FcsIT: An Open-Source, Cross-Platform Tool for Correlation and Analysis of Fluorescence Correlation Spectroscopy Data

TL;DR

FcsIT is a cross-platform, open-source Python tool for analyzing fluorescence correlation spectroscopy data, offering advanced correlation, fitting, and data quality validation features.

Contribution

It introduces a versatile, user-friendly software platform with customizable models, validated against real and simulated data, enhancing FCS data analysis capabilities.

Findings

Data quality comparable to commercial software

Supports nine predefined models for correlation curve fitting

Validated with simulated and real FCS data

Abstract

FcsIT is a platform-independent, open-source tool for calculating the correlation and fitting fluorescence correlation spectroscopy data. The software is written in Python and uses a powerful Dear PyGUI engine for its interface. It provides reading and correlating the TTTR data, as well as TCSPC filtering of the photon time-trace data. The circular-block bootstrap method applied to the calculation of correlation data and its variance results in data quality comparable to that obtained with commercially available software. An intuitive fitting interface provides efficient analysis of large datasets and includes nine predefined mathematical models for fitting correlation curves. Moreover, it allows users to add their own models in a user-friendly manner. Validation of the FcsIT tool against simulated FCS data and real FCS experiments confirms its usability and potential appeal to a wide variety of FCS users.