Preserving Spatial Insights
A look at spatial profiling in not just fresh, but even archived tissue samples
Credit: 10x Genomics; data obtained from Visium Spatial Gene Expression for FFPE.
Credit: 10x Genomics; data obtained from Visium Spatial Gene Expression for FFPE.
Credit: 10x Genomics; data obtained from Visium Spatial Gene Expression for FFPE.
For many diseases, spatial information can unlock new horizons in diagnosis and treatment. Unfortunately, it is limited by its reliance on fresh frozen samples, rendering archival tissue inaccessible for spatial profiling – until now. New tools allow researchers to access the full transcriptome of even FFPE tissue samples, offering new options for improving our understanding of cancer, neurodegenerative conditions, inflammatory diseases, and more. These images show i) a human prostate cancer FFPE tissue section with histological stain; ii) the same tissue section overlaid with spatial gene expression data; and iii) the same tissue section overlaid with spatial gene expression data and showing a spot clustering analysis. This highlights tumor heterogeneity by differentiating between gene expression profiles in different areas of the tumor.
While obtaining degrees in biology from the University of Alberta and biochemistry from Penn State College of Medicine, I worked as a freelance science and medical writer. I was able to hone my skills in research, presentation and scientific writing by assembling grants and journal articles, speaking at international conferences, and consulting on topics ranging from medical education to comic book science. As much as I’ve enjoyed designing new bacteria and plausible superheroes, though, I’m more pleased than ever to be at Texere, using my writing and editing skills to create great content for a professional audience.
