping Antibody panels to streamline data collection.  
  • Generating a manuscript on senescence biomarkers and compiling a publicly available biomarkers database  
  • Hosting regular science talks on using biomarkers for senescent cell identification and characterization.
  • WG members collaborating on the writing of the senotypes perspective manuscript.

Accomplishments include:

The Senescence Biomarkers WG meets on the second Wednesday of each month at 2:30-3:30PM EST. The WG Chair is Nicola Neretti and the Project Manager is Jesse Helfer. 

The SenNet Mapping Advisory Committee is a SenNet leadership counsel charged with moving the study of senescence forward through defining and developing methods and outcomes for cellular senescence maps.

Goals include:

  • Establishing the utility of cellular senescence maps for SenNet members, thereby focusing working group efforts.
  • Guiding and tracking SenNet working groups in uniform data presentation as more data is published.
  • Developing tools to create dynamic, multi-dimensional maps that integrate spatial and temporal data, in addition to tools which will allow for the discovery of additional senescence maps.
  • Using these tools to perform detailed analysis and discovery of cellular senescence patterns and their implications.
  • Profiling senescent cell characteristics across multiple datasets, allowing for the assessment of data across hallmarks of senescence.

    The SenNet Mapping Advisory Committee meets on the second Wednesday of each month at 2:30-3:30PM EST.