Towards human-human-computer interaction for biologically-inspired problem-solving in human genetics

ABSTRACT

Genetic programming (GP) shows great promise for solving complex problems in human genetics. Unfortunately, many of these methods are not accessible to biologists. This is partly due to the complexity of the algorithms that limit their ready adoption and integration into an analysis or modeling paradigm that might otherwise only use univariate statistical methods.allThis is also partly due to the lack of user-friendly, open-source, platform-independent, and freely-available software packages that are designed to be used by biologists for routine analysis. It is our objective to develop, distribute and support a comprehensive software package that puts powerful GP methods for genetic analysis in the hands of geneticists. It is our working hypothesis that the most effective use of such a software package would result from interactive analysis by both a biologist and a computer scientist (i.e. human-human-computer interaction).allWe summarize briefly here the design and implementation of an open-source software package called Symbolic Modeler (SyMod) that seeks to facilitate geneticist-bioinformaticist-computer interactions for problem solving in human genetics. More information can be found at www.epistasis.org or www.symbolicmodeler.org.

INDEX TERMS

Primary Classification:
  J. Computer Applications
  J.3 LIFE AND MEDICAL SCIENCES
      Subjects: Biology and genetics

General Terms:
Algorithms, Design, Human Factors

Keywords:
genetic analysis, genetic epidemiology, genetic programming, open-source software, symbolic discriminant analysis, symbolic regression