The GeoMx DSP resolves the trade-off between spatial and high-plex analysis, providing deeper insights into the biology of heterogeneous tissues.
From discovery to translational research, spatial analysis with the NanoString GeoMX is efficient, reproducible and reveals the full complexity of the tumour microenvironment.
Understanding tissue heterogeneity is critical to answering key biological questions. The current tissue analysis paradigm requires a trade-off between low-plex spatial analysis or high-plex bulk analysis, sacrificing valuable information and consuming precious samples.
NanoString’s GeoMx Digital Spatial Profiler (DSP) combines the best of spatial and molecular profiling technologies by generating a whole tissue image at single cell resolution and digital profiling data for 10’s-1,000’s of RNA or Protein analytes.
This unique combination of high-plex and high-throughput spatial profiling enables researchers to rapidly and quantitatively assess the biological implications of the heterogeneity within tissue samples.
The GeoMx DSP is a novel platform developed by NanoString. Digital spatial profiling is based on nCounter barcoding technology and enables spatially resolved, digital readout of up to 96 proteins or RNA targets in a multiplexed assay.
The assay relies upon antibody or RNA probes coupled to photocleavable oligonucleotide tags. After hybridization of probes to slide-mounted FFPE tissue sections, the oligonucleotide tags are released from discrete regions of the tissue via UV exposure.
Released tags are quantitated in a standard nCounter assay, and counts are mapped back to tissue location, yielding a spatially-resolved digital profile of analyte abundance.
We take care of the complete process from sample preparation to data analysis, with robust QA procedures and complete traceability of your precious samples.
The essential tool for spatial genomics in oncology
The GeoMx Cancer Transcriptome Atlas (CTA) is designed for comprehensive profiling of tumour biology, the tumour microenvironment, and the immune response.
Profile RNA expression of over 1,800 genes simultaneously with spatial resolution from distinct regions of interest with just a single tissue section.
Spatial analysis of 18,000+ genes in any tissue in the biological regions that matter most
The GeoMx Whole Transcriptome Atlas (WTA) is designed for comprehensive profiling of spatial biology. With full coverage of protein coding genes, WTA delivers spatial analysis of any target in any tissue in any region of interest.
The Nanostring GeoMx DSP is highly flexible and is compatible with most sample types that can be adhered to a pathology glass slide. Formalin fixed paraffin embedded, fresh frozen, fixed frozen tissue sections as well as organoids, cells pellets or TMAs are all suitable for DSP analysis. Sections should be 5µm thick and must be placed in the scan area (36.2mm long by 14.6mm wide, green area in figure below) in the centre of the slide. Sections should be used for GeoMx DSP analysis within two weeks of sectioning, but Propath will perform a quality assessment by RNAscope prior to the experiment.
To guide selection of regions of interest (ROI), sections are stained with morphology markers (NanoString kits or custom) to profile the tissue of interest. Several approaches can be employed for ROI selection depending on their suitability to the study: geometric, segmentation, cell type specific, contour or gridded. Maximum ROI size is 660µm x 785µm and as a minimum requirement to reach the limit of detection ROIs should include at least 20 cells for Protein and 200 cells for RNA assays.
We often undertake ROI selection as an interactive on-line process with Propath and the client’s pathologists/researchers working in collaboration.
Yes. In addition to NanoString’s fully validated morphology markers, Propath has a list of in-house optimised morphology markers and can perform method development for additional antibodies required to aid ROI selection.
For Next Generation Sequencing readout, data from a DSP experiment can be available within as little as two weeks from ROI collection, depending on the size and complexity of the study. For nCounter readount DSP experiments, data turnaround can be as quick as one week.
All GeoMx DSP panels are flexible. Protein and RNA cores include up to 84 targets and are customizable with a maximum of 10 additional targets of interest. For Next Generation Sequencing, the Cancer Transcriptome Atlas (1,800+ genes) can take up to 60 additional targets.
Yes, raw data generated by GeoMx experiments is compatible with standard data analysis software and NanoString’s GeoScript Hub provides validated R-scripts and packages. Propath will perform quality control and preliminary data analysis for all studies and additional data analysis packages can be agreed as required on a study-specific basis. Propath can also provide access to the GeoMx DSP Data Analysis Suite on our server.