Introduction

The Lunaphore COMET is an automated sequential immunofluorescence platform for multiplex tissue imaging. The system performs automated staining, imaging, and image preprocessing using microfluidic technology and an integrated fluorescence microscope. The platform uses off-the-shelf, label-free primary antibodies without requiring conjugation or barcoding enabling up to 40-plex imaging per slide through sequential immunofluorescence (SeqIF).

COMET also supports spatial multiomics through integration with RNAscope HiPlex Pro, enabling simultaneous detection of RNA and protein targets on the same tissue section with subcellular resolution in a fully automated workflow.

Hardware

The system integrates a reagent module, staining module with rotary stage (4 standard 25mm x 75mm slide capacity), and an LED-based widefield microscope (20x/0.7 NA objective) and a pixel size of 0.28 μm. A proprietary microfluidic chip delivers reagents to the sample and provides optical access for imaging up to 12.5 mm x 12.5 mm.

Fluorescence Channels

*Recommended secondary antibody channels

Workflow

Sequential immunofluorescence (seqIF) cycles of antibody incubation, imaging, and elution. The system can perform up to 40 markers per automated run in less than 24 hours. Two markers are detected per cycle over up to 20 cycles.

Applications

Multiplex immunofluorescence for spatial proteomics, tumor microenvironment analysis, tissue profiling, immune cell characterization. Compatible with FFPE and frozen tissue sections.

Multiomics applications combine RNA and protein detection on the same tissue section using RNAscope HiPlex Pro and seqIF for studies of secreted molecules, cross-validation, gene therapy, predictive biomarkers, and animal tissues.

Acquisition and Analysis

Acquisition is performed with COMET proprietary software. Output files are OME-TIFF format with automatic image stitching, alignment, and background subtraction. Images can be analyzed with HORIZON (Lunaphore), QuPath, HALO, Visiopharm, or other compatible image analysis software.

New users

Please contact Maya Holdengreber, tel. 073-378-1107, to coordinate a meeting.