SimHap GUI: an intuitive graphical user interface for genetic association analysis.
BACKGROUND
Researchers wishing to conduct genetic association analysis involving single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) or haplotypes are often confronted with the lack of user-friendly graphical analysis tools, requiring sophisticated statistical and informatics expertise to perform relatively straightforward tasks. Tools, such as the SimHap package for the R statistics language, provide the necessary statistical operations to conduct sophisticated genetic analysis, but lacks a graphical user interface that allows anyone but a professional statistician to effectively utilise the tool.


RESULTS
We have developed SimHap GUI, a cross-platform integrated graphical analysis tool for conducting epidemiological, single SNP and haplotype-based association analysis. SimHap GUI features a novel workflow interface that guides the user through each logical step of the analysis process, making it accessible to both novice and advanced users. This tool provides a seamless interface to the SimHap R package, while providing enhanced functionality such as sophisticated data checking, automated data conversion, and real-time estimations of haplotype simulation progress.


CONCLUSIONS
SimHap GUI provides a novel, easy-to-use, cross-platform solution for conducting a range of genetic and non-genetic association analyses. This provides a free alternative to commercial statistics packages that is specifically designed for genetic association analysis.
Carter
Kim W
KW
Western Australian Institute for Medical Research and UWA Centre for Medical Research, University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia. kcarter@ichr.uwa.edu.au
McCaskie
Pamela A
PA
Palmer
Lyle J
LJ
D000465:Algorithms; D003196:Computer Graphics; D055106:Genome-Wide Association Study / Q000379:methods*; D006239:Haplotypes; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide; D011381:Programming Languages; D012984:Software; D014584:User-Computer Interface