singlecellVR: Interactive Visualization of Single-Cell Data in Virtual Reality

Area of Science:

• Computational Biology
• Bioinformatics
• Data Visualization

Background:

• Single-cell assays enable modeling of cellular heterogeneity.
• Advancements in single-cell assays necessitate innovative computational and visualization methods.
• Virtual Reality (VR) offers dynamic data exploration but faces adoption barriers in single-cell research.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present singlecellVR, a user-friendly web application for single-cell data visualization.
• To enable visualization of diverse single-cell data (transcriptomic, epigenomic, proteomic) using affordable VR hardware.
• To overcome hardware costs and technical expertise barriers in VR-based single-cell data analysis.

Main Methods:

• Developed singlecellVR, a web application compatible with low-cost VR hardware (e.g., Google Cardboard).
• Integrated analysis modalities including clustering, trajectory inference, and RNA velocity modeling.
• Created a companion software package (scvr) for streamlined data conversion from common single-cell analysis tools.

Main Results:

• SinglecellVR provides accessible visualization for transcriptomic, epigenomic, and proteomic single-cell data.
• The application supports advanced analyses like clustering and trajectory inference.
• A companion tool and database facilitate data integration and sharing.

Conclusions:

• SinglecellVR democratizes VR-based single-cell data visualization.
• The tool supports diverse data types and advanced analytical methods.
• It aims to foster wider adoption of VR in single-cell data exploration.