Cell-Hub: a graphical interface for end-to-end single-cell RNA sequencing analysis

Abstract

Single-cell and single-nucleus RNA sequencing have become increasingly widespread, creating a significant demand for accessible analysis tools in research laboratories. Despite this need, the bioinformatics expertise required for such analyses remains rare. Cell-Hub addresses this gap by enabling single-cell data analysis for all researchers, regardless of computational background. Cell-Hub is a comprehensive, free, and open-source framework built on R/Shiny and distributed as a Docker image, integrating Seurat 5, CellChat 2, and Monocle 3 within a unified graphical interface. It supports all essential steps of single-cell RNA-seq analysis: data loading, quality control, normalization, clustering, multi-dataset integration, differential expression, and biomarker detection. Cell-Hub further incorporates ligand-receptor interaction inference powered by GaspouDB, a consolidated database of 11,563 mouse and 9,604 human interactions derived from CellChat, CellPhoneDB, CellTalkDB, and MultiNicheNet as well as trajectory inference via Monocle 3 and spatial transcriptomics analysis for 10X Visium datasets. All analyses produce publication-ready visualizations with flexible export options. By integrating these analytical frameworks into a single, intuitive interface requiring no programming expertise, Cell-Hub represents a significant step toward democratizing single- cell genomics for the broader research community.