iModMix: Integrative Module Analysis for Multi-omics Data

Abstract

SummaryIntegrative Module Analysis for Multi-omics Data (iModMix) is a biology-agnostic framework that enables the discovery of novel associations across any type of quantitative abundance data, including but not limited to transcriptomics, proteomics, and metabolomics. Instead of relying on pathway annotations or prior biological knowledge, iModMix constructs data-driven modules using graphical lasso to estimate sparse networks from omics features. These modules are summarized into eigenfeatures and correlated across datasets for horizontal integration, while preserving the distinct feature sets and interpretability of each omics type. iModMix operates directly on matrices containing expression or abundances for a wide range of features, including but not limited to genes, proteins, and metabolites. Because it does not rely on annotations (e.g., KEGG identifiers), it can seamlessly incorporate both identified and unidentified metabolites, addressing a key limitation of many existing metabolomics tools. iModMix is available as a user-friendly R Shiny application requiring no programming expertise (https://imodmix.moffitt.org), and as an R package for advanced users (https://github.com/biodatalab/iModMix). The tool includes several public and in-house datasets to illustrate its utility in identifying novel multi-omics relationships in diverse biological contexts. Availability and implementationShiny application: https://imodmix.moffitt.org. The R package and source code: https://github.com/biodatalab/iModMix.