CYTOF (𝘊𝘺𝘵𝘰𝘮𝘦t𝘳𝘺 𝘣𝘺 𝘛𝘪𝘮𝘦-𝘰𝘧-𝘍𝘭𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵) is a technology that merges flow cytometry with mass spectrometry to provide high-dimensional immune profiling at the single-cell level [1]. Unlike traditional flow cytometry, CYTOF uses antibodies tagged with rare metal isotopes rather than fluorophores, avoiding spectral overlap and enabling the simultaneous analysis of 40–50+ parameters per cell. This capability allows researchers to dissect complex immune populations, monitor activation and exhaustion markers, and analyze signaling pathways in unprecedented detail. 
 
CYTOF is highly scalable and automatable, making it suitable for large-scale screening studies, batch-to-batch quality control of cell therapies like CAR-T or NK cells, and even monitoring immune reconstitution after bone marrow transplantation [2]. By providing deep phenotypic and functional insight, CYTOF can show us differences between patient responses, help identify predictive biomarkers, and improve the design of precision immunotherapies. 
 
In immunology, CYTOF has been applied to study tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes, immune checkpoint blockade responses, vaccine-induced immunity, and the heterogeneity of immune populations in both healthy and diseased states. It is also invaluable for mechanistic studies, such as tracking CAR-T cell persistence, exhaustion, and cytokine profiles post-infusion. 
 
Speculative Hypothesis:
Could CYTOF, combined with machine learning and integrative multi-omics, one day predict therapy success and toxicity before cell infusion, reducing trial-and-error in immunotherapy? 
 
Question for the Audience:  How do you see CYTOF being integrated into routine clinical monitoring of cellular therapies, and what challenges do you foresee in standardizing high-dimensional datasets across labs? 

 Stay tuned for 𝗗𝗮𝘆 𝟳𝟵: 𝗦𝗽𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗰𝗿𝗶p𝘁𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗰𝘀 – 𝗗𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗧𝗶𝘀𝘀𝘂𝗲-𝗟𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹 𝗚𝗲n𝗲 𝗘x𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 L𝗮𝗻𝗱𝘀𝗰ap𝗲𝘀 

References:
1. DOI: 10.1126/science.1198704 
2.DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1401102 
3. DOI: 10.1038/ni.3485
 
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