About ALS-Binary

ALS-Binary is a Shiny application that converts allele size data into binary matrices for genetic analysis.
It supports multiple file formats (.csv, .txt, .xlsx), handles both headered and headerless data, and produces Excel outputs with each marker on a separate sheet.
The tool is intended for researchers working with microsatellite data, providing a reproducible and user-friendly workflow.

Authors

Prasanth VP
PhD Scholar in Statistics at CUSAT and Associate Director of Biostatistics at IQVIA.
He has over 20 years of international experience in biostatistics, data science, and biometrics, spanning clinical research, pathological evaluation, advanced statistical modeling, and integrative treatments for chronic diseases.
đź“§ prasanth.stat@gmail.com
đź”— Google Scholar

Dr. Subhash Chandra
Applied statistician with more than 50 years of professional experience in teaching, training, consulting, and leadership across academic and research environments worldwide.
His expertise lies in applying statistical and computational science to agricultural, biological, environmental, ecological, and sociological research.
He is a member of the International Biometric Society, Statistical Society of Australia, Crop Science Society of America, Soil Science Society of America, American Society of Agronomy, and Indian Society of Agricultural Statistics.
đź”— Google Scholar


Purpose

The app converts allele size data into binary matrices for genetic analysis.
Users can upload raw data and repeat length information, preview them, and generate binary outputs for each marker.


Steps to Use

  1. Upload Data File
    • Formats: .csv, .txt, .xlsx
    • Must contain Marker, Genotype, and allele sizes.
    • If no headers, select “No” under Data contains column headers.
      The app will assign: Marker, Genotype, Allele_1, Allele_2, etc.
  2. Upload Repeat Length File
    • Formats: .csv, .txt, .xlsx
    • Contains repeat length information for each marker.
    • Preview available under Repeat Length Preview.
  3. Delimiter Selection
    • Choose Comma, Tab, or Pipe.
  4. Convert to Binary
    • Click Convert to Binary.
    • A progress bar shows the process.
    • Once complete, a marker selector appears.
    • Use the dropdown to view binary matrices.
  5. Download Results
    • Click Download Results to save all binary matrices into an Excel file.
    • Each marker is written to a separate sheet.
    • The filename includes today’s date (e.g., binary_output_2026-07-29.xlsx).

Notes

  • Data file must have at least two columns: Marker and Genotype.
  • Missing alleles should be coded as 0.
  • Zeros are automatically removed before processing.
  • Binary matrices show presence (1) or absence (0) of alleles per genotype.

Examples

Data File (with headers)

Marker Genotype Allele_1 Allele_2
18C5 GG2 328.71 333.01
18C5 ICC1000 328.71 0

Data File (no headers)

Marker Genotype Allele_1 Allele_2
18C5 GG2 328.71 333.01
18C5 ICC1000 328.71 0

Repeat Length File

Marker RepeatLength
18C5 2