Single-cell and spatial profiling in cancer biology and clinical oncology

Multiple single-cell and spatial genomics tools have transformed our ability to deconvolve intricate diseases, including cancer. Analysis of complex, multimodal data has provided insights into genomics, cellular states and interactions in tumor ecosystems, enabling the dissection of salient biology and expanding our understanding of drug response, resistance and target discovery. However, several challenges remain before these methods can achieve their full clinical potential. Here, we discuss opportunities, barriers and potential solutions, including sample acquisition and preservation approaches, profiling methods and analytical tools for heterogeneous populations, and we provide recommendations for robust, reproducible use of these technologies in clinical settings.