CALL FOR DREAM CHALLENGES
The DREAM Challenges are crowdsourcing challenges examining questions in biology and medicine.
The DREAM Challenges are an open science effort of crowdsourcing challenges to examine questions in biology and medicine. We are a non-profit, collaborative community effort with contributors from across the research spectrum including universities; technology companies like IBM Research; not for profits, like Sage Bionetworks; and biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies. Since the beginning of the DREAM Challenges in 2006, we have been an innovator and leader in open science and crowdsourcing. The DREAM Challenge participants and organizers have numerous publications in top journals such as Science and Nature. Since the dawn of the DREAM Challenges, commercial crowdsourcing efforts have sprung up which utilize techniques that we pioneered.
NEW for DREAM 12!
GET YOUR DREAM T-SHIRT
Show your team’s spirit by getting a “DREAM T-shirt".
Available for a limited time at www.booster.com/dream-t-shirts
All proceeds from shirt sales support the DREAM Conference in November.
View Open DREAM Challenges
Latest News about challenges that will be at the conference:
Digital Mammography DREAM Challenge
We have closed the Leaderboard phase of the DM DREAM Challenge in which participants had to use mammogram images and clinical information to predict whether a woman would develop breast cancer within one year from her mammography screening exam. The results of the leaderboard phase were very exciting. The best performing team obtained an AUC of 0.9 and a specificity of 82% (at sensitivity 80%), reaching performances that start to be competitive to best practices in radiology. We are now in the process of scoring the final model submissions using an independent test set, and will announce the results in two to three weeks. Top performing teams in the competitive phase will receive $200,000 in cash awards and will be invited to participate in the collaborative phase in which they will receive up to $1 million for developing predictive algorithms that achieve milestone goals related to reducing the recall rate of mammography screening. A paper detailing the rationale for the Challenge has appeared in the May 2017 issue of JAMA Oncology.
NCI-CPTAC DREAM Proteogenomics Challenge (Launches - June 26)
The Clinical Proteomic Tumor Analysis Consortium (CPTAC) of the National Cancer Institute (NCI), in partnership with DREAM Challenges, have developed the upcoming NCI-CPTAC DREAM Proteogenomics Challenge. The aim of this Challenge is to encourage the generation of methods for extracting information from the cancer proteome and for linking those data to genomic and transcriptomic information. The specific goals are to predict proteomic and phosphoproteomic data from other multiple data types including transcriptomics and genetics. Join us at:
www.synapse.org/ProteogenomicsChallenge
Multiple Myeloma DREAM Challenge (Launches - June 30)
Multiple myeloma (MM) is a cancer of the plasma cells in the bone marrow, with about 25,000 newly diagnosed patients per year in the United States. The Multiple Myeloma DREAM Challenge goal is to integrate large scale molecular and clinical data and state of the art analytical approaches to facilitate risk stratification in MM patients. Additionally, it provides the ability to benchmark novel methods with the greatest potential to yield patient care benefits. Join us at: www.synapse.org/MultipleMyelomaChallenge
GA4GH/DREAM Workflow Execution Challenge (Launches - July 5)
Numerous groups are developing technologies and best practice methodologies for running portable and reproducible genomic analysis pipelines. Members of working groups from the Global Alliance for Genomics and Health (GA4GH), NCI, and NIH have teamed with Sage Bionetworks to establish a series of GA4GH/DREAM Infrastructure Challenges. These Challenges offer frameworks to test and evaluate systems and platforms for executing tools and workflows and to develop common standards. In the GA4GH/DREAM Workflow Execution Challenge, participants will run high quality genomics workflows in their system of choice to assess portability and reproducibility, while cataloging pitfalls and strategies. Join us at:
www.synapse.org/WorkflowChallenge
Parkinson’s Disease Digital Biomarker DREAM Challenge (Launches - July 6)
The Parkinson’s Disease Digital Biomarker DREAM Challenge is now open for registration, and will launch with data available to participants on July 6. The wide availability of mobile sensors such as those available in smart phones, smart watches and fitness trackers offers the opportunity to collect unprecedented data for measuring health and disease. Sponsored by The Michael J. Fox Foundation this challenge aims to discern aspects of Parkinson’s disease from healthy controls and Parkinson’s disease severity based on accelerometer data captured while patients are performing active and passive tasks. Participants will focus on feature engineering. Challenge winners are eligible to share the $25,000 prize. Join us at:
www.synapse.org/DigitalBiomarkerChallenge
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Top 10 Reading Papers 2017
VOTE for the 2017 TOP PAPERS READING LIST
We have completed the nominations process, as a result of which a short-list of 37 papers has been collected. Nominations were collected from the community at large, and included a publication timeframe of September 1st, 2016 to August 31st, 2017. The nominated papers are listed here: https://goo.gl/forms/MxeqCd9uHzmOct5v1
The deadline for casting your votes is 2:00pm (EST) on Mon, Nov 20. The results will be announced on Mon evening at the RECOMB/ISCB Meeting on Regulatory and Systems Genomics in New York, NY.
