Galaxy as a gateway to bioinformatics: Multi-Interface Galaxy Hands-on Training Suite (MIGHTS) for scRNA-seq.

Background: Bioinformatics is fundamental to biomedical sciences, but its mastery presents a steep learning curve for bench biologists and clinicians. Learning to code while analyzing data is difficult. The curve may be flattened by separating these two aspects and providing intermediate steps for budding bioinformaticians.

Single-cell RNA sequencing identifies CXADR as a fate determinant of the placental exchange surface.

The placenta is the critical interface between mother and fetus, and consequently, placental dysfunction underlies many pregnancy complications. Placental formation requires an adequate expansion of trophoblast stem and progenitor cells followed by finely tuned lineage specification events. Here, using single-cell RNA sequencing of mouse trophoblast stem cells during the earliest phases of differentiation, we identify gatekeepers of the stem cell state, notably Nicol1, and uncover unsuspected trajectories of cell lineage diversification as well as regulators of lineage entry points.

Applications of single-cell RNA sequencing in drug discovery and development.

Single-cell technologies, particularly single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) methods, together with associated computational tools and the growing availability of public data resources, are transforming drug discovery and development. New opportunities are emerging in target identification owing to improved disease understanding through cell subtyping, and highly multiplexed functional genomics screens incorporating scRNA-seq are enhancing target credentialling and prioritization. ScRNA-seq is also aiding the selection of relevant preclinical disease models and providing new insights into drug mechanisms of action.

Correction: Ten simple rules for leveraging virtual interaction to build higher-level learning into bioinformatics short courses.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.