Molecular Instruments

Inventors of HCR, protease-free RNA-ISH, and the game-changing HiFi Encoder for multiplex IF

[Molecular Instruments @HCRimaging]

Looking for a quick way to get familiar with HCR™ HiFi Encoder-driven multiplex IF?

We’ve put together a YouTube playlist featuring the 10-minute encoding process, along with workflow walkthroughs, step-by-step demos, and practical tips to help you get started with confidence. Whether you’re exploring the assay for the first time or just need a refresher, it’s an easy way to see how HCR™ Gold IF comes together from start to finish.

Check out the playlist here:
https://t.co/NPI13B6YN8

[Molecular Instruments @HCRimaging]

We’re heading to the 10th Biennial European Society for Evolutionary Developmental Biology Meeting at the University of Glasgow!

We’re looking forward to meeting researchers across the evo-devo community and learning more about how they’re applying #HCRtechnology to advance discoveries in developmental biology.

If you’ll be attending, stop by and say hello! We’d love to hear about the questions you’re exploring and talk about how the HCR™ platform can support new applications in your research.

📅 June 10–12

Register here: https://t.co/9lts1cDV0d

[Molecular Instruments @HCRimaging]

Spatially mapping gene expression in the developing retina 👁️

In a recent study, the Cepko Lab at @harvardmed used #HCRtechnology alongside single-cell RNA-seq to generate high-resolution 2D maps of gene expression in the developing chicken retina. By integrating the HCR™ platform with computational analysis, the team captured subtle spatial gradients, refined key patterning relationships, and identified both conserved and species-specific features across chicken, mouse, and human retinal tissue.

Heer Joisher shared, “The robustness and reproducibility [of HCR™ technology] made it feasible to compare patterns across species, including human tissue. This was critical for validating our computationally predicted 2D topographical maps.”

Explore the full preprint here: https://t.co/V2hy9D1Vdi

[Molecular Instruments @HCRimaging]

It was great to see such a strong turnout at the In Situ Hybridization and Spatial Omics Symposium at the @CR_UK!

We appreciated the opportunity to connect with so many researchers and to share more about the HCR™ platform across spatial biology workflows, multiplex IF, and high-fidelity RNA-ISH applications.

If you’d like to follow up on any of the topics from the session, feel free to reach out to us at [email protected]. We’d be happy to continue the conversation!

[Molecular Instruments @HCRimaging]

We’re excited to be a part of the In Situ Hybridization and Spatial Omics Symposium at the @CR_UK Cambridge Institute!

Don’t miss Aneesh Acharya, as he discusses how HCR™ Gold and Pro enable precise spatial analysis through RNA-FISH, HiFi Encoder-driven multiplex IF, and RNA-ISH workflows.

🗓️ Wednesday (May 20) at 11:10 AM
📍 Lecture Theatre, CRUK

Register here: https://t.co/HvLW5Q0UCr

[Molecular Instruments @HCRimaging]

Our webinar with the Miller Lab from @UTHealthHouston is available on demand!

Learn from @rkmille and @AdRoMora as they discuss how genetic variants can disrupt kidney development and contribute to congenital kidney diseases. Using Xenopus laevis as a model for embryonic kidney development, the team applies #HCRtechnology to visualize gene expression and map transcripts to specific nephron segments, helping uncover the mechanisms underlying kidney development and disease.

Watch the full recording here: https://t.co/4twC3QkSWR

[Molecular Instruments @HCRimaging]

Don’t miss your chance to stand out in the HCR™ Image Contest: Best-In-Suit! We’re looking for images that showcase the precision, originality, and real-world impact of your work.

Whether it’s a striking application, a unique experimental setup, or an unexpected result, we’d love to see what sets your work apart. Submit your entry and be part of a collection celebrating the creativity driving #HCRtechnology forward.

📥 Submit your entry here: https://t.co/GoEj2hvpB2

[Molecular Instruments @HCRimaging]

Our webinar, Enabling Precision Medicine in Dermatology: A Clinically Validated LDT Powered by HCR™ Pro with William Damsky, MD, PhD from @Yale is now available to watch on demand.

In this session, Dr. Damsky discusses how HCR™ Pro can support precision medicine through clinically relevant laboratory-developed tests, including novel biomarkers that help identify inflammatory signatures in skin biopsies. These insights can help enable more accurate diagnoses and more targeted treatment strategies.

Watch the full recording here: https://t.co/5A6vUzxmJR

[Molecular Instruments @HCRimaging]

It was a pleasure meeting everyone who joined us for yesterday’s Lunch and Learn at @NorthwesternU!

A special thank-you to Rizaldy Scott for helping coordinate such a great event. We always appreciate the opportunity to connect with the academic community in person and to learn more about the exciting projects and applications taking shape in the lab.

Interested in hosting a Lunch and Learn with MI? Feel free to reach out to us at [email protected].

[Molecular Instruments @HCRimaging]

We’re excited to share that MI will be attending the @Indica_Labs HALO® User Group Meeting in Boston on May 12 at Le Méridien Boston Cambridge!

This year’s event will feature hands-on workflow workshops, insights from guest speakers, and the latest updates across the HALO image analysis and management platforms. We’re especially looking forward to connecting with the HALO community, as HCR™ assays integrate well with the platform for streamlined image analysis in spatial and tissue-based studies.

If you’re attending or based in the Boston area, we’d love to connect. Our team, Michelle Saylor and Elizabeth Hicks-Kridel, will be on-site to answer any questions and talk about how #HCRtechnology can fit into your research workflows.