Vote Today: https://goo.gl/forms/MxeqCd9uHzmOct5v1
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GETTING TO NYC
Links within this page: - Plane - Train - Bus - Car -
Whether you live across the Hudson or across the Atlantic, getting to NYC is easy. If you’re coming from outside the United States, check this page for visa information.
See below for the best ways to reach the five boroughs from anywhere in the world.
By plane If you’re coming from far away, you’ll probably want to fly into one of the New York City area’s major airports. There are a number of hotels conveniently located near the City’s airports.
By Plane
Below, you'll find a list of NYC-area airports, along with the best ways to get from those airports to Manhattan. There are more than a hundred air carriers traveling to NYC from all over the country and the world, including American Airlines, Delta, JetBlue and United.
Air travelers to New York City may arrive at John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) or LaGuardia Airport (LGA), both in Queens, or Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) in neighboring New Jersey. LaGuardia primarily serves domestic destinations, and also offers flights to select Canadian and Caribbean destinations. Kennedy and Newark both serve domestic and international destinations. Visitors can reach Manhattan from all three airports by using taxis, buses, subways and/or commuter trains. Other metropolitan-area airports include Stewart International Airport (SWF), Westchester County Airport (HPN) and MacArthur Airport (ISP). For those interested, there are a number of hotels conveniently located near the City's airports.
John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK)
Jamaica, Queens, NY 11430
718-244-4444
New York's largest airport serves more than 80 airlines, most of which are international. It is approximately 15 miles from Midtown Manhattan. Here's how to get to Midtown Manhattan from JFK:
• Taxi: $52.50 flat fare (non-metered), plus bridge and tunnel tolls and gratuity; 30 to 60 minutes to Midtown Manhattan, depending on traffic and road conditions. For more information, call 212-NYC-TAXI or visit the Taxi and Limousine Commission website.
• AirTrain JFK: $5 (children under 5 are free); AirTrain links the airport to the subway and Long Island Rail Road. AirTrain also offers free service between points in the airport.
• Subway: one ride (in addition to AirTrain fare) from the A subway stop at the Howard Beach/JFK Airport station or the E, J or Z subway stop at the Sutphin Blvd./Archer Ave./JFK Airport station; 60 to 75 minutes to Midtown Manhattan.
• Long Island Rail Road (LIRR): $7.25–$10 (children under 5 are free), depending on time of day (in addition to AirTrain fare) for the trip between LIRR's Jamaica Station and Penn Station; on Saturday and Sunday, the fare is $4.25. The trip is 20 minutes to Midtown Manhattan (not including AirTrain ride).
• City bus: For details, visit tripplanner.mta.info.
• Shuttle bus: NYC Airporter, Go Airlink NYC and SuperShuttle.
• Private car service: See this list of providers.
• Car rental: Companies at JFK include Avis, Budget, Dollar, Enterprise, Hertz and National.
