MicrobiomeExplorer: an R package for the analysis and visualization of microbial communities

Area of Science:

• Microbiology
• Bioinformatics
• Computational Biology

Background:

• Microbiome research generates complex datasets requiring specialized tools for analysis.
• Existing R packages may lack integrated workflows for comprehensive microbiome analysis and visualization.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce MicrobiomeExplorer, an R package designed for streamlined microbiome data analysis and visualization.
• To provide researchers with a user-friendly tool for common microbiome analytic workflows and automated report generation.

Main Methods:

• Development of the MicrobiomeExplorer R package.
• Implementation of command-line and interactive Shiny application interfaces.
• Integration of automated analysis report generation capabilities.

Main Results:

• The MicrobiomeExplorer package facilitates typical microbiome analytic workflows.
• Users can visualize analysis results through both command-line and an interactive Shiny application.
• Automated generation of analysis reports is a key feature.

Conclusions:

• MicrobiomeExplorer enhances the accessibility and efficiency of microbiome data analysis.
• The package supports researchers in interpreting and reporting microbial community findings.
• It serves as a valuable tool for the microbiome research community.