Ensemble Classification through Random Projections for single-cell RNA-seq data

Nowadays the biomedical data are generated exponentially, creating datasets for analysis with ultra-high dimensionality and complexity. This revolution, which has been caused by recent advents in biotechnologies, has driven to big-data and data-driven computational approaches. An indicative example is the emerging single-cell RNA-sequencing (scRNA-seq) technology, which isolates and measures individual cells. Although scRNA-seq has revolutionized the biotechnology domain, such data computational analysis is a major challenge because of their ultra-high dimensionality and complexity. Following this direction, in this work we study the properties, effectiveness and generalization of the recently proposed MRPV algorithm for single cell RNA-seq data. MRPV is an ensemble classification technique utilizing multiple ultra-low dimensional Random Projected spaces. A given classifier determines the class for each sample for all independent spaces while a majority voting scheme defines their predominant class. We show that Random Projection ensembles offer a platform not only for a low computational time analysis but also for enhancing classification performance. The developed methodologies were applied to four real biomedical high dimensional data from single-cell RNA-seq studies and compared against well-known and similar classification tools. Experimental results showed that based on simplistic tools we can create a computationally fast, simple, yet effective approach for single cell RNA-seq data with ultra-high dimensionality.