Research

Traditional methods for tumor profiling typically require tissue dissociation, where tumors are physically disrupted and enzymatically digested. Only after this harsh and often destructive process can we analyze the genes and proteins expressed by individual cells. As a result, most transcriptomic and proteomic profiles generated using these methods are incomplete and lack critical spatial context.

Spatial biology tools, by contrast, enable the analysis of intact tissues, providing a more comprehensive and nuanced view of the tumor microenvironment.

A helpful analogy—originally coined by Hongkui Zeng and Bosiljka Tasic—compares these approaches to different fruit-based dishes:

Bulk sequencing is like a fruit smoothie: all cellular components are blended together, and only the most abundant signals are detectable.

Single-cell RNA sequencing is like a fruit salad: you can identify the types and relative abundance of cells, but lose all information about their original location and interactions.

Spatial transcriptomics and proteomics (collectively known as spatial proteogenomics) are akin to a fruit tart: not only can you see which components are present, but also how they are arranged, and who their neighbors are—revealing the architectural and interactive landscape of the tumor.

This spatially-resolved approach is revolutionizing our ability to understand the complexity of tumors, their cellular interactions, and ultimately, their behavior.