We would like to announce that a new version of SVS has been released! The headlining feature of the SVS 8.9.1 release was new functionality for Large Data Principle Component Analysis. A detailed description of this new feature can be explored in this recent blog post: Finding a Few Principal Components Quickly from Data with Thousands of Samples. However, there were other noteworthy fixes and features included in the latest SVS release, all of which are itemized in the SVS 8.9.1 Release Notes.

Briefly, I want to mention a few features in this new version SVS of SVS that you all may be particularly interested in. Just like in the recently released VarSeq 2.2.4, SVS 8.9.1 also includes the updates that were made to the PhoRank Gene Ranking algorithm. The PhoRank Gene Ranking feature has a new default mode called PhoRank Clinical. This algorithm uses semantic similarity for phenotypic prioritization and demonstrates a direct clinical relationship between phenotypes and genes. PhoRank Research is the previously available version of PhoRank and uses ontology propagation for phenotypic prioritization and is still available for use in SVS.

Also noteworthy, the SVS Add on Scripts Repository experienced updates and new scripts altogether and can be used in SVS 8.9.1. New scripts include Convert Real Columns to Single Precision, MLM with Multiple Phenotypes, and Row Averages for Active Numeric Columns. The SVS Add on Script Repository includes many additional scripts that can be used in SVS to optimize your workflow. They have a number of applications ranging from custom data import and data formatting, to running custom statistical analyses.

There were also some improvements made to existing algorithms such as the Targeted CNV Caller and the RefSeq gene track and transcript alignments along with a number of different polish items. As I mentioned earlier, please feel free to explore the complete list of new features and bug fixes in the SVS 8.9.1 Release Notes. If you have any questions about how to upgrade SVS to 8.9.1 or if you have any other questions, please reach out to our field application scientist team at [email protected].