GeneNetWeaver: in silico benchmark generation and performance profiling of network inference methods

Numerous methods have been developed for inferring (reverse engineering) gene regulatory networks from expression data. However, both their absolute and comparative performance remain poorly understood. The aim of this project is to provide benchmarks and tools for rigorous testing of methods for gene network inference.

We have developed novel approaches for the generation of realistic in silico benchmarks and for the identification of systematic errors of network inference algorithms. Our framework is available as an easy-to-use Java tool called GeneNetWeaver (GNW). We are using in vivo microarray compendia side-by-side with synthetic (GNW) data to assess the performance of network inference methods in the DREAM challenge, an annual community-wide network inference challenge.

> Author’s project web page

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Video introduction to GeneNetWeaver (GNW) and in silico benchmark generation and performance profiling of network inference methods.

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Journal Articles

Fluorescence Behavioral Imaging (FBI) tracks identity in heterogeneous groups of Drosophila

P. P. Ramdya; T. Schaffter; D. Floreano; R. Benton 

PLOS One. 2012. Vol. 7, num. 11, p. e48381. DOI : 10.1371/journal.pone.0048381.

GeneNetWeaver: In silico benchmark generation and performance profiling of network inference methods

T. Schaffter; D. Marbach; D. Floreano 

Bioinformatics. 2011. Vol. 27, num. 16, p. 2263-2270. DOI : 10.1093/bioinformatics/btr373.

Revealing strengths and weaknesses of methods for gene network inference

D. Marbach; R. J. Prill; T. Schaffter; C. Mattiussi; D. Floreano et al. 

PNAS. 2010. Vol. 107, num. 14, p. 6286-6291. DOI : 10.1073/pnas.0913357107.

Generating Realistic In Silico Gene Networks for Performance Assessment of Reverse Engineering Methods

D. Marbach; T. Schaffter; C. Mattiussi; D. Floreano 

Journal of Computational Biology. 2009. Vol. 16, num. 2, p. 229-239. DOI : 10.1089/cmb.2008.09TT.

Reports

Numerical Integration of SDEs: A Short Tutorial

T. Schaffter 

2010

Stochastic Simulations for DREAM4

T. Schaffter; D. Marbach 

2009