MSFT-transformer: a multistage fusion tabular transformer for disease prediction using metagenomic data.

Summary: Did you know the tiny bugs in your gut, called the microbiome, can tell us a lot about your health? Scientists use computers to study these bugs to help predict diseases. Usually, computers only look at one piece of the bug puzzle at a time, which means they miss the big picture. Now, researchers have built a smart new computer tool called the MSFT-Transformer. It looks at all the different pieces of information together! By combining the data in three clever steps—extracting, aligning, and deciding—this new tool predicts diseases better and faster than older tools, all while using less computer power.