GlobeCorr: interactive globe-based visualization for correlation datasets

Area of Science:

• Bioinformatics
• Computational Biology
• Data Visualization

Background:

• Omics datasets are growing in complexity, necessitating methods to analyze correlations with diverse metadata.
• Identifying confounding factors and novel relationships requires robust correlation analysis tools.
• Existing correlation visualization software often lacks secure and dynamic capabilities.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce GlobeCorr.ca, a web-based application for interactive visualization and analysis of correlation datasets.
• To provide a user-friendly platform for exploring relationships between omics data and metadata.
• To address the limitations of existing tools by offering secure and dynamic visualization.

Main Methods:

• Users upload tabular data with pairwise variables and correlation values.
• GlobeCorr generates dynamic visualizations using ribbons to represent correlations.
• Visualizations can be optionally grouped by domain or category, such as microbiome taxa against metadata.

Main Results:

• GlobeCorr.ca provides secure, local execution for user data privacy.
• The application offers intuitive visualization of complex correlation patterns.
• It facilitates the summarization and exploration of relationships within large datasets.

Conclusions:

• GlobeCorr.ca is a valuable tool for researchers working with complex omics and metadata.
• The application enhances the ability to identify potential confounding factors and discover novel biological insights.
• Its secure, dynamic, and user-friendly interface makes it broadly applicable across scientific disciplines.