Leading Professional Society for Computational Biology and Bioinformatics
Connecting, Training, Empowering, Worldwide

UPCOMING DEADLINES & NOTICES

  • Virtual platform uploads open
    ISMB/ECCB 2025
    June 17, 2025
  • ISCB Offices Closed
    June 19, 2025
  • Deadline for Early Bird Registration
    INCOB 2025
    June 21, 2025
  • Final tutorial materials due for posting (You have until 23:59 Anywhere on Earth)
    ISMB/ECCB 2025
    June 25, 2025
  • Abstract acceptance notification
    INCOB 2025
    July 1, 2025
  • Deadline for submissions of final versions
    INCOB 2025
    July 1, 2025
  • Travel grant award notification
    INCOB 2025
    July 8, 2025
  • Last day to upload ANY/ALL files to the virtual platform (You have until 23:59 Anywhere on Earth) *no extensions*
    ISMB/ECCB 2025
    July 11, 2025
  • Deadline for early bird registration
    INCOB 2025
    July 21, 2025

Upcoming Conferences

A Global Community

  • ISCB Student Council

    dedicated to facilitating development for students and young researchers

  • Affiliated Groups

    The ISCB Affiliates program is designed to forge links between ISCB and regional non-profit membership groups, centers, institutes and networks that involve researchers from various institutions and/or organizations within a defined geographic region involved in the advancement of bioinformatics. Such groups have regular meetings either in person or online, and an organizing body in the form of a board of directors or steering committee. If you are interested in affiliating your regional membership group, center, institute or network with ISCB, please review these guidelines (.pdf) and send your exploratory questions to Diane E. Kovats, ISCB Chief Executive Officer (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.).  For information about the Affilliates Committee click here.

  • Communities of Special Interest

    Topically-focused collaborative communities

  • ISCB Member Directory

    Connect with ISCB worldwide

  • Green ISCB

    Environmental Sustainability Effort

  • Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion

    ISCB is committed to creating a safe, inclusive, and equal environment for everyone

Professional Development, Training, and Education

ISCBintel and Achievements

EDI Panel



The GLBIO 2021 panel on equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) will bring together members of the community with diverse roles and backgrounds to share their perspectives on aspects of EDI that are relevant to the computational biology community. This will include discussions of The Personal, Policy, and Parameters. The Personal covers what we as individual scientists can do to foster EDI in our work and broader lives. Policy covers what our institutions, such as departments and schools, can do. Parameters cover the data side of EDI in computational biology, including promoting EDI in the data collection, analysis, interpretation, and dissemination of and for our scientific work. All GLBIO attendees will have the opportunity to share their own experiences with the panelists ahead of time through an anonymous survey. We look forward to an engaging and enlightening discussion with our most esteemed panelists.

Sponsors

    

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Edgar Arriaga
University of Minnesota
United States of America
Moderator
Joey Chamard
University of Sherbrooke
Canada
Trang T Le
University of Pennsylvania
United States of America
Tijana Milenkovic
University of Notre Dame

United States of America
Melyssa Minto
Duke University

United States of America
Russell Schwartz
Carnegie Mellon University

United States of America

Edgar Arriaga
University of Minnesota
United States of America
Moderator

Dr. Edgar Arriaga (He/him) is the Northey Professor of Chemistry at the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA. After earning a “Licenciatura” (BSc.) degree at the Universidad del Valle de Guatemala in 1985, Edgar sought opportunities to pursue graduate school and moved to Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. The love for science was stronger than the culture shock he experienced and Edgar completed a Ph.D. in Chemistry from Dalhousie University in 1990. It took him two postdoctoral appointments, one at the University of Kansas Medical Center and one at the University of Alberta, to reaffirm his commitment to an academic career. Edgar joined the faculty of the Department of Chemistry at the University of Minnesota in 1990. His research on bioanalytical chemistry, supported through NIH, has been unveiling mysteries hidden by the innate heterogeneity of biological systems. His research team, a.k.a. the Organelle Group, is unique in its efforts of using novel measurements at the individual organelle level to investigate “Why we Age”. Dr. Arriaga is co-director of an NIH training grant,  co-leader of the College of Science and Engineering (CSE) Diversity & Inclusivity (D&I) Alliance, Consultant for the Committee on Professional Training (CPT) of the American Chemical Society (ACS). Through these appointments and his personal life, Edgar strives to advance diversity, equity, inclusion, and respect for All.

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Joey Chamard
University of Sherbrooke

Canada

Joey started his scientific journey with a field technician degree. Then, he completed a bachelor’s degree in environmental microbiology, while working part-time in an academic laboratory. During this time, he specialized on mycorrhizae and root microbiota. Joey brings a philosophical and social point of view to everything that he’s involved, bringing refreshing and challenging questions to the everyday scientific life. In the next few years, he will be studying the interactions between the culturally and economically crucial maple trees and their relationship with the microbial communities of the rhizosphere, with an emphasis on arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi. In addition to being a passionate scientist, Joey is a multidisciplinary artist and a diversity, equity and inclusion advocate.

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Trang T Le
University of Pennsylvania
United States of America

 Dr. Trang Le is a postdoctoral researcher in the Computational Genetics Lab at the University of Pennsylvania. She enjoys developing machine learning methods for analyses of a wide array of biomedical data, including neuroimage, transcriptomic and genotype. She is a strong advocate for transparency in research to enable the public to engage with the work and perform peer-review.

