Information for the Biologist | Occasional or new user

New to BKB? Check out the resources below to learn more!

Questions that BKB can answer

Mechanism of action exploration
  • What genes activate or inhibit their downstream neighbors? 
  • What genes are in-between a drug target and a disease? 
  • What is the biological context of these relationships? 
Biomarker evaluation and prioritization
  • How many citations? 
  • How many intermediate genes? 
  • How many off-target interactions? 
Indication expansion and drug repurposing
  • What other diseases are influenced by the same genes?
  • Does a drug target affect similar genes in different tissues? 
  • What other drugs target the same network? 
Target safety assessment
  • How many off-target interactions? 
  • How many known toxicology interactions? 

Choosing the right database

BKB-HD (Human-Derived)
  • Manually curated by experts; ideal for high-confidence, context-rich insights
  • Big picture questions are best answered with KB-HD
BKB-AI (AI-Derived)
  • Curated using generative AI; best for large-scale discovery and hypothesis generation
  • Big picture questions are best answered with KB-AI (competitive intelligence, adverse event reporting, etc.) 

Getting started with BKB

1. API and downloads

The fastest and easiest way to get started with BKB-HD is with the API, which sends queries for processing by a remote QIAGEN service.

The BKB Python or R packages provide functionality for working with BKB-HD. To download BKB, use the first link below.

Start with Python package

The package can be installed using: pip3 install bkb-202x.xx-py3-none-any.whl

Start querying bkb:

import bkb
kb = bkb.Bkb.from_api()

Start with R package

The package can be installed using: bkb_202x.x.tar.gz

Start querying bkb:

library(bkb) 
bkb <- bkb::from_api()
  1. BKB-HD Downloads (Website, need access credentials) 
  2. BKB documentation (PDF, need access credentials) 
2. Neo4j, RDF and other methods of access 

Using cypher queries to find relationships |  Getting started with Cypher (Link to Neo4j website)

Cypher query exampleComments
( Node-1 ) – [ Relationship  ] -> ( Node-2 )A simple cypher query
( MyDrug: Chemical ) – [ BindsTo  ] -> ( MyGene: Gene )
  1. Give a name to the nodes and relationships (can be anything)
  2. Give a node/ edge type
  3. Specific search terms
( MyDrug: Chemical ) – [ BindsTo  ] -> ( MyGene: Gene )– [ causeInd  ] -> ( MyInd: Disease )Add more relationships

Example query:

match (a_child:disease)-[z:is_a]->(a:disease {name: 'atopic dermatitis'})-[y:is_a]->(a_parent:disease)

return a_child, z, a, y, a_parent

Find disease nodes adjacent to atopic dermatitis

BKB Services 

Get the most out of your BKB subscription

Partner with Services to tailor or create notebooks to meet your endpoints faster. We can do the heavy lifting while you get onboarding with a proof-of-concept project.

Ready to explore more?

Power user page

Looking for more detailed resources? Explore trainings for experienced power users.

Upcoming trainings

We also host live virtual trainings on a regular basis.

Sample to Insight
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