Comment: Microarrays, Empirical Bayes and the Two-Groups Model

Abstract

Brad Efron's paper [arXiv:0808.0572] has inspired a return to the ideas behind Bayes, frequency and empirical Bayes. The latter preferably would not be limited to exchangeable models for the data and hyperparameters. Parallels are revealed between microarray analyses and profiling of hospitals, with advances suggesting more decision modeling for gene identification also. Then good multilevel and empirical Bayes models for random effects should be sought when regression toward the mean is anticipated.