Hello. I'm familiar with DESeq2 but the most complex design equations I've used are having blocked pairs. I need to perform a more complicated design but I'm having trouble formulating the equation. I have a design table that I've read in that contains all the relevant information. Here are the specifications:
condition = sample/control (what I'm testing over)
week = a timepoint comparison of when the sample was generated
grade = a comparison of what grade of disease the sample has (so 4 > 3 > 2 > 1 > 0 ie control)
There are also 3 possible organ sites but some samples are a combination, so I've split it into 3 binary variables: isSiteA, isSiteB, and isSiteC, all of which are 0 or 1
This is what the table looks like:
| Sample | Condition | Week | Grade | isSiteA | isSiteB | isSiteC |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SAMPA | sample | 12 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| SAMPB | control | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| SAMPC | control | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
Right now my equation is this:
ddsHTSeq <- DESeqDataSetFromMatrix(counts_table, sample_table, design = ~ week : grade : is_GI + is_Liver + is_Skin + condition)
Is this correct at all? I really appreciate any help. FYI I do have more than 3 samples, before anyone asks!
hi Alex,
This looks like more of a statistical analysis question than a specific DESeq2 software question (any design or terms you would test in DESeq2 would be the same for a normal linear regression). I'm pressed for time and working on software right now. I'll leave this as a comment and not an answer, so someone else may make suggestions, but if you don't get a response, I'd recommend talking to a local statistician at your institute who could help come up with the design and the terms to test.
I agree. This experimental design is complex enough that you're not going to be able to come up with the "one true design" from a single consultation with a statistician. Rather, you're going to need some back-and-forth dialogue to investigate which factors and interactions are important, and what the best way to model them is. This is why you should definitely find a local statistician who you can keep coming back to for help.