New Capability for Spatial Molecular Imaging at King's College London

近年来，技术的进步为研究人员提供了同时绘制组织内许多分子分布的机会。CosMx空间分子成像仪是最新一代的仪器之一，它首次可以在3D环境下一次绘制单个细胞内数千个分子的位置。在这项提议中，我们打算购买一台CosMx，这样我们就可以用它来增强我们对单个细胞如何与他们的邻居和他们的环境相互作用，以及细胞如何组织成组织和器官的理解。最终，这些空间信息将提供对人类生命所必需的生物功能的洞察。我们的研究旨在更深入地研究细胞之间的复杂相互作用以及它们相互作用可能失败的方式。这将进一步加深我们对人类如何发展以及疾病如何产生和发展的了解。它将帮助我们建立更好的治疗方法和新的治疗方法，例如那些恢复丧失的器官功能的方法。我们已经向伦敦国王学院的研究小组传阅了一份调查报告，以评估对这种仪器的需求。根据调查结果，来自19个系和3个学院的50名学者将使用CosMx探索1000多个样本，进而推动医疗研究。通过获得这台仪器并建立基础设施来分析来自CosMx的数据，我们将拥有无与伦比的知识体系。这些项目包括开发新的医学研究方法，提高对细胞之间相互作用的了解，开发癌症、心血管和神经退行性疾病的知识，以及确定再生器官和恢复其原始功能的新药和方法。在伦敦国王学院，我们建立了与CosMx互补的其他技术。我们计划建立一个新的设施，其中将包括CosMx，这样研究人员就可以很容易地访问它。我们还将向伦敦国王学院的研究人员以及整个伦敦和英格兰东南部地区的研究人员推广这种最先进的仪器的能力。我们的目标是最大限度地为研究界带来这一工具的好处。伦敦国王学院非常支持这一倡议，提供20%的仪器购置成本贡献，并为其长期可持续性提供实质性支持。此外，这项收购将促进具有独特资质的博士后研究员和技术和研究技术专业人员在其职业生涯中发展的潜力。

In recent years, advances in technology have provided researchers with the opportunity to map the distribution of many molecules simultaneously within a tissue. CosMx Spatial Molecular Imager is one of the newest generation instruments that can for the first time map the location of thousands of molecules at a time within individual cells in a 3D context.In this proposal, we intend to purchase a CosMx, so that we can use it to enhance our understanding of how individual cells interact with their neighbours and their environment, and how cells organise themselves into tissues and organs. Ultimately, this spatial information will provide insights into biological functions necessary to human life. Our research aims to dig deeper into the study of complex interactions between cells and the way in which their interaction may fail. This will further our knowledge of how humans develop, and how diseases arise and progress. It will help us build better treatments and new therapies, such as those to regenerate lost organ function. We have circulated a survey to research groups within King's College London to gauge the need for this instrument. Based on the survey's results, 50 academics across 19 departments and 3 faculties will use CosMx to explore over 1000 samples and, in turn,advance healthcare research. By acquiring this instrument and setting up the infrastructure to analyse data from CosMx, we will enable an unrivalled body of knowledge. These projects include the development of new methods for medical research, improving understanding of the interaction between cells, developing knowledge for cancer, cardiovascular and neurodegenerative diseases, as well as identifying new drugs and approaches to regenerate organs and restore their original functionality.At King's College London, we have established other technologies that are complementary to CosMx. We plan to establish a new facility which will include CosMx, so researchers will be able to easily access it. We will also promote the capability of this state-of-the-art instrument to researchers at King's College London, and throughout the local area of London and SE of England. Our objective is to maximise the benefits of this instrument for the research community. King's College London is highly supportive of this initiative providing a 20% contribution over the cost of instrument acquisition and substantial support for its long term sustainability. Moreover, this acquisition will promote the potential of uniquely qualified post-doctoral fellows and technical and research technical professionals to develop in their careers.