SINGLE-CELL OMICS IN PHARMACOLOGY: DECIPHERING CELLULAR HETEROGENEITY, DRUG RESPONSE, RESISTANCE, AND THERAPEUTIC TARGETS
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.65327/bp.v12i3.2530Keywords:
Single-cell omics, Pharmacology, Drug response, Drug resistance, Precision medicineAbstract
Single-cell omics has emerged as an important approach in pharmacology by enabling molecular analysis at individual-cell resolution. It provides deeper insight into cellular heterogeneity, therapeutic response, resistance mechanisms, and disease-associated molecular states that may be obscured by bulk analyses. This review aimed to synthesize current evidence on the role of single-cell omics in understanding cellular heterogeneity, drug response, therapeutic resistance, therapeutic target and biomarker discovery, multi-omics integration, and emerging pharmacological applications. A comprehensive review design was used to identify and synthesize relevant peer-reviewed literature from major academic databases. Studies addressing single-cell sequencing, multi-omics, spatial omics, drug response, resistance, biomarkers, and precision pharmacology were screened and organized into major thematic areas. The review showed that single-cell omics can distinguish functionally diverse cellular populations, identify drug-sensitive and resistant states, and reveal mechanisms involving clonal selection, cellular plasticity, epigenetic reprogramming, metabolic adaptation, and microenvironmental interactions. Integration with spatial and multi-omics technologies further improves therapeutic target identification, biomarker discovery, and interpretation of treatment-related cellular changes. Single-cell omics provides a valuable framework for precision pharmacology by improving understanding of heterogeneous therapeutic responses and resistance. Further standardization, functional validation, and clinical translation are needed to support broader pharmacological application.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Dr. Mohammad Anas Shamsi, Dr. Sai Hanuman Sagar Boddu, Dr. Akram Ashour Ashames, Dr. Samir Issa Bloukh
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