LaGuardia Airport (LGA)
Jackson Heights, Queens, NY 11371
718-533-3400
This is New York's second-largest airport, with nearly 20 airlines serving mostly domestic destinations, as well as Canada and the Caribbean, from four passenger terminals. LaGuardia is on the northern shore of Queens, directly across the East River (about 8 miles from Midtown Manhattan). Here's how to get to Midtown Manhattan from LaGuardia:
• Taxi: Approximately $29–$37 metered fare, plus bridge and tunnel tolls and gratuity; 20 to 25 minutes to Midtown Manhattan. For more information, call 212-NYC-TAXI or visit the Taxi and Limousine Commission website.
• City bus: Two express buses serve LaGuardia; the M60 and Q70. The Q70 goes nonstop to Jackson Heights/Roosevelt Avenue, a major subway hub in Queens with five lines. The M60 runs to Harlem and connects to all the major subway lines in Manhattan. For details, visit tripplanner.mta.info.
• Shuttle bus: NYC Airporter, Go Airlink NYC and SuperShuttle.
• Private car service: Dial 7, Carmel and Uber.
• Car rental: Companies at LGA include Avis, Budget, Dollar, Enterprise, Hertz and National.
Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR)
Newark, NJ 07114
973-961-6000
Newark Airport, with more than 30 airlines (many of which are international), is across the Hudson River from New York City—16 miles from Midtown Manhattan. Here's how to get to Midtown Manhattan from Newark Liberty:
• Taxi: Traveling to Manhattan, metered fare; approximately $50 to $75, plus bridge and tunnel tolls and gratuity; 45 to 60 minutes to Midtown Manhattan. During weekday rush hours (6–9am and 4–7pm) and on weekends (Saturday–Sunday, noon–8pm), there is a $5 surcharge for travel to anywhere in New York State except Staten Island. When traveling to the airport from Midtown Manhattan, service is via New York City’s regulated yellow taxis. Metered fares range $69–$75, plus a $17.50 surcharge in addition to tolls and gratuity.
• AirTrain Newark: Costs vary by destination. AirTrain links to the airport via NJ Transit and Amtrak's Newark (or EWR) train station; 45 to 90 minutes to Midtown Manhattan, requiring a transfer from the AirTrain line to the NJ Transit line (be sure to keep your ticket after using it to exit the AirTrain station, as it is also used for the NJ Transit fare) or Amtrak. AirTrain also offers free service between points in within the airport complex, including hotels and parking. Look for signs marked “Monorail/AirTrain Link” (do not follow signs for Ground Transportation).
• Shuttle bus: NYC Airporter, Go Airlink NYC, Olympia Airport Express and SuperShuttle.
• Private car and limousine service: Dial 7, Carmel and Uber.
• Car rental: Companies at Newark include Avis, Budget, Dollar, Enterprise, Hertz and National.
Stewart International Airport (SWF)
New Windsor, NY 12553
845-838-8200
Stewart International Airport is 60 miles north of New York City. Here's how to get to Midtown Manhattan from Stewart:
• Bus/train: Leprechaun Lines runs a $1 shuttle bus on their Newburgh-Beacon-Stewart commuter line, which connects to the Beacon train station. There, use Metro-North Railroad for direct service to Grand Central Terminal ($16 off-peak, $21.25 peak); 70 to 90 minutes to Midtown Manhattan.
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By Train
New York City has two main rail stations in Midtown: Grand Central Terminal (on the east side) and Penn Station (on the west side). Each is also served by numerous bus and subway lines. Grand Central is served by Metro-North Railroad, which goes to NYC suburbs in New York and Connecticut. Penn Station is served by the following: Long Island Rail Road, a commuter railroad serving Long Island; Amtrak, the US national passenger railroad, serving many points throughout the country; and NJ Transit, a commuter line serving points in New Jersey.
