Welcome to The Readout! Each quarter, we share a selection of highlights, updates, and resources for innovative investigators like you. Let’s jump right in — and happy reading.

Research & community insights

Publication highlights:

Unlocking FFPE archives for single cell RNA-seq

A recent AbbVie study shows that Chromium Fixed RNA Profiling can generate meaningful single cell transcriptomic data from FFPE tissue, including colon, ileum, and skin samples. The workflow recovered diverse cell types, including challenging populations such as neutrophils and adipocytes, and showed good agreement with H&E imaging and fresh scRNA-seq reference data. These results support FFPE-compatible single cell workflows as a practical tool for retrospective clinical research.

Liu X, Naughton K, Karsen SD, Bentley P, Duggan L, Chaudhary N, Smith KM, Phillips L, Chang D, Mahi NA. Probing the Feasibility of Single-Cell Fixed RNA Sequencing from FFPE Tissue. International Journal of Molecular Sciences. 2026;27(3). 10.3390/ijms27031605

Functional genomics meets spatial biology

A new Nature Communications study introduces Spatial Perturb-Seq, an in vivo CRISPR screening approach that captures gene perturbation effects at single cell resolution within intact tissue. Using mouse brain, the authors showed how perturbations affect both targeted cells and neighboring cells, and demonstrated compatibility with Xenium for probe-based spatial analysis.

Shen K, Seow WY, Keng CT, Lim MGL, Lim DS, Guo K, Meliani A, Bin Hajis MI, Wang B, Prabhakar S, Chen KH, Chew WL. Spatial perturb-seq: single-cell functional genomics within intact tissue architecture. Nature Communications. 2026;17:3018. 10.1038/s41467-026-69677-6

Congratulations to the winners of the EMEA Chromium Flex Apex Grant Program 2026

We're pleased to share the winners of the EMEA Chromium Flex Apex Grant Program 2026. We were impressed by the range of proposals submitted from across the EMEA region, covering infectious disease, immunopathology, neuroscience, and hematology, with many researchers making excellent use of rare archival and fixed samples. Meet the winners: 

• Grand Prize (16-reaction Flex Apex kit): Edoardo Peroni, Institute Oncology Veneto, Italy — Longitudinal fixed whole-blood single-cell profiling of myelofibrosis during JAK-inhibitor therapy
• Runner-up (4-reaction Flex Apex kit): Jaqueline Cruz Geraldis, University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Brazil — Recovering Epileptogenic Cellular States from Rare Archival Human Epilepsy Tissue Using Flex Apex
• Runner-up (4-reaction Flex Apex kit): Brice Autier, University of Rennes, France — Unraveling macrophage-driven granuloma remodeling in human alveolar echinococcosis

We also want to spotlight EMEA-based winners of a recently concluded global 10x Genomics Single Cell Blood Analysis Grant Program. Congratulations to:

• Gabriel Nervo, MedUni Vienna, Austria — The First 30 Minutes: Transcardiac Single-Cell Profiling During Human Heart Reperfusion
• Frank Onyambu, CMB Genomics Foundation, Kenya — Connecting Haplotype to Phenotype: Multi-Omic Immune Profiling of Resolved Structural Variants in East African Populations

10x Genomics acquires Proteintech Genomics

We’re excited to share that Proteintech Genomics is now part of the 10x Genomics family, bringing together two organizations with a shared commitment to advancing biological discovery. Read the full announcement here. 

We are committed to ensuring continuity throughout this transition and supporting your research without disruption. and have created a dedicated page for support and technical documentation. Visit our Resources and customer support page. 

What's new?

Single cell blood analysis with Flex Apex

Easy collection. Single cell resolution. Impactful results.
When blood samples and single cell analysis meet, researchers have access to an incredible source of actionable insights. The resulting data can drive the discovery of novel biomarkers, investigations into disease progression, and more accurate views of drug mechanisms of action.

Single cell transcriptomics is a powerful tool for blood biology

With our latest protocols, blood samples can be collected and processed on a schedule that fits your project needs: 

• Stabilize blood at the moment of collection for easier multi-site studies
• Collect blood samples anywhere, no need for lab access or intervention at the collection site
• Keep samples at room temperature or 4°C for up to 3 days, or freeze long-term before processing
• Capture deeper insights with options for protein or TCR/BCR profiling

Resources now available

• Knowledge Base Article Are PAXgene Blood RNA tubes compatible with GEM-X Flex v2?
• Knowledge Base Article Are Streck Cell-Free DNA Blood Collection Tubes compatible with GEM-X Flex v2?
• Poster A Cost-effective Scalable Workflow for Clinical Blood Monitoring using GEM-X Flex v2 (Apex) Single Cell Transcriptomic Profiling presented at EACR 2026.

Automation update: New ways to scale your workflow

We're expanding automation support to help you scale your workflows with less manual effort:

• Premium Automation Enablement (PAE) is now available — ask your 10x Genomics representative how this can support your lab. Learn more.
• Flex Apex automation on the Beckman Biomek i7 is now open for early access, with Hamilton NGS STAR and Firefly platforms coming soon.
• A trusted team of experts. 10x automation partners and collaborators: Beckman Coulter Life Sciences, Hamilton® Robotics, SPT Labtech, INTEGRA Biosciences and Opentrons.

Interested in automating your workflow? Have a look at our dedicated single cell automation page and reach out to your 10x Genomics representative to learn more.

Resource hub

• Atera Grant Application Resource – Everything you need to know for a compelling grant application using our latest spatial platform in your research.
• Grant application resources for Visium products
• Grant application resources for GEM-X Epi Multiome
• Product sheet: GEM-X Epi Multiome Product Sheet: Access deeper regulatory insights with high-performance multiomic profiling
• Product sheet: Atera: Spatial designed for unimaginable scale
• The Foundational Guide: Getting ready for your single cell and spatial oncology journey

Webinar recordings

Did you know that all our webinars are available to watch on-demand? Watch our latest webinar recording, and scroll down to register for what's upcoming.

• Sample prep for Flex Apex: Single cell without limits. Speaker: Sravya Ganesh, Technical Support Scientist, 10x Genomics

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