3DxN - Scalable Multiplexed 3D Tissue Imaging

The analysis of tissues plays a central role in advancing our understanding of ageing and disease.

The scientific discipline of cellular pathology has been recognised as significant but has been restricted by the limitations of two- dimensional/thin-section imaging severely restricting an information-rich interrogation of cellular features in a tissue-context.

The vision and ambition of the 3DxN research programme is to overcome these limitations and enable the analysis of cell and tissue morphology, proteins and transcripts in 3D.

In this programme technology development will be linked to the investigation of a set of clinically relevant scientific questions.

The programme will deliver labelling technologies, imaging protocols and image analysis algorithms capable of processing and analysing sizeable sample sets.

Artificial intelligence tools will be developed to support the fusion of morphological features, protein expression and transcripts at scale.

The resulting 3DxN atlas will provide a new discovery platform that will support research and clinical biomarker development.

Through the development of biomarkers to improve the accuracy of diagnosis and risk stratification we will demonstrate the potential of this approach for improving human health.