Bioinformatics sits at the exciting intersection where biology meets data science, using powerful computer tools to decode the vast complexity of living systems. From mapping the human genome to tracking how viruses evolve, this field transforms raw biological information into actionable insights that drive modern medicine and research forward without requiring a supercomputer to understand the basics.

On Gist.Science, we ensure you never miss a breakthrough by processing every new preprint in this category directly from bioRxiv. Our team provides both plain-language explanations and detailed technical summaries for each paper, making cutting-edge discoveries accessible to everyone regardless of their background.

Below are the latest bioinformatics papers added from bioRxiv, ready for you to explore with clarity and depth.

A unified framework for batch correction and missing data handling in large-scale and single-cell mass spectrometry proteomics

The paper introduces NMFBatch, a unified statistical framework that simultaneously corrects discrete batch effects and continuous signal drift while directly handling missing values in large-scale and single-cell mass spectrometry proteomics, thereby preserving biological structure and reducing information loss compared to existing methods.

Anwar, A. M., Bayoumi, S., Lahti, L., Coffey, E.2026-05-21💻 bioinformatics

ParaDISM: Precise mapping of short reads to genes with highly homologous regions

ParaDISM is an open-source pipeline that enhances the precision of short-read alignment and variant calling in highly homologous genomic regions by utilizing multiple sequence alignments to identify disambiguating positions and iteratively refining reference sequences, thereby significantly reducing misalignment artifacts and false variant calls compared to standard aligners.

Tzimotoudis, D., Farrugia, R., Zammit, J., Masini, M. C., Balestrucci, A., Carbott, F. B., Wettinger, S. B., Alexiou, P., Ciach, M. A.2026-05-21💻 bioinformatics

OmniCellAgent: An AI Scientist for Omic-Driven Scientific Discovery

OmniCellAgent is a multi-agent AI framework that autonomously retrieves and integrates diverse single-cell RNA sequencing datasets with biomedical prior knowledge to generate evidence-based hypotheses and accelerate omics-driven scientific discovery for non-computational researchers.

Huang, D., Li, H., Li, W., Zhang, H., Xu, T., Lu, Y., Fang, K., Xu, Z., Chen, J., Dickson, P., Sardiello, M., Buchser, W., Cooper, J. D., Cruchaga, C., Eghtesady, P., Li, G., Goedegebuure, P., DeNardo (…)2026-05-20💻 bioinformatics

Phylogenetically estimated neutral rates and fitness effects of mutations to influenza proteins

By constructing phylogenetic trees from over 100,000 influenza sequences, this study estimates site-specific neutral mutation rates and fitness effects across the viral proteome, revealing significant variation among mutation types, strong cross-viral correlations with SARS-CoV-2 and HIV, and providing a comprehensive, interactive resource for understanding how mutation and selection shape influenza evolution in nature.

Haddox, H. K., Hinrichs, A. S., Jennings-Shaffer, C., Johnson, K., Benton, C. T., Galloway, J. G., Bloom, J. D., Matsen, F. A.2026-05-20💻 bioinformatics

CharacTERT: A machine learning tool for classifying hTERT missense variants

The authors developed CharacTERT, a machine learning tool that integrates sequence and structural features to accurately classify hTERT missense variants associated with Telomere Biology Disorders, outperforming existing predictors and providing a comprehensive mutational landscape via a freely accessible web server.

Becerra Parra, G., Pan, Q., Myung, Y., Portelli, S., Nelson, N. E., Dickinson, J. L., Lucas, S. E. M., Holien, J. K., Bryan, T. M., Ascher, D. B.2026-05-20💻 bioinformatics