Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39704700›Full record

ArticleGigaScience2024

cfDNA UniFlow: a unified preprocessing pipeline for cell-free DNA data from liquid biopsies.

Sebastian Röner, Lea Burkard, Michael R Speicher, Martin Kircher

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in GigaScience, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

4 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

4 authors.

Sebastian RönerBerlin Institute of Health (BIH) at Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, 10178 Berlin, Germany.ORCID 0000-0002-8578-1269
Lea BurkardBerlin Institute of Health (BIH) at Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, 10178 Berlin, Germany.ORCID 0009-0002-4705-8333
Michael R SpeicherInstitute of Human Genetics, Diagnostic and Research Center for Molecular BioMedicine, Medical University of Graz, 8010 Graz, Austria.ORCID 0000-0003-0105-955X
Martin KircherBerlin Institute of Health (BIH) at Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, 10178 Berlin, Germany.ORCID 0000-0001-9278-5471

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundCell-free DNA (cfDNA), a broadly applicable biomarker commonly sourced from urine or blood, is extensively used for research and diagnostic applications. In various settings, genetic and epigenetic information is derived from cfDNA. However, a unified framework for its processing is lacking, limiting the universal application of innovative analysis strategies and the joining of data sets.

findingsHere, we describe cfDNA UniFlow, a unified, standardized, and ready-to-use workflow for processing cfDNA samples. The workflow is written in Snakemake and can be scaled from stand-alone computers to cluster environments. It includes methods for processing raw genome sequencing data as well as specialized approaches for correcting sequencing errors, filtering, and quality control. Sophisticated methods for detecting copy number alterations and estimating and correcting GC-related biases are readily incorporated. Furthermore, it includes methods for extracting, normalizing, and visualizing coverage signals around user-defined regions in case-control settings. Ultimately, all results and metrics are aggregated in a unified report, enabling easy access to a wide variety of information for further research and downstream analysis.

conclusionsWe provide an automated pipeline for processing cell-free DNA sampled from liquid biopsies, including a wide variety of additional functionalities like bias correction and signal extraction. With our focus on scalability and extensibility, we provide a foundation for future cfDNA research and faster clinical applications. The source code and extensive documentation are available on our GitHub repository (https://github.com/kircherlab/cfDNA-UniFlow).

Indexed as

Cell-Free Nucleic AcidsDNA Copy Number VariationsHigh-Throughput Nucleotide SequencingHumansLiquid BiopsySequence Analysis, DNASoftwareWorkflowCell-Free Nucleic Acidscancer detectioncell-free DNAliquid biopsiessequence analysisworkflow

Identifiers

PMID39704700
PMCPMC11659977

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.