Biological Network-Based Analysis of Genomic Data

The integrated analysis of “-omics” measurements and genome-scale networks, referred to as network-based analysis, provides several opportunities for a better interpretation of omics data, which is often hindered by biological complexity and experimental biases. Indeed, in comparison to the independent analysis of every statistical unit, network-based quantities take into account the modular and functional architecture of cells, emerging from molecular interactions. Network-based approaches have been proposed in relation to several problems, including gene module identification, pathway analysis and patient stratification, just to mention a few. In this project, we will use publicly available genomic datasets and explore possible analysis pipelines using network-based tools, mainly aimed at finding gene modules. We will compare different approaches and face principles, open issues, benefits and limitations of these types of analyses.