1. Heatmaps: Exploring Patterns in High-Dimensional Data

Heatmaps are a go-to visualization for representing high-dimensional datasets, such as gene expression or metabolomics data. They use color gradients to display data intensity, making patterns and clusters easily detectable.

• Applications: Gene expression analysis, pathway enrichment, methylation studies.

• Tools: Seaborn (Python), ComplexHeatmap (R), Morpheus (web-based).

Tip: Add dendrograms to visualize clustering of rows and columns for hierarchical relationships.

2. Volcano Plots: Highlighting Differential Features

Volcano plots are indispensable for identifying significantly differentially expressed genes or proteins. They plot the log2 fold change against –log10(p-value), making it easy to spot statistically significant changes.

• Applications: RNA-seq, proteomics, and metabolomics.

• Tools: ggplot2 (R), EnhancedVolcano (R), Plotly (Python).

Tip: Use color to highlight significant features and label key genes or proteins.

3. PCA Plots: Reducing Complexity with Principal Component Analysis

Principal Component Analysis (PCA) plots are used to reduce dimensionality and uncover trends or clusters in data. They provide insights into sample variability and grouping.

• Applications: Transcriptomics, metabolomics, microbiome studies.

• Tools: scikit-learn + Matplotlib (Python), prcomp (R), ClustVis (web-based).

Tip: Annotate clusters with metadata to enhance interpretability.

4. Manhattan Plots: Genome-Wide Association Studies

Manhattan plots visualize p-values across the genome, making it easy to identify significant associations in genome-wide studies. They resemble city skylines, with the highest peaks indicating loci of interest.

• Applications: GWAS, QTL mapping.

• Tools: qqman (R), Matplotlib (Python).

Tip: Use alternating colors for chromosomes and highlight significant SNPs for clarity.

5. Circular Plots (Circos): Visualizing Genomic Relationships

Circular plots are ideal for visualizing relationships across the genome, such as structural variations, gene duplications, or synteny.

• Applications: Comparative genomics, structural variation studies.

• Tools: Circos (standalone), Rcircos (R), pyCircos (Python).

Tip: Keep the plot clean and avoid overcrowding to maintain readability.

6. Sankey Diagrams: Tracking Data Flows

Sankey diagrams visualize flows or relationships between categories, often used to track changes in gene expression or pathway enrichment across conditions.

• Applications: Pathway analysis, gene set enrichment analysis.

• Tools: Plotly (Python), networkD3 (R).

Tip: Use gradients or distinct colors to highlight key transitions.

7. Network Graphs: Mapping Interactions

Network graphs represent relationships between entities, such as protein-protein interactions or gene regulatory networks. Nodes represent entities, and edges represent relationships.

• Applications: Systems biology, interactomics.

• Tools: Cytoscape (standalone), igraph (R), NetworkX (Python).

Tip: Use edge thickness or node size to represent interaction strength or centrality.

8. Violin Plots: Visualizing Data Distribution

Violin plots combine a boxplot with a density plot, showing the distribution and variability of data.

• Applications: Single-cell RNA-seq, quantitative trait analysis.

• Tools: Seaborn (Python), ggplot2 (R).

Tip: Split violins by groups for side-by-side comparisons.

9. Time-Series Plots: Monitoring Changes Over Time

Time-series plots display changes in variables across time points, useful for tracking gene expression dynamics or metabolic fluxes.

• Applications: Time-course experiments, cell cycle studies.

• Tools: Matplotlib (Python), ggplot2 (R).

Tip: Smooth the data to highlight trends while avoiding overfitting.

10. Genome Tracks: Visualizing Genomic Features

Genome tracks display multiple layers of genomic data, such as gene annotations, sequencing coverage, and epigenetic marks.

• Applications: ChIP-seq, ATAC-seq, whole-genome sequencing.

• Tools: IGV (standalone), pyGenomeTracks (Python).

Tip: Stack related tracks for direct comparisons.

11. UpSet Plots: Visualizing Set Intersections

UpSet plots are a powerful alternative to Venn diagrams for visualizing intersections between multiple datasets.

• Applications: Overlap analysis for gene sets, pathways, or variants.

• Tools: UpSetR (R), ComplexUpset (Python).

Tip: Use bar plots to represent the size of each intersection for added clarity.

