Machine Learning for Analysis of Microscopy Images: A Practical Guide

The explosive growth of machine learning has provided scientists with insights into data in ways unattainable using prior research techniques. It has allowed the detection of biological features that were previously unrecognized and overlooked. However, because machine-learning methodology originates from informatics, many cell biology labs have experienced difficulties in implementing this approach. In this article, we target the rapidly expanding audience of cell and molecular biologists interested in exploiting machine learning for analysis of their research. We discuss the advantages of employing machine learning with microscopy approaches and describe the machine-learning pipeline. We also give practical guidelines for building models of cell behavior using machine learning. We conclude with an overview of the tools required for model creation, and share advice on their use. © 2020 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.