# GenePioneer: a comprehensive Python package for identification of essential genes and modules in cancer

**Authors:** Amirhossein Haerianardakani, Golnaz Taheri

PMC · DOI: 10.1093/bioadv/vbaf094 · Bioinformatics Advances · 2025-04-29

## TL;DR

GenePioneer is a Python tool that identifies essential genes and modules in 12 cancer types using network-based learning.

## Contribution

A novel network-based unsupervised model and Python package for gene prioritization and module detection in cancer.

## Key findings

- The model effectively prioritizes cancer-related genes across multiple cancer types.
- Critical gene modules are successfully detected and validated.
- The Python package enables practical application for gene list analysis.

## Abstract

We propose a network-based unsupervised learning model to identify essential cancer genes and modules for 12 different cancer types, supported by a Python package for practical application. The model constructs a gene network from frequently mutated genes and biological processes, ranks genes using topological features, and detects critical modules. Evaluation across cancer types confirms its effectiveness in prioritizing cancer-related genes and uncovering relevant modules. The Python package allows users to input gene lists, retrieve rankings, and identify associated modules. This work provides a robust method for gene prioritization and module detection, along with a user-friendly package to support research and clinical decision-making in cancer genomics.

GenePioneer is released as an open-source software under the MIT license. The source code is available on GitHub at https://github.com/Golnazthr/ModuleDetection.

## Linked entities

- **Diseases:** cancer (MONDO:0004992)

## Full-text entities

- **Diseases:** cancer (MESH:D009369)

## Full text

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## Figures

3 figures with captions in the complete paper: https://tomesphere.com/paper/PMC12098931/full.md

## References

15 references — full list in the complete paper: https://tomesphere.com/paper/PMC12098931/full.md

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Source: https://tomesphere.com/paper/PMC12098931