From growth data to interpretable results

Growth data file

Required. Choose a CSV or Excel workbook with a numeric time column and one or more numeric OD600 columns. Keep headers unique and put time points in rows.

Optional plate map file

CSV or Excel. A plate map with Sample and Well columns connects measurement names to 96-well positions for the plate view.

Load Data

Reads the selected files, shows a preview, and detects numeric columns. If a plate map is present, its preview and matching samples are shown too. Loading does not run the analysis yet.

Reset Page

Reloads the Analyzer and clears the current files, selections, settings, and results.

Select Time Column

Sets the numeric x-values used to order readings and calculate rates and time-based metrics. Use consistent units and include the unit in the column name when possible; the analyzer does not infer or convert time units.

Optional blank/media control column

If selected, each row's blank value is subtracted from every selected OD column at that time point. Leave it as None when the readings are already blank-corrected or no blank is available.

Select OD Columns

Check every replicate or sample series to include. The time column is not selectable as an OD measurement.

Search OD columns or wells

Filters the visible list by column name. Search is useful for selecting a subset from a large workbook.

Select filtered

Adds all columns matching the current search to the selection without clearing existing selections.

Select all

Selects every non-time column, including columns hidden by the search filter. If the file has a blank column, make sure it is not also selected as an OD sample.

Clear

Removes all OD-column selections. Select at least one OD column before running the analysis.

Run Analysis

Submits the selected data and current settings to calculate growth metrics and generate the requested figures and text.

Replicate handling

Average replicates by group

Groups columns by removing the final underscore-delimited suffix (for example, WT_1, WT_2, and WT_3 become WT). The plotted line and main results use the pointwise mean; the curve shows replicate standard deviation. Use consistent names with replicate IDs after the last underscore.

Growth curve

Width and Height

Set the exported growth-figure dimensions in inches.

Font size

Sets the plot title, axis-label, and tick-label size. The plot title is rendered slightly larger than this value.

Bold axis labels

Makes the plot title and x- and y-axis labels bold.

Transparent export background

Removes the background from PNG and PDF growth-curve exports for easier placement on other backgrounds. JPG exports remain opaque.

Plot Y-axis on log scale

Uses a logarithmic y-axis, which can make exponential phases easier to inspect. Log axes need positive values; blank-corrected zero or negative readings cannot be displayed on this scale.

Growth curve title

Text shown above the growth-curve plot.

X-axis title and Y-axis title

Labels for the horizontal and vertical axes. Use the units and measurement name that match your data.

Choose custom growth curve colors

Replaces the default line colors with a color picker for each selected sample or averaged group.

Bar graph and comparisons

Show bar graph comparison

Adds a bar graph comparing the selected metric across samples or replicate groups. The graph is omitted when this is off.

Metric to compare

Chooses the bar height: Growth Rate μ, Doubling Time, Lag Phase Duration, or Max OD. This metric is also used for statistical comparisons and the generated figure legend.

Bar graph title, X-axis title, Y-axis title

Set the comparison figure's title and axis labels. The y-axis title should include units when appropriate.

Choose custom bar colors

Shows one color picker per plotted sample or group.

Run statistical comparisons

Compares each group with the selected control using an unpaired Welch's t-test on per-replicate metric values. Turn on Average replicates by group and Show bar graph as well; at least two valid replicate values are required for both groups. The app does not apply a multiple-comparison correction.

Control group

Selects the reference group for those tests. The control itself is not tested against itself.

Generate figure legend

Creates editable draft legend text for the bar graph. It describes the selected metric and, when enabled, the statistical test.

Generate results paragraph

Creates editable draft results text from the calculated metrics. Review it for scientific context and accuracy before reuse.

Growth Curve

Plots selected measurements over time. With replicate averaging enabled, the curve is the group mean and the shaded band represents replicate standard deviation. Its menu downloads PNG, JPG, or PDF, copies the image where browser clipboard support is available, or opens the image in a new tab.

96-well Plate View: Color by

Colors mapped wells by OD600 at the selected time, Maximum OD, Growth rate, Doubling time, Lag time, or AUC (area under the OD-versus-time curve).

96-well Plate View: Time

Chooses the time point for the OD600-at-selected-time view; if that exact time is absent, the closest recorded time is used. For other metrics, the time selection does not change the displayed values.

Select a plate well

Opens that well's time series and its available metrics. Empty or unmapped wells have no measurements to inspect.

Growth Metrics table

Shows the calculated sample/group values, including growth rate, doubling time, lag phase, exponential-window start and end, fit R², and maximum OD when available. Select Show Calculations for a result to inspect the backend's selected regression points, corrected OD and ln(OD), fitted slope/intercept/R², doubling-time substitution, exclusions, and interval. Time units are not inferred or converted. Its menu downloads Excel or CSV, or copies the table in a spreadsheet-friendly format.

Automatic Interpretation

Summarizes the metrics in plain language. Comparison Interpretation identifies the highest and lowest growth rates, lag phases, and maximum OD values.

Statistical Comparisons

Displays control-versus-group Welch test p-values and significance labels when the analysis has enough replicate values.

Figure Legend and Results Paragraph

Generated text appears in editable fields. Use Copy to copy the current text; generated text is a starting point, not a substitute for checking the analysis and adding study-specific context.

Bar Graph menu

Downloads PNG, PDF, or SVG; copies the image when supported; or opens it in a new tab.

Growth Rate μ

Slope of ln(OD) versus time for the best-fitting rolling window of five positive readings. A larger positive value indicates a faster exponential increase over that window.

Doubling Time

Time estimated for OD to double during exponential growth: ln(2) divided by μ. It is meaningful when μ is positive.

Lag Phase Duration

Time from the first valid positive reading to the start of the selected exponential-growth window. Treat it as an estimate based on the chosen data and window method.

Max OD

Highest valid OD value in the selected series; for averaged groups, this is the maximum of the group-mean series.

R²

Fit quality for the selected exponential window. Higher values indicate that the log-transformed OD points in that window fit a straight line more closely.

At least five valid, positive OD readings are needed to calculate growth-rate, doubling-time, lag, and maximum-OD metrics. Check time units, blank correction, replicate names, and selected columns before interpreting outputs.