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

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.

GEN: If I were to design my own panel for immunofluorescence, what are the main considerations, given everything you’ve suggested during the webinar for validation? Angela: There are several things one needs to think about when you build a new panel for multiplexed immunofluorescence. You need to consider the abundance of the targets to be

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.

Despite advances in immunotherapy, it’s clear that only a minority of patients respond. Therapies that rely on immune activation, such as checkpoint inhibitors, have been shown to be especially difficult due to the complex and heterogeneous immune escape mechanisms which can develop in each patient. Clearly there’s much anticipation and focus on new contenders for successful combination checkpoint therapy.

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.

GEN: Typically, image analysis tools are greatly influenced by inconsistent staining results and even different techniques used for multiplexing. How does the software used by OracleBio account for inter- and intra-run variability in staining quality? Lorcan. To be honest, we do see staining variability in some sample sets, especially in complex tissues from large clinical

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

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.