September 2026
Core Bits - Bite Size News from Shared Resources
Welcome, Shared Resources Community!
Welcome to Core Bits – Bitesize News from Shared Resources, your source for all new Shared Resources advances, equipment and scientific offerings. This newsletter is designed to be quickly read and digested, allowing you to jump to the items of most interest to you. Select the read more link in each article teaser to visit the Shared Resources Home Page for the full article and more, including previous newsletters, information about Shared Resources, rates and ways to work with us. This format will also provide you with a glimpse of items you may not have realized you needed to know about.
This month's articles
- New Full Spectral Imaging Cytometer in Flow Cytometry core
- AMT Award: Automating the Olink Reveal Assay
Upcoming Events
New Full Spectral Imaging Cytometer in Flow Cytometry core
The Flow Cytometry core is excited to share that the new BD FACSDiscover A8 is now available at the Thomas Lab.
Get real-time single cell imaging, every event gets an in-focus brightfield & fluorescence image with no sacrifice in acquisition speed. Diffusivity, symmetry, and other morphology metrics gate directly in FACSChorus alongside your fluorescence data. The BD Spectral FX full-spectrum detection has 5-laser configuration with up to 78 fluorescence detectors resolves 50+ parameters per cell.
Equipment Highlights
High Speed - 35,000 events/sec
Imaging Mode – 12,500 events/sec
8 scatter and imaging detectors
Sheath-free water fluidics
Join us for a lunch-and-learn and an analysis seminar to learn more about this new equipment! Details below in Upcoming Events section.
AMT Award: Automating the Olink Reveal Assay
Awardee: Phil Corrin SR Contributors: Leslie Hermosillo, Jake Kennedy, Alex Zevin
Supporting Faculty Labs: Kevin Cheung, Guang-Shing Cheng
Genomics now supports the Olink Reveal Proteomics Assay. The Genomics and Bioinformatics Shared Resource now offers the Olink Proximity Extension Assay. This high-throughput method allows users to measure more than 1,000 proteins in serum and plasma and upwards of 5,000 proteins in tissue and cells. Why are the Genomics and Bioinformatics SR supporting a Proteomics Assay?!?
The Olink Reveal assay complements standard mass spectrometry-based proteomics approaches by enabling high-throughput profiling of a defined set of protein targets and is compatible with complex biological matrices that can be otherwise challenging for mass spectrometry, such as plasma and serum. (end italics here) This Olink technology uses oligonucleotide-conjugated antibodies to detect specific target proteins in a standard 96-well plate. After the antibodies bind to their target proteins, the oligonucleotide tags are amplified and sequenced on an Illumina NextSeq 2000 or NovaSeq X Plus. Olink’s analysis software can then read the resulting sequence data and translate that into normalized protein counts. This assay will support teams in biomarker discovery and translational research examining protein changes associated with disease, treatment, or other biological conditions.
With funding provided by the Shared Resources Assay/Model/Technology Grant, the Genomics and Bioinformatics Shared Resource and Proteomics and Metabolomics Shared Resource collaborated to pilot and validate an automated method to process Olink Reveal assay plates. Our pilot study demonstrated concordance with mass spectrometry results as well as with Olink assay results generated by a third-party vendor. We have begun processing samples for researchers.
We are excited to be able to provide this high-throughput proteomics technology to Fred Hutch and Cancer Consortium researchers. Contact us at genomics@fredhutch.org to schedule your project.
Upcoming Events
Fall Happy Hour - Northwest Flow Cytometry Society
Join the Northwest Flow Cytometry Society for our Fall Unmixing Mixer, an evening of flow cytometry, conversation, community, drinks, light appetizers, and great views of Lake Union in Seattle. We’re pleased to welcome Greg Finak, Co-Founder & CEO of Ozette, who will present: “All the Rigor – None of the Cost – Ozette Resolve Positivity Scores as Synthetic FMOs”.
FMOs remain the benchmark for distinguishing background from true signal, but they can be impractical for high-parameter panels and sample-limited studies. Greg will discuss Ozette Resolve’s adaptive-unmixing positivity scores: per-event, 0–1 metrics derived from the sample’s own controls that aim to account for spillover, spread, and autofluorescence—offering an operator-independent complement to conventional FMOs. In a 15-color PBMC benchmark, score-based filtering recovered gating results that were highly correlated with conventional analysis using FMO controls.