- Rail Terminals
- Grand Central Terminal
Park Avenue and East 42nd Street (between Lexington and Vanderbilt Avenues)
212-532-4900
Grand Central is the main terminal for Metro-North Railroad services. Subway lines here include the 4, 5, 6, 7 and S (shuttle between Grand Central and Times Square). For MTA bus details, visit tripplanner.mta.info.
Aside from being a transit hub, Grand Central is also a landmark and an attraction unto itself. The Main Concourse boasts an immense 88,000 square feet of space, and on sunny days is bathed in light from its giant arching windows. Grand Central's 12-story ceiling is painted with stars and gilded zodiac constellations. Not only might Grand Central be the globe's most beautiful train station, the 49-acre terminal is also one of the world's largest. There are numerous shops of all varieties here, including an Apple Store, MAC Cosmetics and Tumi. The dining concourse on the lower level features a wide selection of eateries, and in Grand Central Market, fresh and prepared foods—ranging from baked goods to gourmet teas—are available.
- Penn Station
Seventh to Eighth Avenues, between West 31st and West 33rd Streets
Penn Station is the main terminal for Long Island Rail Road, and a terminal for Amtrak and NJ Transit. Subway lines here include the 1, 2, 3, A, C and E. For MTA bus details, visit tripplanner.mta.info.
Penn Station's main concourse features information booths, restaurants, waiting rooms and public restrooms to accommodate the thousands of passengers who pass through the terminal each day. In 2016, the new West End Concourse will open providing additional access to the station from 8th avenue. Car rental offices are nearby.
- Rail Services
- Amtrak
800-872-7245, 212-630-6400
Amtrak is the national passenger railroad of the United States. New York City's Penn Station is their busiest station in the nation, serving hundreds of thousands of passengers each year. The company offers numerous packages and deals, including special passes allowing international visitors to make multiple stops throughout the country.
- Long Island Rail Road (LIRR)
718-217-5477
This commuter railroad operates out of Penn Station and serves 124 stations in Nassau County, Suffolk County, Queens, Brooklyn and Manhattan, transporting some 81 million customers each year. Destinations include the Belmont Park racetrack, Citi Field, Jones Beach, the Hamptons and Montauk.
- Metro-North Railroad
212-532-4900, 877-690-5114
The second-largest commuter train line in the United States, Metro-North operates out of Grand Central Terminal. The historic roots of the operation go back to 1832, when the enterprise was known as the New York & Harlem Railroad, a horsecar line in Lower Manhattan. Today, with 775 miles of track, Metro-North goes to 121 stations (in seven New York State counties—Dutchess, Putnam, Westchester, Rockland, Orange, Bronx and New York (Manhattan)—and Connecticut's New Haven and Fairfield counties).
- NJ Transit
973-275-5555, TTY 800-772-2287
This rail system features 12 lines in three divisions (Hoboken, Newark and the Atlantic City Rail Line) with frequent service throughout New Jersey (Atlantic City and the Jersey Shore are popular stops) and New York (Rockland and Orange counties)—and, of course, into and out of New York City via Penn Station. For schedules and fares, visit the NJ Transit website.
- PATH (Port Authority Trans Hudson)
800-234-PATH
The PATH provides rapid transit between several stops in New York City, along with locations in Newark, Harrison, Jersey City and Hoboken in New Jersey. Air travelers can connect to the PATH from Newark Liberty International Airport. The service operates from the Penn Station in Newark (not the same as Manhattan's Penn Station) to Lower and Midtown Manhattan. The PATH's 33rd Street station (on Sixth Avenue, in Herald Square) in Manhattan is one avenue from Amtrak, Long Island Rail Road and NJ Transit trains at Penn Station.
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By Bus
There are a number of affordable, convenient bus lines that travel to New York City from around the United States and parts of Canada. These include BoltBus, Megabus and Greyhound.
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By Car
Use Google Maps for driving directions to New York City. Also, make sure you know where to park: you may want to use an app like SpotHero to find and compare parking spots and locations.
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RSG and DREAM General Questions
Bel Hanson, Conference Manager
Tel: 1-315-767-5568
Source: NYC The Official Guide
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