Processing of Microarray Data- Trick or Treat ?

Abstract

It is a promised technology when first introduced in 1995. Microarray simultaneously presents the expression of tens of thousands of genes on a genomic scale. This technology enables cancer researchers to compare gene expression between normal and malignant tissues and to quickly identify genes that are differentially regulated during cancerous progression. Microarray datasets can also be used to categorize tumors on the basis of their expression profile and provide useful biological, diagnostic, and prognostic information for mechanistic studies. Microarray provides unprecedented opportunity to both biologist and statistician to reveal novel results in genomics. However, imperfect data collection, which is commonly ignored by biologist, and insufficient biological knowledge confuses statistician on the processing and interpretation of microarray datasets. I will focus my talk to reveal these traps, rarely mentioned in most publications, and also future trends in microarray technology.