MorphoDepot

GitHub for Segmentation Projects
(currently in alpha development)

Big Picture Goals

  • Faciliate open science analysis of biological specimens
  • Tools and methods for scalable collaboration
  • Simplify contributions for anyone (not just lab members)
  • Make system as friendly as possible for new users
  • Track user contributions (e.g. for co-authorship)
  • Ideally usable for many purposes, but SlicerMorph users are first priority

Advantages of GitHub

  • Free/inexpensive, widely used, mature
  • Traceable, open science
  • Already used in MorphoCloud

Use case summary

  • Specimen scans that need annotation (e.g. segmentation or landmarks)
  • A team of contributors
  • A project leader to organize and approve contributions

Example project

  • microCT scan of a frog species
  • PI interested in anatomical segmentation
  • several students in a class assigned to segment different parts (limbs, body, head...)

How this maps to GitHub

  • PI and students all create accounts on github.com (free tier is okay, just need email address)
  • Segmentation project is stored in a reposotory
    • Scan can be stored at any URL (e.g. s3 or JS2 bucket, or as github asset) in standard formats (nrrd, zarr...)
    • Repository follows MorphoDepot template (source URL, anatomy terminology, resulting segmentation)
    • Students are assigned issues for segmentation tasks
    • Students create pull requests for their assigned issues
  • PI reviews and merges pull requests

Nice features of GitHub for MorphoDepot

  • We can use the GitHub API to automate and simplify many steps
  • GitHub handles user accounts, email integration, sys admin, and many other complex issues
  • All GitHub project management features available to organize work
  • GitHub repository "topics" can be used to organize, e.g. by species, scan type, or developmental stage
  • Extra files can include links, images, experiment descriptions...
  • Researchers learn useful open science tools

Big Picture Issues

  • GitHub is designed for code, not 3D volumes
    • so text-based tools may not be useful
    • we may need to create custom data-specific replacements
  • GitHub is built for code developers, not biologists
    • so tools can be difficult to use
    • we may need to develop automation or custom documentation
  • GitHub is a commercial service and terms may change at any time
    • it's been around since 2008, owned by Microsoft since 2018
    • there are some alternatives if needed someday

3D Slicer Integration Plans

  • A MorphoDepot module in SlicerMorph to simplify the workflow for contributors
    • List issues assigned to the contributor (or issues avalable to claim)
    • User can select an issue to work on
      • Automatically creates branches and loads the data
      • Allows user to save work in progress to pull request
      • User can mark a contribution as ready for review
  • MorphoDepot can be used on a local machine or a Jetstream2 virtual desktop

3D Slicer Integrations to Discuss

  • TBD: tools to help PIs create MorphoDepot repositories
    • depends on how hard it turns out to be to do it manually
    • a tool could help ensure a very consistent structure for all repositories
  • TBD: a tool to simply comparing and merging segmentations
  • TBD: integration with machine learning pipelines (train autosegmentation)
  • TBD: deal with large scans (too big for memory)

Discussion Points: Authentication model

  • Ensure integrity of repository
    • Accurately track individual contributions
    • Don't allow users to delete or overwrite other contributions
  • Respect user accounts
    • Don't give TA or fellow students access to others' accounts
    • Don't expose high-value credentials on shared machines
  • Streamline login for new users
    • Simplify/automate but don't obscure underlying security model
    • Use existing GitHub tools when possible

Discussion Points: Repository architecture

  • Single specimen / scan or multiples
  • Structured metadata about specimen
    • Use of GitHub topics to find repositories
    • JSON Schema for describing segmentation tasks
  • Best storage for original scans (GitHub assets, JS2 buckets, etc.)
  • Fork vs branch model / are contributors part of the repo

MorphoDepot Status

  • Initial prototype under development
  • Feedback from MorphoCloud user community wanted!
    • pre-alpha versions could be ready for testing soon
    • need segmentation projects with concrete use cases to work out details