DESeq2-MultiBatch: Batch Correction for Multi-Factorial RNA-seq Experiments

RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) experiments frequently encounter batch effects that can significantly distort biological interpretations, particularly in complex, multifactorial studies where biological variables interact with experimental batch conditions. Existing batch correction tools primarily address technical variability and often neglect these critical interaction effects, resulting in incomplete adjustments. To address this gap, we introduce DESeq2-MultiBatch, a novel, lightweight batch correction method implemented entirely within the DESeq2 analytical framework. Unlike conventional approaches, DESeq2-MultiBatch directly leverages DESeq2s internal model estimates to correct raw gene count data, accurately adjusting for experimental batch effects, including interactions with biological variables. Here, we demonstrate that DESeq2-MultiBatch effectively mitigates batch-related variability while preserving genuine biological differences. Benchmarking against widely used methods highlights DESeq2-MultiBatch as a robust, practical solution for improving exploratory data visualization and downstream analyses in multifactorial RNA-seq studies. Availability and implementationhttps://github.com/julienroyulaval/DESeq2-MultiBatch Contactjulien.roy.10@ulaval.ca Supplementary informationSupplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.