Hierarchical machine learning techniques for identifying molecular categories from expression data

Abstract

Described herein in some embodiments is a method comprising: obtaining expression data previously obtained by processing a biological sample obtained from a subject; processing the expression data using a hierarchy of machine learning classifiers corresponding to a hierarchy of molecular categories to obtain machine learning classifier outputs including a first output and a second output, the hierarchy of molecular categories including a parent molecular category and first and second molecular categories that are children of the parent molecular category in the hierarchy of molecular categories, the hierarchy of machine learning classifiers comprising first and second machine learning classifiers corresponding to the first and second molecular categories; and identifying, using at least some of the machine learning classifier outputs including the first output and the second output, at least one candidate molecular category for the biological sample.