Statistics and Data Analysis for Microarrays Using R and Bioconductor, 2nd Edition

Chapter 29

Machine learning techniques

I hear, I forget

I see, I remember

I do, I understand

—Chinese proverb

29.1 Introduction

The term

1

machine learning refers to a set of topics dealing with the creation

and evaluation of algorithms that facilitate pattern recognition, classification,

and prediction, based on models derived from existing data. Two facets of

1

Parts of this chapter are adapted from the review article “Machine Learning and its Ap-

plications to Biology” by Adi L. Tarca, Vincent J. Carey, Xue-wen Chen, Roberto Romero,

Sorin Draghici, PLoS Computational Biology 3(6): 953-963, June 2007. The Publi c Library

of Science (PLoS) applies the C r