“Tonga”: A Novel Toolbox for Straightforward Bioimage Analysis

Abstract

Techniques to acquire and analyze biological images are central to life science. However, the workflow downstream of imaging can be complex and involve several tools, leading to creation of very specialized scripts and pipelines that are difficult to reproduce by other users. Although many commercial and open-source software are available, non-expert users are often challenged by a knowledge gap in setting up analysis pipelines and selecting correct tools for extracting data from images. Moreover, a significant share of everyday image analysis requires simple tools, such as precise segmentation, cell counting, and recording of fluorescent intensities. Hence, there is a need for user-friendly platforms for everyday image analysis that do not require extensive prior knowledge on bioimage analysis or coding. We set out to create a bioimage analysis software that has a straightforward interface and covers common analysis tasks such as object segmentation and analysis, in a practical, reproducible, and modular fashion. We envision our software being useful for analysis of cultured cells, histological sections, and high-content data.