THe Biom: a platform for visualization and exploration of cancer transcriptomic biomarkers identified by robust...

The identification of robust transcriptomic biomarkers remains a key challenge in oncology. To tackle this problem, hybrid ensemble feature selection (HEFS) methods have been developed to improve the stability of gene signatures by combining multiple algorithms and data perturbations. However, their results are often difficult to explore, interpret and reuse. To bridge this gap, we developed THe Biom (TCGA HEFS Biomarkers), an interactive application for visualization and comparative analysis of gene signatures across tumor stages and cancer types. The platform enables users to examine cancer-specific biomarkers, track changes across disease progression, and highlight shared features among signatures. THe Biom was built using previous HEFS analyses of six TCGA cancers across stages I to IV, and additional signatures can be added by users. Availability and implementation: THe Biom is freely available online at https://thebiom.compbio.ulaval.ca/, or for local use along with source code and datasets at https://github.com/MilanPicard/the_biom.