The Future of NGS and Multi-Omics: An Integrated Sequencing Platform
Introduction
Next-generation sequencing (NGS) has revolutionized genomics over the past two decades, and a new wave of multi-omics technologies is now pushing beyond DNA to profile RNA, proteins, metabolites, in single cells and spatial context in parallel. The ideal NGS and multi-omics instrument of the future would combine these advances into one platform by performing sequencing in situ (directly in the sample) with single-cell and spatial resolution, and capturing multi-modal molecular information (genes and proteins) without destroying the sample. Such a platform could in theory map the complex architecture of tissues in three dimensions, revealing how genomes, transcriptomes, and proteomes interact within intact cells and their microenvironments. Achieving this vision requires integrating diverse technologies (sequencing chemistry, high-resolution imaging, microfluidics, etc.) into a robust and scalable instrument which compares favorably to the individual NGS or multi-omic equivalent offerings. Here I outline the key features of an ideal future platform and analyzes which companies – from established industry leaders to cutting-edge startups – are best positioned to deliver it. I also discuss the long-term implications of such technology for biology, medicine, and the genomics industry.