AUTHOR=Ouyang Wei , Eliceiri Kevin W. , Cimini Beth A. TITLE=Moving beyond the desktop: prospects for practical bioimage analysis via the web JOURNAL=Frontiers in Bioinformatics VOLUME=3 YEAR=2023 URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/bioinformatics/articles/10.3389/fbinf.2023.1233748 DOI=10.3389/fbinf.2023.1233748 ISSN=2673-7647 ABSTRACT=

As biological imaging continues to rapidly advance, it results in increasingly complex image data, necessitating a reevaluation of conventional bioimage analysis methods and their accessibility. This perspective underscores our belief that a transition from desktop-based tools to web-based bioimage analysis could unlock immense opportunities for improved accessibility, enhanced collaboration, and streamlined workflows. We outline the potential benefits, such as reduced local computational demands and solutions to common challenges, including software installation issues and limited reproducibility. Furthermore, we explore the present state of web-based tools, hurdles in implementation, and the significance of collective involvement from the scientific community in driving this transition. In acknowledging the potential roadblocks and complexity of data management, we suggest a combined approach of selective prototyping and large-scale workflow application for optimal usage. Embracing web-based bioimage analysis could pave the way for the life sciences community to accelerate biological research, offering a robust platform for a more collaborative, efficient, and democratized science.