Review: Multiplexed immunohistochemistry for immune cell phenotyping, quantification and spatial distribution in situ

It was a record year of attendance at this year’s 37th annual SITC meeting. Whether reflective of waning new Covid cases from a peak in late January 2022, a new location, or merely the appetite to meet up with colleagues, check out new technologies or be part of important scientific discussions-Boston SITC had it all.

This year, after two long years of convening virtually, it was great to see so many unite in the city of New Orleans for #AACR2022.

I have learned in my career that there is a special recipe for making young companies successful. You need to have an amazing product that enables customers to accomplish their goals in a better way than their current method.

The brilliant Stephen Hawking once said that “The universe does not behave according to our pre-conceived ideas. It continues to surprise us.” The same statement is also true for how we think of the dynamic nature of the cancer universe, in particular the complexity of the tumor immune microenvironment (TiME/TMEs)- an ever-evolving rich milieu comprising of non-malignant immune cells, fibroblasts, adipocytes, extracellular matrix components and neuronal cell types.

If you stand too close to the painting for too long observing all the details, you begin to lose sight of what those brush strokes have created. Only when you step back to take in the scene can you have a full understanding and appreciation for how the individual elements come together to create a work of art.

It’s clearly a very timely discussion with many recent articles reviewing the complexities of the tumor microenvironment and overall tumor heterogeneity that have been implicated in late-stage clinical failures, underscoring an urgent need for tests that accurately predict response to the growing number of available therapies.

Alfred Hitchcock once said, “The more successful the villain, the more successful the picture”, for the immunotherapy picture, that successful villain is M1 macrophages.

It is clear that “zoom fatigue” has set in, and some of the novelty of virtual conferences has worn off in the past year; having said that, they are likely here to stay, even as in-person events return with hybrid events in 2022.