@article {2018|2088, title = {From Virtual Reality to Immersive Analytics in Bioinformatics.}, journal = {J Integr Bioinform}, volume = {15}, year = {2018}, month = {2018 Jul 09}, abstract = {

Bioinformatics-related research produces huge heterogeneous amounts of data. This wealth of information includes data describing metabolic mechanisms and pathways, proteomics, transcriptomics, and metabolomics. Often, the visualization and exploration of related structural - usually molecular - data plays an important role in the aforementioned contexts. For decades, virtual reality (VR)-related technologies were developed and applied to Bioinformatics problems. Often, these approaches provide \"just\" visual support of the analysis, e.g. in the case of exploring and interacting with a protein on a 3D monitor and compatible interaction hardware. Moreover, in the past these approaches were limited to cost-intensive professional visualization facilities. The advent of new affordable, and often mobile technologies, provides high potential for using similar approaches on a regular basis for daily research. Visual Analytics is successfully being used for several years to analyze complex and heterogeneous datasets. Immersive Analytics combines these approaches now with new immersive and interactive technologies. This publication provides a short overview of related technologies, their history and Bioinformatics-related approaches. Six new applications on the path from VR to Immersive Analytics are being introduced and discussed.

}, keywords = {Computer Graphics, Imaging, Three-Dimensional, Molecular Conformation, Proteins, Software, User-Computer Interface, Virtual Reality}, issn = {1613-4516}, doi = {10.1515/jib-2018-0043}, author = {Sommer, Bj{\"o}rn and Marc Baaden and Krone, Michael and Woods, Andrew} } @article {2018|2091, title = {MinOmics, an Integrative and Immersive Tool for Multi-Omics Analysis.}, journal = {J Integr Bioinform}, volume = {15}, year = {2018}, month = {2018 Jun 21}, abstract = {

Proteomic and transcriptomic technologies resulted in massive biological datasets, their interpretation requiring sophisticated computational strategies. Efficient and intuitive real-time analysis remains challenging. We use proteomic data on 1417 proteins of the green microalga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii to investigate physicochemical parameters governing selectivity of three cysteine-based redox post translational modifications (PTM): glutathionylation (SSG), nitrosylation (SNO) and disulphide bonds (SS) reduced by thioredoxins. We aim to understand underlying molecular mechanisms and structural determinants through integration of redox proteome data from gene- to structural level. Our interactive visual analytics approach on an 8.3 m2 display wall of 25 MPixel resolution features stereoscopic three dimensions (3D) representation performed by UnityMol WebGL. Virtual reality headsets complement the range of usage configurations for fully immersive tasks. Our experiments confirm that fast access to a rich cross-linked database is necessary for immersive analysis of structural data. We emphasize the possibility to display complex data structures and relationships in 3D, intrinsic to molecular structure visualization, but less common for omics-network analysis. Our setup is powered by MinOmics, an integrated analysis pipeline and visualization framework dedicated to multi-omics analysis. MinOmics integrates data from various sources into a materialized physical repository. We evaluate its performance, a design criterion for the framework.

}, keywords = {Algal Proteins, Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, Computer Graphics, Imaging, Three-Dimensional, Models, Structural, Oxidation-Reduction, Protein Conformation, Protein Interaction Maps, Protein Processing, Post-Translational, Proteome, Proteomics, Software, Virtual Reality}, issn = {1613-4516}, doi = {10.1515/jib-2018-0006}, author = {Maes, Alexandre and Martinez, Xavier and Druart, Karen and Laurent, Benoist and Gu{\'e}gan, Sean and Marchand, Christophe H and Lemaire, St{\'e}phane D and Marc Baaden} } @conference {2016|1415, title = {Interactive visual analytics of molecular data in immersive environments via a semantic definition of the content and the context}, booktitle = {2016 Workshop on Immersive Analytics (IA)}, year = {2016}, month = {March}, abstract = {

Bringing together, in a unique immersive environment, visualization and analysis of scientific and complex data requires a thorough approach in order to fulfill scientists\&$\#$39; specific expectations. Such an approach needs to consider the highly heterogeneous nature of data, the dynamic interactions between experts and data, and the large amount of data involved in scientific studies. Whereas small and static scientific datasets can quickly be deciphered thanks to standard immersive tools such as 3D visualization software packages, bigger and dynamic datasets exceed the analytical capacity of these tools, requiring an efficient platform for their manipulation. Through the example of the structural biology field we discuss the need for an approach based on a high-level definition of the content (scientific data) and the context (immersive environments and interfaces). Our design is illustrated by a platform for dynamic and intelligent representation of data to the user. The data hierarchical classification will provide new ways to interact with the data via intelligent and direct relationships between them. This approach is based on the semantic definition of all the concepts manipulated in the virtual environment, either abstract or concrete, which allows for an adaptive and interactive experience of both visualization and analysis.

}, keywords = {Computer Graphics [I.3.7]: Three-Dimensional Graphics and Realism-Virtual Reality, content high-level definition, content management, content semantic definition, Context, context high-level definition, context semantic definition, data analysis, data dynamic representation, data intelligent representation, data visualisation, Data visualization, molecular data interactive visual analysis, Ontologies, Resource description framework, Semantics, static scientific datasets, structural biology field, Three-dimensional displays, Tools, virtual environment, Virtual Reality}, doi = {10.1109/IMMERSIVE.2016.7932383}, author = {M. Trellet and Nicolas F{\'e}rey and Marc Baaden and P. Bourdot} }