Overview
NanoString Technologies provides multiplexed gene expression analysis and spatial biology platforms for pharmaceutical R&D and clinical research. Their nCounter system enables digital detection of up to 800 RNA, DNA, and protein targets in a single reaction without amplification, while their CosMx and GeoMx platforms deliver spatial multi-omics analysis for tissue profiling. The company serves oncology, immunology, and neurobiology research with validated gene panels and minimal sample input requirements.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the maximum multiplex capability of NanoString's nCounter system?
- The nCounter system can analyze up to 800 gene targets in a single reaction, enabling comprehensive pathway and bio-function analysis without enzymatic amplification steps.
- What sample types and input amounts does NanoString support?
- NanoString requires as little as 25-100 ng of input material and is compatible with total RNA, plasma, serum, PBMC, FFPE tissue sections, and cell lysates, making it suitable for limited clinical samples including patient biopsies.
- How does NanoString's digital detection compare to traditional methods?
- NanoString uses enzyme-free, direct digital counting of fluorescent barcodes with single-molecule detection sensitivity down to 1 copy per cell and a false positive rate of 0.1%, providing greater accuracy than analog technologies and sensitivity comparable to real-time PCR.
- What therapeutic areas does NanoString serve?
- NanoString provides predesigned gene panels for oncology, immunology, and neurobiology, with most panels available in both human and mouse versions for translational research applications.
- Does NanoString offer spatial analysis capabilities?
- Yes, NanoString's CosMx SMI platform enables spatial identification of 5,000-15,000 cells per image with capability to detect over 6,000 unique RNA molecules in single tissue sections, and the GeoMx DSP provides high-plex spatial profiling at protein and RNA levels.