Emerging Techniques in Spatial Multiomics: Fundamental Principles and Applications to Dermatology.

Abstract

Molecular pathology, such as high-throughput genomic and proteomic profiling, identifies precise disease targets from biopsies but require tissue dissociation, losing valuable histologic and spatial context. Emerging spatial multi-omic technologies now enable multiplexed visualization of genomic, proteomic, and epigenomic targets within a single tissue slice, eliminating the need for labeling multiple adjacent slices. Although early work focused on RNA (spatial transcriptomics), spatial technologies can now concurrently capture DNA, genome accessibility, histone modifications, and proteins with spatially-resolved single-cell resolution. This review outlines the principles, advantages, limitations, and potential for spatial technologies to advance dermatologic research. By jointly profiling multiple molecular channels, spatial multiomics enables novel studies of copy number variations, clonal heterogeneity, and enhancer dysregulation, replete with spatial context, illuminating the skin's complex heterogeneity.