Design foresight and model humility for omics inference.

Design foresight and model humility are essential for accurate transcriptome-first omics inference, emphasizing the importance of question-driven assay selection and honest data interpretation.

• Why it matters: Current practices often reconstruct biological insights from data after the fact, risking unsupported claims and misinterpretations; establishing clear priorities beforehand can improve validity.
• What they did: The authors advocate for a question-first approach, involving careful selection of assays and measurements based on the specific biological question, and emphasize aligning computational claims with data support through model humility.
• The result: This approach promotes more honest, reliable omics inference by ensuring that data collection and analysis are directly aligned with the intended biological claims, enabling clearer interpretation and application.