{
  "abstract": "Spatial omics technologies enable high-resolution, large-scale quantification of molecular features while preserving the spatial context within tissues. Existing analysis methods largely focus on spatial arrangements of single cells, whereas biological function often emerges from multicellular arrangements. Here, we introduce structure-based analysis of spatial omics data, which focuses on the direct analysis of multicellular, anatomical structures. We illustrate this type of analysis using two publicly available datasets and provide sosta, an open-source Bioconductor package for broad community use.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [
    "Department of Molecular Life Sciences and SIB Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland",
    "Centro Nacional de Análisis Genómico, Barcelona, Spain"
  ],
  "article_type": "Software",
  "arxiv": null,
  "author_total": 3,
  "authors": [
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Samuel Gunz"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        1
      ],
      "name": "Helena L. Crowell"
    },
    {
      "name": "Mark D. Robinson"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/5f35ymnaj60ta.bib",
  "cited_by": 1,
  "doi": "10.1371/journal.pcbi.1014551",
  "fulltext_url": "https://journals.plos.org/ploscompbiol/article?id=10.1371/journal.pcbi.1014551",
  "id": "5f35ymnaj60ta",
  "issns": [
    "1553-7358"
  ],
  "landing_url": "https://journals.plos.org/ploscompbiol/article?id=10.1371/journal.pcbi.1014551",
  "language": null,
  "licence": "CC-BY-4.0",
  "licence_label": "CC BY 4.0",
  "licence_source": "journal",
  "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/",
  "metadata_licence": null,
  "native_subjects": [
    [
      "openalex",
      "1312|Single-cell and spatial transcriptomics"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Biology and life sciences/Anatomy/Biological tissue/Epithelium/Epithelial cells"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Biology and life sciences/Anatomy/Digestive system/Gastrointestinal tract/Colon"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Biology and life sciences/Anatomy/Neck/Throat/Tonsils"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Biology and life sciences/Cell biology/Cellular structures and organelles"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Biology and life sciences/Cell biology/Cellular types/Animal cells/Epithelial cells"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Biology and life sciences/Genetics/Gene expression"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Medicine and health sciences/Anatomy/Biological tissue/Epithelium/Epithelial cells"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Medicine and health sciences/Anatomy/Digestive system/Gastrointestinal tract/Colon"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Medicine and health sciences/Anatomy/Neck/Throat/Tonsils"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Medicine and health sciences/Oncology/Cancers and neoplasms/Colorectal cancer"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Medicine and health sciences/Pathology and laboratory medicine/Anatomical pathology/Histopathology"
    ],
    [
      "plos",
      "/Physical sciences/Mathematics/Geometry/Polygons"
    ]
  ],
  "openalex": "W7212165987",
  "pdf_url": "https://journals.plos.org/ploscompbiol/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pcbi.1014551&type=printable",
  "pmcid": null,
  "pmid": null,
  "published": "2026-09-10",
  "publisher": "Public Library of Science",
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/5f35ymnaj60ta.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-10-30T12:17:56Z",
      "native_id": "10.1371/journal.pcbi.1014551",
      "source": "plos",
      "url": "https://journals.plos.org/ploscompbiol/article?id=10.1371/journal.pcbi.1014551"
    }
  ],
  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "medicine",
      "origin": "plos:anatomy",
      "subfield": "physiology"
    }
  ],
  "title": "Analysis of multicellular anatomical structures from spatial omics data using sosta",
  "title_text": "Analysis of multicellular anatomical structures from spatial omics data using sosta",
  "type": "peer-reviewed",
  "updated_at": "2026-10-30T12:17:56Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/5f35ymnaj60ta",
  "venue": "PLOS Computational Biology",
  "versions": []
}