Exploratory applications

An exploratory study was run to show fully automated co-detection of RNAs and proteins for up to 28 distinct targets on the same sample. This breakthrough study is the first to show the feasibility of workflow automation for single-cell multi-omic analysis. 

RNA and protein signals are stained and imaged on COMET™ without sample manipulation or any manual intervention, enabling standardization, scalability, and reproducibility.

COMET™’s microfluidic technology could drastically decrease turnaround times down to 30 minutes per RNA detection and 40 minutes per protein detection, preventing issues associated with RNA sample degradation.

1. To identify secreted proteins correlating with RNA expression.

2. To detect additional targets such as splice variants mutations, highly homologous transcripts.

3. To identify active transcription factors and their target genes.

4. To identify low-expressed or difficult targets.

The sequential immunofluorescence (seqIF™) technique on COMET™ currently offers linear amplification with the use of secondary antibodies, enabling the efficient detection of multiple markers, preserving the quantification possibilities of antigen expression and its heterogeneity, and avoiding saturation. 

New investigative data showed that additional signal-boosting techniques can be optionally used on COMET™ and integrated into hyperplex seqIF™ assays. 

These findings will be useful when a strong, non-linear, and only qualitative detection of makers is prefer.

1. To detect markers when a qualitative analysis is preferred over a quantitative one.

2. To amplify the detection of low-expressed or difficult targets.

3. To expand the number of detectable targets when testing new or non-validated markers.

4. To reduce antibody consumption and to increase throughput