171: Real-World Digital Readiness: Turning Stains into Reliable Scans

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Is your lab truly digitally ready—or just scanning slides?

That’s the question I unpack in this live discussion from Day 2 of SITC’s 40th Anniversary Meeting, joined by David Anderson (Biocare Medical) and Don Ariyakumar (Hamamatsu Photonics). 

Together, we explore what digital readiness really means for multiplex immunofluorescence (mIF) and how to build reliable, reproducible workflows that scale from research to clinical settings.

What We Discuss

The Discovery Funnel
I open by situating mIF within the broader discovery funnel: researchers begin with hundreds of biomarkers, narrowing down to focused 4–10 marker panels where true clinical utility begins. But this only works if the lab is digitally prepared from the start—from slide prep to data capture.

Defining Digital Readiness
David Anderson reframes digital readiness as everything that happens before the scanner turns on:

• Reagent consistency
• Antibody optimization
• Automation
• Standardized protocols
   All these elements ensure that downstream AI and image analysis tools work on clean, reproducible data instead of “fixing” noise later.

The Pre-Analytical Foundation
Don Ariyakumar emphasizes that scanning can’t fix variability. If staining or section quality isn’t standardized, digitization simply amplifies inconsistencies. True readiness starts at the bench, not the monitor.

Integration Across Vendors
We also talk about how interoperability between stainers, scanners, and spatial biology software is becoming essential. A disconnected workflow—mixing manual, unaligned steps—adds variables that no algorithm can fully normalize.

Lessons from IHC’s Evolution
The team draws parallels between multiplex IF today and IHC’s early days: once complex, now routine. Multiplex IF promises even richer tumor microenvironment insights, but only if standardization and automation catch up to the technology.

Beyond the Funnel
I revisit the “funnel” metaphor in a new light—arguing that as precision medicine grows, the bottom of the funnel broadens, not narrows. That means more tailored, smaller panels rather than one-size-fits-all assays, and a growing need for efficient, reproducible digital workflows.

Key Takeaways

• “Digital readiness” starts before scanning — with chemistry, automation, and process control.
• Consistent pre-analytical quality = reproducible, AI-ready data.
• Interoperability between systems (like Biocare’s ONCORE Pro X and Hamamatsu’s MoxiePlex) accelerates workflow standardization.
• Multiplex IF is maturing quickly, just as IHC once did—on its way to becoming a cornerstone of precision pathology.

Resources Mentioned

🔹 Biocare Medical (Booth 717) — ONCORE Pro X™ open slide stainer automating mIF, IHC, FISH, and ISH protocols.
🌐 biocare.net

🔹 Hamamatsu Photonics (Booth 415) — MoxiePlex™ multispectral imaging platform for high-plex spatial analysis.
🌐 hamamatsu.com

🔹 Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer (SITC) — 40th Anniversary Meeting information and programs.
🌐 sitcancer.org

Timestamp Highlights

00:00 — Welcome from SITC Day 2
 01:30 — What is “digital readiness”?
 04:00 — Why consistency beats correction
 07:15 — Vendor collaboration and interoperability
 10:20 — Comparing mIF to IHC’s evolution
 15:45 — Workflow simplification and automation
 20:10 — Future directions in spatial oncology
 23:50 — Invitation to Biocare Booth 717 &&

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