Register here: https://t.co/I2X3m5II0n

[Molecular Instruments @HCRimaging]

We're excited to be working with @EmpireGenomics, a @biocarem company, to bring HCR™ Pro RNA-ISH kits to the NeoPATH Pro automated staining platform.

With turnaround in as little as 5.5 hours, capacity for up to 42 slides per run, and one of the largest automated ISH menus available, the NeoPATH Pro's speed, scale, and flexibility is a perfect complement to HCR™ Pro RNA-ISH. The combination of HCR™ Pro chemistry and HCR™ HiFi Probes delivers clear, consistent staining, single-step amplification, and strong performance across diverse FFPE samples.

Together, this creates a faster, more scalable path for labs looking to expand RNA-ISH workflows in tissue-based research.

Learn more here: https://t.co/fBdxyjnax9

[Molecular Instruments @HCRimaging]

Our final #MIatAACR recap features a poster created with Hamamatsu Corporation on 9-plex spatial co-detection of clinically relevant protein and RNA targets in FFPE tumors.

In this poster, we showed how HCR™ Gold IF and HCR™ Gold RNA-FISH can be combined in a single-round workflow and imaged on the MoxiePlex platform to achieve up to 9-plex imaging in FFPE tissue. The workflow avoids stripping and photobleaching, remains compatible with validated antibodies and standard filter sets, and supports high-quality whole-slide spatial profiling across mixed protein and RNA panels.

Thank you to everyone who stopped by our poster sessions and connected with us at AACR this year!

View all of our #AACR2026 posters here: https://t.co/k6BLjfmkbU

[Molecular Instruments @HCRimaging]

For the next installment in our #MIatAACR recap series, we’re spotlighting a poster presented alongside @abcam, @LeicaBio, and @Indica_Labs on automated multiplex IF for tumor microenvironment profiling.

This work outlines a complete workflow for FFPE tissues, combining HCR™ Gold IF staining on the BOND RX Research Staining System with image analysis using the HALO platform. The approach enables same-species multiplex IF in an automated format, making it easier to move from staining to analysis in tumor microenvironment studies.

Take a closer look at the poster here: https://t.co/nhQYcRJzL6

[Molecular Instruments @HCRimaging]

We’re kicking off our #MIatAACR poster recap series with a poster developed with @abcam: Same-species multiplex IF with HCR™ Gold IF: Cross-clone benchmarking using Abcam’s oncology-validated primaries.

This work highlights how HCR™ Gold IF, powered by the HiFi Encoder, can make same-species multiplex IF faster and easier to implement using widely available Abcam primary antibodies. With a streamlined workflow that moves from order to image in just 3-5 days, HCR™ Gold IF simplifies clone validation and panel optimization without the complexity often associated with conventional multiplex IF methods.

The result is a plug-and-play path to robust characterization of the tumor microenvironment, pathway activity, and checkpoint expression, helping lower barriers to spatial biomarker studies and accelerate discovery and translational research.

If you missed it at AACR, you can explore the poster in more detail here: https://t.co/0Vlz2T67Re

[Molecular Instruments @HCRimaging]

We’re looking forward to joining this year’s In Situ Hybridization and Spatial Omics Symposium, organized by the @Cambridge_Uni and @CR_UK. Join our COO, Aneesh Acharya, as he shares how HCR™ Gold and Pro support RNA-FISH, HiFi Encoder-powered multiplex IF, and RNA-ISH for high-fidelity spatial detection.

🗓️ Wednesday (May 20) at 11:10 AM
📍 Lecture Theatre, CRUK

Register here: https://t.co/HvLW5Q0UCr

[Molecular Instruments @HCRimaging]

We’re leaving AACR feeling energized and grateful after an incredible few days at the conference! Thank you to our partners and to everyone who stopped by our booth. It was wonderful to connect and share the latest from #HCRtechnology, including the innovative HCR™ HiFi Encoder.

Next week, we’ll be continuing our #MIatAACR series with recaps of our posters we presented in collaboration with @abcam, @LeicaBio, @Indica_Labs, and Hamamatsu.

If we didn’t get a chance to connect in person, we’d still love to hear from you. Reach out to our team at [email protected].

[Molecular Instruments @HCRimaging]

During #LabProfessionalsWeek, we are proud to recognize the clinical laboratory professionals who play a vital role in patient care every day.

Their expertise transforms samples into answers, supporting every step from the bench to the bedside. From lab technicians to pathologists, their work makes a meaningful impact on every diagnosis and decision.

We are grateful for the dedication they bring to advancing healthcare and improving lives, and honored to support them in the work they do.

[Molecular Instruments @HCRimaging]

What a great way to start AACR week! This past Friday, we had a great time co-hosting our Joint Symposium with Visiopharm and Glint Lab.

Thanks to our speakers Aneesh Acharya, Quynh Anh Nguyen, and Katherine Schafer-Hales, and to everyone who joined us for such a thoughtful and engaging discussion. We’re excited to keep the conversation going at #AACR2026!

Missed it? Catch up with our team at booth #2017!

[Molecular Instruments @HCRimaging]

Join us next Monday at Mission Brewing in East Village for the San Diego #MultiomicsMixer! We’re excited to co-sponsor an evening bringing together the community working across spatial biology, transcriptomics, and clinical innovation.

It’ll be a great opportunity to connect with peers in the field, exchange ideas, and enjoy tacos, headshots, and live music.

RSVP here: https://t.co/GSwOJvkIaN