# Spatial biology instruments

Source: https://onco.cc/technologies/spatial-biology-instruments/  
OnCo record `spatial-biology-instruments` (Technology). Data CC BY-NC 4.0, attribute "Data from OnCo (onco.cc)"; commercial use needs a licence.

## TL;DR

Spatial biology instruments are machines that map which genes and proteins are active in each part of a tumour slice.

## Summary

10x Genomics (Visium HD, Xenium), Bruker Spatial Biology (formerly NanoString GeoMx and CosMx), Vizgen (MERSCOPE), Akoya Biosciences (PhenoCycler) and Lunaphore/Bio-Techne (COMET) sell instruments and reagents for spatial transcriptomics and multiplexed protein imaging. Patent litigation reshaped the market (NanoString bankruptcy and acquisition by Bruker, 2024). Clinical use is nascent; the research impact on tumour microenvironment biology is large.

## Fields

- Kind: Technology
- Status: emerging
- Last checked: 2026-09-08
- Tags: supporting
- Principle: In situ hybridisation with barcoded probes imaged over many cycles, or capture arrays that record position, followed by sequencing.
- Strengths: Preserves tissue architecture; Hundreds to thousands of genes per section
- Limitations: Cost per section; Analysis complexity; Not yet reimbursed clinically

## Sources

- Method of the Year 2020: spatially resolved transcriptomics (Nature Methods 2021): https://doi.org/10.1038/s41592-020-01042-x

## Connected records

- fronts: [Diagnostics & Biomarkers](https://onco.cc/fronts/diagnostics/), [Drug Discovery Platforms](https://onco.cc/fronts/drug-discovery/)
- technologies: [Single-cell & spatial profiling](https://onco.cc/technologies/single-cell-spatial/), [Spatial transcriptomics](https://onco.cc/technologies/spatial-transcriptomics/)
- companies: [10x Genomics](https://onco.cc/companies/10x-genomics/), [Akoya Biosciences](https://onco.cc/companies/akoya-biosciences/), [Bruker (Bruker Spatial Biology)](https://onco.cc/companies/bruker/), [Vizgen](https://onco.cc/companies/vizgen/)
- key papers: [Method of the Year 2020: spatially resolved transcriptomics](https://onco.cc/key-papers/paper-authors-nat-methods-2021/)
- roadmaps: [Diagnostics roadmap: stains → gene panels → blood tests that decide treatment](https://onco.cc/roadmaps/diagnostics-roadmap/)
- terms: [Spatial transcriptomics platforms (Visium HD, Xenium, MERFISH, CosMx, CODEX)](https://onco.cc/terms/spatial-transcriptomics-platforms/)

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