Points to Consider From the ESTP Pathology 2.0 Working Group: Overview on Spatial Omics Technologies Supporting Drug...

Area of Science:

• Pathology
• Molecular Biology
• Biotechnology

Background:

• Bioanalytical and imaging technologies have advanced tissue sample analysis.
• Spatial omics allows simultaneous detection of multiple biomolecules in tissue sections.
• This enables high-dimensional molecular profiling within tissue microanatomical contexts for disease pathophysiology exploration.

Purpose of the Study:

• To raise awareness of emerging spatial omics technologies and their applications in discovery and toxicologic pathology.
• To provide an overview of commercially available spatial omics platforms for transcriptomic, proteomic, and multiomic analysis.
• To emphasize the role of pathologists in utilizing spatial omics for translational drug discovery and human safety risk assessment.

Main Methods:

• Review of commonly used, commercially available spatial omics platforms.
• Discussion of technical aspects of transcriptomic, proteomic, and multiomic analysis.
• Illustrative examples of spatial omics applications in pathology and drug development.

Main Results:

• Spatial omics offers a powerful opportunity for precise, multidimensional exploration of complex disease pathophysiology.
• The review covers various platforms and their applications in understanding molecular changes within tissue contexts.
• Pathologists play a vital role throughout the spatial omics workflow.

Conclusions:

• Spatial omics technologies provide novel opportunities in target discovery, lead selection, preclinical assessment, and clinical development.
• Effective utilization of spatial omics requires pathologist involvement from hypothesis to interpretation.
• These technologies are poised to significantly impact compound development and safety assessment.