Abstract 3689: Hydrogel-based specimen transfer method enhances compatibility and integration of spatial omics
Authors: Amos Chungwon Lee, Sumin Lee, Changhee Lee, Sunghoon Kwon
Journal: Cancer Research (2025)

Abstract Spatial omics technologies have revolutionized our understanding of biological systems by enabling the molecular mapping of RNA, DNA, and proteins within their tissue context. Despite these advancements, a major limitation of spatial omics tools is their lack of compatibility with traditional methods and with each other. Traditional gold-standard methods such as Hematoxylin and Eosin (H&amp;E) staining on formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissue sections and Wright-Giemsa (W&amp;G) staining on hematological smears mounted on standard glass slides are fundamental to routine medical practice, and their widespread use highlights the significant challenge posed by the incompatibility of advanced spatial omics tools with these established protocols. To overcome these challenges, there is a growing practical need for technology that can transfer specimens from one substrate to another while preserving both spatial and molecular information. For tools where extremely fine spatial information, context, and morphology are crucial markers, existing sample transfer techniques such as floating techniques are largely primitive, leading to inadequate preservation of critical data and hampering the effectiveness of spatial omics analyses. Here, we present a novel hydrogel-based technique for transferring samples from standard slides to spatially omics-compatible slides. By comparing the spatial information of samples before and after transfer, as well as consecutive samples, we show that the technique preserves spatial information extremely finely. In addition, we compared proteomics, genomics, and transcriptomics analyses according to the number of transfers, showing that the integrity of molecular information is maintained even after multiple transfers. Furthermore, we demonstrated that it is possible to transfer multiple samples from diverse slides onto a single spatially omics compatible slide. To showcase its applicability, we applied SLACS (Spatially resolved laser-activated cell sorting) to an archival slide containing a rare co-occurring multiple myeloma and acute myeloid leukemia (AML) sample. After transferring the sample to a Cosmoslide, cells were identified using W&amp;G and fluorescent staining, isolated, and sequenced. Whole-genome sequencing linked cytogenetic profiles to clonal variations, uncovering critical changes leading to myeloma and AML cell formation. This hydrogel-based specimen transfer technology bridges the gap between traditional methods and spatial omics tools, enabling seamless integration into clinical and research workflows. It offers a transformative solution for studying rare samples and complex diseases, unlocking new opportunities for spatial omics applications in biomedical research. Citation Format: Amos Chungwon Lee, Sumin Lee, Changhee Lee, Sunghoon Kwon. Hydrogel-based specimen transfer method enhances compatibility and integration of spatial omics [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2025; Part 1 (Regular Abstracts); 2025 Apr 25-30; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2025;85(8_Suppl_1):Abstract nr 3689.