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Raza Ali Lab @hrazaalilab.bsky.social · 31/03/2026

(5/5) We view this atlas as a resource for the community to study aging, breast biology, and spatial organization. All multiplexed imaging data are available with documentation to support reuse: zenodo.org/records/1841... 🙏Thank you to all collaborators and patients who made this work possible!

An artistic representation of the healthy breast's cellular architecture

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Raza Ali Lab @hrazaalilab.bsky.social · 31/03/2026

(4/5) These changes are not linear. The most pronounced transitions occur around menopause, with coordinated shifts across epithelial and microenvironmental compartments. Spatial relationships also change, with increased separation between epithelial and surrounding cells.

A graph showing a nonlinear sliding window analysis demonstrating the number of significant features out of 233 as a function of age, with different q-value cutoffs displayed and a window size of 10 years.

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Raza Ali Lab @hrazaalilab.bsky.social · 31/03/2026

(3/5) Aging is associated with broad tissue remodeling: (1) reduced cellularity and proliferation across most cell types, (2) shifts in immune composition, with relatively more inflammatory cells in older tissue, and (3) structural changes including fewer lobules and increased fat.

A sub-figure of the paper, showing the tissue changes with age, by comparing two age groups with a cutoff at 50 years of age.

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Raza Ali Lab @hrazaalilab.bsky.social · 31/03/2026

(2/5) 527 normal breast tissue samples profiled using imaging mass cytometry (40-plex). Tissues collected from non-cancer surgeries to study aging in a normal context. Single-cell resolution with preserved spatial structure allowed us to quantify cell types, states, and multicellular organization.

A snip of figure 1 of the paper, with cohort, panel and methodology information.

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Raza Ali Lab @hrazaalilab.bsky.social · 31/03/2026

(1/5) 🔥Finally out after a long journey, our joint work with the Aparicio Lab at BCCRC mapping a single-cell spatial atlas of the aging human breast! We used imaging mass cytometry to study how cellular composition and tissue organization change with age. 👇 thread 🧵 www.nature.com/articles/s43...

A screenshot of the paper's title (Single-cell spatial atlas of the aging human breast) with its authors and Journal information (Nature Aging).

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Raza Ali Lab @hrazaalilab.bsky.social · 23/02/2026

Two weeks ago Postdoc @shimritmayer.bsky.social presented at the Intercellular Dialogue In the Tumor Microenvironment Conference at the Weizmann Institute. Her work focuses on the spatial architecture of ovarian cancer.

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Raza Ali Lab @hrazaalilab.bsky.social · 12/12/2025

🎇Massive congratulations to Lubna Ahmad, who successfully defended her PhD thesis yesterday! 🎅We celebrated all this year's accomplishments with great festive cheer last night.

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Raza Ali Lab @hrazaalilab.bsky.social · 28/11/2025

We even had time for some archery!

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Raza Ali Lab @hrazaalilab.bsky.social · 28/11/2025

We are back from a wonderful Lab retreat in Spixworth, where we had a chance to discuss ongoing and coming projects.

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Raza Ali Lab @hrazaalilab.bsky.social · 20/10/2025

And from Heidelberg at the #EMBLSpatialBiology we can report that Ellen Schrader, a PhD student in the Lab, won one of the poster prizes. #ESSB2025 Congratulations!

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Raza Ali Lab @hrazaalilab.bsky.social · 20/10/2025

We are happy to announce that Research Associate Matteo Naldini, who just joined us this summer, was awarded an ESMO Research Fellowship @myesmo.bsky.social. Congratulations! #ESMO25

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Raza Ali Lab @hrazaalilab.bsky.social · 25/03/2025

📑 Together with 8 other early cancer researchers, we have just published a piece on @cp-trendscancer.bsky.social discussing cancer research evolution and its expected challenges over the next decade. www.cell.com/trends/cance...

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Raza Ali Lab @hrazaalilab.bsky.social · 11/02/2025

🧪Happy #InternationalDayOfWomenAndGirlsInScience!! 👩🏽‍🔬👩‍🔬👩🏿‍🔬 Today we celebrated the WoW grant (see link) obtained by our very own @shimritmayer.bsky.social! Huge congratulations! #WomenInSTEM www.wellbeingofwomen.org.uk

The Ali Lab members in a cafe, sitting around a table ready to eat brunch.

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Raza Ali Lab @hrazaalilab.bsky.social · 13/12/2024

Thank you to the organisers Anja Hauser, @denisschapiro.bsky.social, @schuerch.bsky.social and the wider team who have made the 1st #ESSB Symposium a reality! We have greatly enjoyed the meeting.

The 9 researchers of the Ali Lab pose for a group picture at the ESSB conference hall

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Raza Ali Lab @hrazaalilab.bsky.social · 13/12/2024

Pulkit Gupta, a former Master student, has poster #66 about his project on normal breast architecture #ESSB

Former Master student Pulkit Gupta stands in front of his scientific poster at the ESSB?

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Raza Ali Lab @hrazaalilab.bsky.social · 13/12/2024

Lubna Ahmad, a PhD student, has poster #4 where she focuses on the landscape of spatial B cell organisation in breast cancer #ESSB

PhD student Lubna Ahmad stands in front of her scientific poster at the ESSB conference

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Raza Ali Lab @hrazaalilab.bsky.social · 13/12/2024

Shimrit Mayer, a postdoc in the Lab, investigates ovarian cancer tissue architecture with IMC. Poster #116 #ESSB

Postdoc Shimrit Mayer stands in front of her scientific poster showcasing her research project at the ESSB conference

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Raza Ali Lab @hrazaalilab.bsky.social · 06/12/2024

🎓 Yesterday we celebrated Ciccy Wang's successful PhD defense. 🎉 Congratulations!! 🎉 Ciccy is the Lab's first PhD student, publishing last year in Nature, with more to come 👀. www.nature.com/articles/s41...

A happy PhD graduate Ciccy Wang poses with a decorated graduate hat after passing her viva.

7 scientists sits around a table set with delicious food to celebrate.

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