spVelo: RNA velocity inference for multi-batch spatial transcriptomics data

Abstract

RNA velocity has emerged as a powerful tool to interpret transcriptional dynamics and infer trajectory from snapshot datasets. However, current methods fail to utilize the spatial information inherent in spatial transcriptomics and lack scalability in multi-batch datasets. Here, we introduce spVelo, a scalable framework for RNA velocity inference of multi-batch spatial transcriptomics data. spVelo supports several downstream applications, including uncertainty quantification, complex trajectory pattern discovery, driver marker identification, gene regulatory network inference, and temporal cell-cell communication inference. spVelo has the potential to provide deeper insights into complex tissue organization and underscore biological mechanisms based on spatially resolved patterns.