Hosted by the Fred Hutch Flow Cytometry Shared Resource Lab. Many thanks to Ozette Technologies for sponsoring the happy hour.
Event is open to all. To RSVP, please click here.
Date/Time: Thursday, September 24, 2026
- 4:30–5:30 PM: Talk - O'Mack Suites
- 5:30–6:30 PM: Happy hour: Mixing It Up on the Deck!,
Location: Fred Hutch Steam Plant Building, 1201 Eastlake Ave, Seattle, WA
Join Waters Biosciences (formerly BD) for an introduction to the BD FACSDiscover A8 analyzer, the world’s first real-time imaging spectral flow cytometer. Learn how SpectralFX technology and CellView image technology work together to deliver high-dimensional phenotypin, morphological analysis, and powerful new research capabilities. Explore practical applications and see how scientists are using these technologies to transform their workflows and uncover new biological insights.
Presented by Amanda Sims, Waters Field Applications Specialist
This event is hosted by the Fred Hutch Flow Cytometry SR. Please contact flowcytometry@fredhutch.org for more information or any questions.
Lunch provided for registrants, to register please click here.
Date/Time: Tuesday, September 29th, 2026, 11:30A – 12:30P
Location: Fred Hutch Thomas Building, Sze D1-080/084
Join us for a day of learning about FlowJo v11 and hwo to use its built-in tools to get more from your data. Explore how the software integrates with the BD FACSDiscover S8/A8 platform to make the most of your imaging flow cytometry workflow.
Presented by Nichols Loof, MSc, Informatics Solutions Leader, Waters Biosciences (formerly BD Bio sciences)
This event is hosted by the Fred Hutch Flow Cytometry SR. Please contact flowcytometry@fredhutch.org for more information or any questions.
Date/Time: Thursday, October 8th, 2026
- 9:00A – 11:00A: FlowJo v11: The Future of Data Analysis
- 1:30P – 2:30P: From Events to Images: Expanding Flow Cytometry Analysis with the BD CellView Lens Plugin
Location: Fred Hutch Thomas Building, Sze D1-080/084
Three Rs and New Approach Methodologies (NAMs) Symposium
Please join us in person at UW South Campus or remotely for a symposium exploring the evolving role of the 3Rs and New Approach Methodologies (NAMs) in cancer research.
Hear from experts across the Fred Hutch/University of Washington/Seattle Children’s Cancer Consortium about successful applications of in vitro, ex vivo, and in silico approaches that have replaced, reduced, or refined the use of animal models. Speakers will highlight how these complementary methods can strengthen the evidence base, improve experimental precision, and accelerate therapeutic development while advancing the 3Rs—Replacement, Reduction, and Refinement.
The symposium will also foster cross-institutional dialogue around opportunities for shared infrastructure, training, and collaborative translational research, supporting continued innovation and responsible modernization of cancer research.
Join us to learn, connect, and explore the future of NAMs in cancer research. To learn more and register for this event, click here.
This event is hosted by the University of Washington.
Date/Time: Thursday, November 12th, 2026, 11:00A - 5:00P PST
Location: University of Washington Seattle campus, SOCC 316, In-Person and Virtually
Past News
August 2026
With a great deal of gratitude to our partners in Philanthropy, Shared Resources has recently introduced the Orbitrap Astral Zoom Mass Spectrometer in Proteomics and the Lunaphone Comet in Experimental Histopathology. These two new state-of-the-art systems will advance your research to the moon and back!
Astral Zoom
The Fred Hutch Proteomics & Metabolomics Shared Resource has acquired a new state-of-the-art mass spectrometer, the Thermo Fisher Scientific Orbitrap Astral Zoom, to expand support for proteomics research. The instrument combines three mass analyzers: a quadrupole for ion isolation, an Orbitrap for high-resolution and accurate mass measurements, and the novel Astral analyzer, which delivers exceptional sensitivity and high dynamic range at acquisition rates of up to 270 Hz. Together with an upgraded instrument architecture, these technologies provide a next-generation platform for both high-sensitivity and high-throughput proteomics.
Compared with current instrumentation operating at 45 Hz, which supports whole-proteome analysis of highly fractionated samples at a rate of approximately six samples per day, the Astral Zoom enables whole-proteome analysis from a single 200 ng injection at up to 24 samples per day, with additional throughput gains anticipated through ongoing optimization. Initial testing has demonstrated deep proteome coverage of more than 9,500 proteins in human samples, excellent quantitative precision (average %CV <10%), and approximately 50% fewer missing values than the Shared Resource's existing mass spectrometers.
