Interactive Clustered Heat Map Builder: An easy web-based tool for creating sophisticated clustered heat maps [version 2; peer review: 2 approved]

Abstract

Clustered heat maps are the most frequently used graphics for visualization and interpretation of genome-scale molecular profiling data in biology. Construction of a heat map generally requires the assistance of a biostatistician or bioinformatics analyst capable of working in R or a similar programming language to transform the study data, perform hierarchical clustering, and generate the heat map. Our web-based Interactive Heat Map Builder can be used by investigators with no bioinformatics experience to generate high-caliber, publication quality maps. Preparation of the data and construction of a heat map is rarely a simple linear process. Our tool allows a user to move back and forth iteratively through the various stages of map generation to try different options and approaches. Finally, the heat map the builder creates is available in several forms, including an interactive Next-Generation Clustered Heat Map that can be explored dynamically to investigate the results more fully.