12. Ridge Plots: Comparing Distributions

Ridge plots visualize the distributions of multiple datasets, stacked for easy comparison.

• Applications: Transcriptomics, single-cell RNA-seq.

• Tools: ggridges (R), Matplotlib (Python).

Tip: Use transparency and consistent scaling for better readability.

13. Chord Diagrams: Visualizing Connections Between Groups

Chord diagrams illustrate relationships between categories, such as shared genes between pathways or overlaps in regulatory elements.

• Applications: Pathway overlap, synteny, co-expression networks.

• Tools: Circlize (R), Holoviews (Python).

Tip: Use distinct colors for each group to emphasize relationships.

14. Treemaps: Hierarchical Data Representation

Treemaps visualize hierarchical data as nested rectangles, with area proportional to data size.

• Applications: Ontology enrichment, pathway analysis.

• Tools: Treemapify (R), Plotly (Python).

Tip: Use colors to represent additional variables, like significance or enrichment scores.

15. T-SNE/UMAP Plots: Dimensionality Reduction for Clustering

T-SNE and UMAP plots are great for visualizing high-dimensional data in two dimensions while preserving local or global structure.

• Applications: Single-cell transcriptomics, clustering analyses.

• Tools: scikit-learn (Python), Seurat (R).

Tip: Combine with metadata annotations for better cluster interpretation.

Bringing It All Together

The choice of visualization can significantly impact the insights gained from bioinformatics data. By selecting plots tailored to your data type and analysis goals, you can effectively communicate your findings and make your research more impactful. Whether you’re a seasoned bioinformatician or a beginner, mastering these visualizations will elevate your analyses and presentations.

At the Repository for Tomato Genomics Resources, we are working on Tomato Functional Genomics, using TILLING, Insertional Mutagenesis, proteomics, metabolomics approaches to study fruit ripening in tomato. The current aims of the group include using reverse and forward genetics strategies to isolate tomato mutants delayed in ripening, having high lycopene and folate content in tomato fruits and analysis of light and hormonal signal transduction pathways. For recent publications of the group see (Plant Physiol 161: 2085–2101, Plant Physiol 156: 1424-1438; Molecular Plant 3: 854-869; Plant Methods 6: 3; Plant Methods 5:18; Plant Signaling and Behavior 5:11.).

Currently we have one position available in the projects awarded to Prof. R.P. Sharma funded by Dept of Biotechnology. The qualification for this Position is as follows:

Research Assistant: Applicants should have experience in networking using R language and should be able to develop networks using the transcriptome, proteome and metabolite data sets. M.Tech. in Bioinformatics is required. The selected candidate would be paid Rs. 13,000/-pm- consolidated.

Candidates interested in above positions should send a one page statement clearly explaining how their skills are relevant to the position. The candidates should also enclose detailed CV and the name/email id for three referees. The candidates can send their application by email at rameshwar.sharma@uohyd.ac.in and y.sreelakshmi@uohyd.ac.in on or before December 10th, 2013. The position is purely temporary in nature. Shortlisted candidates would be called for interview. No TA/DA would be provided for attending the interview. We also have openings for CSIR-NET JRF candidates for pursuing PhD in above research areas.

Interested candidates with CSIR-NET JRF can send their CV to the above email
addresses.

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http://www.uohyd.ac.in/images/recruitment/tomanet_positions_221113.pdf

Highlights of our research include:

Optimization of microarray design, probe signal interpretation
Advanced models and tools for expression profiling
State-of-the-art applications and integrated analyses

Lab page @ http://bioinf.boku.ac.at/

Address of the bookmark: https://github.com/vgl-hub/gfastats

Postdoctoral position is available for three years to work on development of Bioinformatics resources for the analysis and visualization of ribosome profiling data. Ribosome profiling (ribo-seq) is a technology that allows mapping positions of the ribosomes on the whole transcriptome level with a nucleotide precision. The technology allows obtaining high resolution digital snapshots of gene expression in cells. The position is available starting on the 1st of October, 2013.

Candidate is expected to have Ph.D. in Bioinformatics or Computational Biology. Candidates with the degree in non-Biological disciplines such as Computer Science, Statistics, Applied Mathematics, Physics or Electrical Engineering will also be considered.