The Astral Zoom's enhanced sensitivity enables researchers to explore previously inaccessible regions of the proteome, while its increased throughput lowers the cost per sample, making large-scale proteomics studies more financially feasible and allowing complex projects to be completed more quickly.
To learn more about how this new capability can support your research, please contact the Proteomics & Metabolomics Shared Resource.
Lunaphore Comet
Thanks to a generous philanthropic donation, Experimental Histopathology is excited to now offer a new advancement in Space-tial Biology with multiplex IF (mIF) staining on the Lunaphore COMET instrument! The Lunaphore COMET is an automated staining and digital imaging platform, enabling detection of up to 40 unique protein and/or RNA markers on the same tissue section, with flexibility in panel design and 20X fluorescent imaging for single-cell resolution. Customized panels can be developed using your favorite IHC-compatible antibodies and up to 12 RNAscope probes. The final OME-TIFF file for each slide is compatible with a variety of image analysis software to allow researchers to choose the best option for their needs. Contact us at exphisto@fredhutch.org to discuss how the COMET can take your research to the stars!
August 2026
A multidisciplinary collaboration between Comparative Pathology, Proteomics, Experimental Histopathology, Cellular Imaging and Genomics, the Shared Resources Assay/Model/Technology (AMT) Development award for “Enumeration and laser capture of lung cancer metastasis in a mouse model using AI workflows” was recently completed.
This project served to improve manual pathology and spatial proteomics workflows by
- utilizing a pathologist-informed AI-based classifier to detect lung tumor metastases from scanned H&E images using HALO AI (Figure 1) and
- incorporating automated protein extraction, laser capture microdissection (LCM) collection, and AI-directed LCM into the mass spectrometry (MS)-based spatial proteomics workflow (Figure 2).
Replacing manual dissection with automated tools optimized efficiency, increased precision and reproducibility in the LCM and proteomic workflow, resulting in higher throughput and more efficient use of limited specimens. Importantly, the HALO classifier is adaptable to user-generated data across tumor models, and the resulting digital image-to-proteomics workflow provides a fast, scalable, and cost-effective platform for spatial discovery at an estimated cost of $156–$327 per ROI, depending on scale.
Compared with current image-based spatial technologies, which are generally limited to fewer than 100 protein targets, laser capture microdissection (LCM)-based proteomic workflows provide cost-efficient, high-fidelity profiling of hundreds of proteins, enabling deeper biological insight without the significant expense of large-scale spatial studies.
More information: Save the Date! We will be presenting more on this project at the Shared Resources Lunchtime Seminar Wednesday, December 16 11:30-12:30 pm, Thomas D1-080/084 Sze. Please contact Raisa Glabman with any questions.
August 2026
Shared Resources hosts a monthly lunchtime seminar series, complete with food. Please join us to hear from scientists across the consortium whose work was made possible by the experts and equipment in Shared Resources. This newsletter will include a recap of the most recent presentation along with the schedule for future presentations. These seminars are an excellent time to join the SR community in asking questions and learning more about real-life examples of how SR can collaborate in supporting you.
August brought us the Genomics Shared Resource hosted seminar From Sample to Insight: Automated Workflows Powering Cancer & Vaccine Discovery, presented by Beckman Coulter’s Genomics, Automation and Cell Health teams and Dr. Gabe Boyle, a postdoctoral researcher at Seattle Children’s Research Institute in Dr. Jay Sarthy’s lab. In his seminar entitled Chromatin Profiling Reveals CBFA2T3::GLIS2 Hijacks mSWI/SNF Complexes to Drive High-Risk Pediatric Leukemia Gabe provided an overview of his work on chromatin regulation in CBFA2T3::GLIS2 fusion-driven acute myeloid leukemia, a rare and extremely deadly pediatric leukemia that lacks effective targeted treatments. His work leveraged the Fred Hutch's Genomics SR’s, led by Dr. Alex Zevin, high-throughput AutoCUT&RUN/AutoCUT&Tag platform to identify which genes the fusion gene aberrantly activates to drive oncogenesis. Integrating chromatin profiling with immunoprecipitation mass spectrometry, he and his team discovered that CBFA2T3::GLIS2 hijacks mSWI/SNF chromatin remodeling complexes to rewire cells. From these insights, we identified new potential chemotherapeutic treatment options for children with this devastating disease.