When a research team needs to pull tumor tissue for molecular analysis, they have long faced a frustrating problem: the slide they examine under the microscope isn’t the same section they scrape for testing. A new integration between two digital pathology players aims to close that gap by generating a virtual stain directly on the exact tissue destined for extraction.
OREM, UT, UNITED STATES, October 16, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — Techcyte, developer of Fusion, the enterprise digital pathology platform, today announced that Pictor Labs’ ClearStain™ virtual hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) images are now available in Techcyte Fusion AP to support tissue selection for research molecular analysis.
The traditional workflow requires a pathologist to review a chemically stained H&E slide, map the tumor region, and then transfer that annotation to neighboring unstained sections for scraping. But because those adjacent slides represent different slices of the tissue block, the tumor boundaries rarely align perfectly. To make matters harder, unstained sections offer almost no visual cues to separate tumor from necrosis, fibrosis, or inflammation.
ClearStain™ applies Pictor Labs’ proprietary algorithm to a brightfield scan of an unstained tissue section, producing a virtual H&E image of that exact slice. The design intent is straightforward: research teams can review morphology and mark regions for molecular analysis using an image of the very section that will be used for extraction. Since the physical slide never undergoes chemical H&E staining, it remains fully available for downstream work.
“Teams usually mark tumor regions on an H&E slide, then extract tissue from a separate unstained sample for molecular testing,” said Vikram Pandian, product manager for Fusion AP at Techcyte. “With ClearStain™ in Fusion AP, the unstained slide itself gets a virtual H&E, so the pathologist can annotate the exact tissue that goes to extraction. That image stays in the case with the other slides from the block.”
From a Fusion AP case, users can request ClearStain™, and Fusion forwards the unstained slide image to Pictor Labs for processing. The resulting virtual H&E is then returned to the same case, linked to the corresponding tissue block, and clearly labeled as virtual so it can be reviewed side by side with chemically stained slides. For labs that prefer not to work through Fusion, ClearStain™ is also offered standalone via secure Cloud or On-Prem deployment.
Once the virtual H&E is in hand, a pathologist can annotate the region of interest directly on it, providing guidance for collection from the corresponding physical slide. ClearStain™ supports compatible brightfield whole-slide scanners, so laboratories with suitable equipment can put the workflow to the test.
“ClearStain™ is designed to make tissue morphology visible while preserving the section for downstream work,” said Megan Rothney, Chief Product Officer at Pictor Labs. “Our collaboration with Techcyte brings that capability into the case review workflow, helping teams connect what they see digitally with the tissue they select for molecular analysis.”
Attendees can see the ClearStain™ workflow in Fusion AP at Pathology Visions 2026, October 16 through 18 in San Diego, at Techcyte booth 410.
ClearStain™ is for Research Use Only. Not for use in diagnostic procedures. Techcyte Fusion AP is for Research Use Only in the United States and is not for diagnostic use.
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About Techcyte
Techcyte is transforming the practice of pathology through an AI-enabled, enterprise digital platform, Fusion, that streamlines complex workflows, integrates with core lab systems, and enhances communication across the lab.
By partnering with leading laboratories, scanner manufacturers, diagnostic hardware providers, and AI developers, we deliver a unified digital pathology platform to labs and clinics around the world, furthering our mission to positively impact the health of humans, animals, and the environment.
Visit techcyte.com for more information.
Techcyte Fusion is for Research Use Only in the United States.
About Pictor Labs
Pictor Labs develops tissue intelligence and virtual staining technologies that help biopharma and research teams obtain more information from existing tissue. Pictor Labs Tissue Intelligence Platform turns archived H&E images and linked trial data into explainable tissue evidence that helps biopharma teams understand which patients may drive program success or failure, why, and how that insight can inform patient stratification, biomarker strategy and critical development decisions. Built on the company’s Virtual Staining technology, the platform generates additional biological information without requiring new samples or consuming additional tissue. Pictor Labs’ Virtual Staining portfolio, including ClearStain™, DeepStain™, ReStain and RetroStain™, is available through secure Cloud or On-Prem deployment. Learn more at pictorlabs.ai.
William Costello
Pictor Labs
(917) 836-9360
wcostello@pictorlabs.ai
Troy Bankhead
Techcyte
+1 435-210-6200
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Why it matters: This integration addresses a long-standing inefficiency in molecular pathology, where annotation on one slide often doesn’t match the tissue actually tested. By making the exact extracted section visible for review, the workflow could improve the accuracy of tumor selection in research and, ultimately, the reliability of molecular data that drives drug development decisions.
