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Drug discovery is becoming more personalized, and the methods used to generate therapeutic insights are advancing alongside it. Spatial biology tools let researchers interrogate tissue function, cell interactions, and physiological or pathological processes at single-cell resolution.  Yet much of this translational potential remains untapped because these tools aren’t standard in every lab and the required expertise isn’t always available. Sampled, an integrated lab and biorepository, recently onboarded the third of three tools offered by 10x Genomics. With Xenium, Visium, and Chromium now under one roof, researchers can flexibly enter and advance through spatial workflows to generate broader and deeper insights across many sample types.

Flexible workflows for any discovery path

Researchers approach drug discovery from different angles and perspectives. For example, starting with a small set of transcripts is a cost-effective way to check whether a signaling pathway, or a single gene of interest, is active before expanding to a larger gene set for broader insights. Conversely, beginning with an extensive survey to identify promising hits, then refining with a targeted approach, efficiently turns large datasets into precise, actionable insights. Together, these platforms support both approaches:

Visium for whole-transcriptome views of tissue architecture, tumor heterogeneity, and immune infiltration.

Xenium for high-resolution, targeted in situ panels (up to 5,000 genes) to dissect key signaling pathways or cell-tumor-microenvironment interactions.

Chromium for comprehensive single-cell RNA-seq and ATAC-seq to dissect cell-type specific disease-relevant states and regulatory mechanisms.

No samples left behind

Valuable tissues are often split across multiple workflows such as sequencing, proteomics, and FFPE for histology, which means only part of the material is analyzed while the rest is stored. Many important samples then remain unused because researchers cannot apply every workflow to every sample at once. All three 10x Genomics spatial tools unlock more value from diverse starting materials, especially FFPE, but also fresh tissues, frozen sections, organoids, and xenograft models. Visium additionally supports archival samples mounted on standard microscope slides.

No matter the starting point, these tools provide a seamless point of entry for researchers looking to get more from their drug discovery workflows. By combining high-resolution data with broader surveys, researchers can seamlessly move from initial discovery to validation within a single workflow.

Advancing discovery

Spatial biology opens powerful applications for drug discovery and addresses the limitations of bulk analyses, helping researchers identify stronger candidates while reducing costs and development timelines.

• Target Discovery: Resolve cell type differences and discover new cell subtypes that drive disease to identify specific targets and aid in biomarker discovery.
• Mechanistic Insights: Track pathway and gene signature changes across complex tissues to understand treatment effects on target, immune, and progenitor cells.
• Translational Insights: Compare pathways across organs and tissues to inform toxicity and safety profiling, enabling smoother translation from preclinical models to clinical trials.

A complete spatial story is unlocked

Spatial transcriptomics is transforming drug discovery by revealing how genes, cells, and tissues interact in both health and disease. Each platform from 10x Genomics offers powerful insights on their own, but the true story emerges only when all three work together. High resolution in situ data, whole-transcriptome context, and single-cell depth combine to create a layered view that no single approach can deliver on its own. Sampled is one of the few providers to house all three tools in a single laboratory, giving researchers integrated access to the complete spatial narrative. With streamlined storage and processing for dozens of sample types, Sampled makes it possible to move from isolated data points to a connected story that accelerates smarter, more effective discovery.

Learn more at sampled.com/gen.