The position is available at LAPTI (http://lapti.ucc.ie) that is located in the Western Gate Building (http://www.stwarchitects.com/project-information.php?c=1&p=09993) at University College Cork. Western Gate Building Research Complex hosts several UCC departments and provides ideal environment for interdisciplinary research. Cork (sometimes referenced as “Venice of Ireland”) is the second most populous city in the Republic. It has friendly cosmopolitan atmosphere and vibrant culture. A number of American industrial giants such as Apple , EMC and Pfizer have chosen Cork as a home for their European headquarters.

The details of the application process are given at http://lapti.ucc.ie/jobs.html. To ensure prompt processing of your application use the subject line: ‘Postdoc computational’. All applications received prior to August the 1st are guaranteed equal consideration. However, applications at the later dates will also be considered until the position is filled.

For more info visit http://lapti.ucc.ie

It takes as an input a set of genomes represented as sequences of genes (or synteny blocks) and produces such sequences for ancestral genomes at the internal nodes of the phylogenetic tree.

The phylogenetic tree may be also specified completely or partially, in the latter case MGRA can reconstruct conserved ancestral regions (CARs) of the ancestral genome of interest.

Since version 2 MGRA supports gene insertion and deletions in addition to genome rearrangements and allows the input genomes to have different gene content.

It also can reconstruct most plausible phylogenetic tree based on the rearrangement characters.

Address of the bookmark: http://mgra.cblab.org/

Once a query gene has been entered, it is displayed in its genomic context in parallel to the genomic context of all its orthologous and paralogous copies in all the other sequenced metazoan genomes. Moreover, Genomicus stores and displays the predicted ancestral genome structure in all the ancestral species within the phylogenetic range of interest.

All the data on extant species displayed in this browser are from Ensembl.

Address of the bookmark: http://genomicus.biologie.ens.fr/genomicus-90.01/cgi-bin/search.pl

WALK -IN- TEST CUM INTERVIEW

Walk- in- Test cum Interview (based on test) for the selection of Research Associate (Bioinformatics) & Bioinformatic Trainees under the scheme ‘Distributed Information Sub Centre- DISC’ will be held at this Institute as per details indicated below.

Research Associate

Date of Interview : 21 -01-2014 at 10.00 A.M

Qualifications : a) Essential: Doctorate degree in Bioinformatics or Biotechnology/Life Sciences/Biochemistry with expertise in Bioinformatics as evidenced by publications.

OR

Three years research experience after MVSc/MPharm/ME/MTech with Bioinformatics Specialization.

b Desirable: Experience in handling NGS data Programming skills in Python/Bioperl

Emoluments : Rs:22000/- per month + HRA (higher pay upto Rs.24000/- can be paid depending on the qualifications and experience.

Upper age limit : 40 years for Men & 45 years for Women as on date of Interview (Upper Age limits are relaxable for SC, ST and OBC candidates as per Govt. of India norms (at present 5 years for SC/ST and 3 years for OBC)

Duration of Project : Till the closure of the project.

General Terms and conditions

1. The above positions are purely on temporary basis and is co-terminus with the closure of the project. There is no provision of re-employment after termination of project. The selected candidate will not have any right for claiming pay scale or absorption against any regular post being vacant on a later date at this Institute.
2 . No TA/DA will be paid for attending the Interview.
3. Canvassing in any form will lead to cancellation of candidate.
4. The decision of Director, IISR would be final and binding in all aspects.
5. Candidates will not be permitted to enter the Examination Hall after 10.00 A.M.
6. Candidates who secure the minimum marks prescribed by the Institute in written test only will be eligible for calling for the interview. The number of candidates to be called for the interview will be decided by the Director of the Institute.
7 Those who do not possess original Degree/PG certificate or Provisional certificate will not be allowed to attend the Test/Interview.

Note: All relevant certificates (in original) and bio data
No objection certificate in case he/she is employed elsewhere and experience certificate in original (if any) need to be produced at the time of interview.
Location of IISR Kozhikode Main Campus - Pallithazham bus stop between Moozhikkal East and Chelavoor on the NH 212 ”Kozhikode - Kollegal” Road.

Advertisement: www.spices.res.in/pdf/DISC-Website.pdf

See http://mash.readthedocs.org for more information.

Address of the bookmark: https://github.com/marbl/Mash/releases