The 48th Annual Meeting of the Molecular Biology Society of Japan

Chairperson：Shintaro Tanaka (Leica Microsystems K.K.)

Frontiers in Spatial Cell Analysis: Integrated Understanding through Multiplex Imaging and Image Analysis

In this seminar, we are pleased to welcome Dr.Hiroaki Oishi (The Center for Advanced Omics Science, Medical Institute of Bioregulation, Kyushu University), who will present his cutting-edge research on transcriptional dynamics regulation at the single-cell level. Gene transcription is inherently dynamic, marked by stochastic transitions between active and inactive states. Elucidating the regulatory mechanisms that govern these dynamics requires single‑cell analysis. Fluorescence imaging offers a powerful approach: live‑cell imaging resolves the temporal dynamics of transcription, whereas spatial omics delineates its spatial relationships to the nuclear architectures in which it occurs. In this talk, he will present their work leveraging these modalities to interrogate transcriptional regulation at the single‑cell level. First, he will discuss regulatory mechanisms revealed by a method they developed that simultaneously visualizes transcriptional activity and the corresponding gene loci in living cells. Next, he will describe a spatial multi‑omics analysis based on sequential fluorescence imaging and the novel modes of transcriptional regulation it uncovers. Finally, he will introduce strategies for manipulating transcription that build on these advanced imaging capabilities together with our microscopy systems.
From Leica Microsystems, we will showcase how the fusion of high-speed imaging and AI-powered analysis accelerates the path to discovery in life science research. THUNDER enables fast and precise imaging, while AIVIA rapidly and accurately analyzes vast image datasets. By integrating these technologies, researchers can gain deeper insights from large-scale cellular and tissue data.