First US 3D System Maps the Human Eye in Detail

Stellaromics, announced the installation of its first U.S.-based Pyxa™ system at the University of California, Irvine (UCI). This milestone marks a significant expansion of Stellaromics' global beta testing program and follows the inaugural deployment of Pyxa at the University of Glasgow in October 2025.

The system is in the laboratory of Dr. Rui Chen, Professor of Ophthalmology at the Gavin Herbert Eye Institute, Robert M. Brunson Center for Translational Vision Research. Internationally recognized for his work mapping the molecular foundations of human sensory systems, Dr. Chen and his colleagues play a leading role in the Human Cell Atlas initiative, spearheading the Complete Human Eye Atlas to map the eye at single-cell resolution. They are leveraging Pyxa to construct comprehensive 3D spatial atlases of the human eye and trigeminal ganglion, to better understand sensory processing in health and disease.

"The UC Irvine installation marks an important step for Stellaromics as we expand the reach of 3D spatial biology in the United States," said Todd Dickinson, PhD, CEO of Stellaromics. "Building on our initial deployment in Glasgow, Dr. Chen's pioneering research in sensory system mapping and cell atlassing exemplifies our mission to reveal the full complexity of tissue biology with the Pyxa platform."

Designed to deliver high-resolution, multiplexed 3D spatial transcriptomics in intact tissue sections up to 100 µm thick, Pyxa preserves native tissue architecture and spatial context across multiple cellular layers. By capturing subcellular detail for hundreds of molecular targets simultaneously, the system enables researchers to map cell–cell interactions, molecular gradients, and complex tissue structures that underpin biological processes in both health and disease.