While single-cell omics has revolutionized biological research, this perspective outlines the experimental, computational, and conceptual hurdles preventing its routine use in clinical medicine. The authors argue for a transition from simple discovery to the development of actionable biomarkers that integrate data across multiple cell types to improve precision diagnosis and personalized therapy. Current obstacles include the high cost of scaling patient cohorts, the prevalence of statistically flawed analysis workflows, and the need for standardized protocols that meet regulatory requirements. By focusing on diseases with complex multicellular pathology, such as spinal cord injury and cancer, the text provides a road map for translating high-resolution molecular data into clear clinical decisions. Ultimately, bridging the gap between the laboratory and the clinic requires automated computational frameworks and rigorous validation in independent patient groups.

References:

• Skinnider M A, Courtine G, Bloch J, et al. A clinical road map for single-cell omics[J]. Cell, 2025, 188(14): 3633-3647.