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Tijana Milenkovic
University of Notre Dame
United States of America

Prof. Milenkovic has been a Notre Dame faculty since 2010, after earning her Ph.D. degree in Computer Science from the University of California Irvine in the same year. She was promoted to an Associate Professor with tenure in 2016. She was appointed a Frank M. Freimann Collegiate Associate Professor of Engineering in 2020. Milenkovic lab solves challenging problems in the fields of network science, graph algorithms, computational biology, scientific wellness, and social networks. Prof. Milenkovic won 2015 NSF CAREER and 2016 Air Force Office of Scientific Research Young Investigator Program (AFOSR YIP) awards. Also, she has acted as the sole or lead Principal Investigator on 5 other awards by NSF or NIH. The research awards that Prof. Milenkovic has participated in total to $18.7 million. She has published 50 journal papers (e.g., in Science, PNAS, or Bioinformatics) and 16 conference papers (e.g., in ISMB/ECCB). Prof. Milenkovic's papers have attracted over 3880 citations; her i10-index is 42 and h-index is 28. Prof. Milenkovic was elected to the Board of Directors of the International Society for Computational Biology (ISCB) in 2020 to represent the Society’s Communities of Special Interest (COSIs). Prof. Milenkovic has been an Associate Editor of IEEE/ACM TCBB since 2014, of Scientific Reports since 2018, and of Frontiers in Bioinformatics - Network Bioinformatics since 2020. She has been an active organizer of the flagship Network Biology (NetBio) COSI meeting at ISMB/ECCB since 2017, and of the Great Lakes Bioinformatics Conference since 2015. Prof. Milenkovic is committed to increasing participation of women and diversity in Computer Science. She has acted as a leader of or committee member for numerous departmental-, college-, university-, and international community-level Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) initiatives.

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Melyssa Minto
Duke University

United States of America

Melyssa Minto(She/her) is a PhD Candidate in the Computational Biology & Bioinformatics program at Duke University where she is researching how to model transcription factor programming in maturing cerebellar granules neurons using high throughput sequencing data within the West Lab. She received a B.S. in Mathematics and a B.S. in  Biology at Meredith College. Melyssa was born in Jamaica, and raised in Durham, NC. As an undocmented Black woman, she faced many hurdles getting into research which has driven her passion for diversity and equity in STEM and academia. She regularly volunteers with Black Girls Code and in local high schools. Recently, she has become heavily involved within the leadership of the Black Women in Computational Biology Network where she has helped to expand and strengthen the connections within the network and showcase the diversity within the computational biology field.

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Russell Schwartz
Carnegie Mellon University

United States of America

Russell Schwartz is a Professor of Biological Sciences and Computational Biology at Carnegie Mellon University and Head of the Carnegie Mellon Computational Biology Department.  He has worked broadly in computational biology research, with particular contributions to computational genetics/genomics and computational biophysics and with a recent focus largely on computational cancer biology.  He has also been active in bioinformatics education, where he has worked on developing standards for computational biology education of both computational biology specialists and experimental biologists.  He currently serves as co-chair of the International Society for Computational Biology (ISCB)’s Education Community of Special Interest (COSI) and as a member of the ISCB Board of Directors.


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Presenter Information



As you plan your participation as a presenter please find below details to assist you with your specific presentation type at the conference:

  1. Live and Pre-recorded Talks
  2. Poster Presentation
  3. Recorded Presentation Guidelines for Virtual Events
  4. Live Presentation Guidelines for Virtual Events
  5. How to record a PowerPoint Presentation

    Live and Pre-recorded Talks

Those presenting a pre-recorded talk at GLBIO 2021 should prepare their recording per the information below:

  • Paper Talk (20 minute time slot) = 16 minutes talk plus 4 minutes live Q&A
  • Abstract Talk (15 minute time slot) = 12 minutes talk plus 3 minutes live Q&A
  • Invited Talk = check with your special session organizer for more information
     

Our virtual platform Showcare, has provided A Pre-recording Video Presentation Guide to further assist keynote's with their live presentation..

  • Keynotes will be live and recorded for future viewing. Keynotes will have a 50 minute block.  We recommend a 40 minute talk with 10 minutes each for introduction and Q&A. 

Our virtual platform Showcare, has provided A Speaker Guide for Live Video Streaming to further assist keynote's with their live presentation.


Some additional helpful tips on planning your recorded talk are available below

The deadline to submit the recording is Thursday April 22, 2021.

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Poster Presentations

Presenters of a poster presentation at GLBIO 2021 are allowed a maximum 5 minutes.

You need to provide the following when uploading your poster and video to Showcare via the poster portal.

  • PDF of your abstract
  • PDF of your poster with a maximum file size of 40mb.
  • 5 minute or less flash talk as an MP4 file that is no more than 500mb


Some helpful tips on planning your recorded talk are available below

Presenting your poster in a lighting style format using the PechaKucha or Ignite talks presentation style or a single slide or PDF is an option for presenters.

Here is a example of a presentation: https://youtu.be/rbLbb7eOao8

Poster Presenters will gain access to the conference platform on Tuesday May 4, 2021. The deadline to submit your PDFs and recording is Friday, May 7, 2021.

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Recorded Presentation Guidlines for Virtual Events

Download Guidlines
   

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Live Presentation Guidelines for Virtual Events

Download Guidelines
   

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How to Record a Powerpoint Presentation

How to record a power point presentation

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WORKSHOPS AND TUTORIALS



First Time Conference Attendance

Conferences are an essential component to the computational biology and bioinformatics communities. However, for first-time attendees, conferences may be intimidating and challenging to navigate. GLBIO has a long tradition of encouraging student/trainee participation.  In fact, for many such attendees, GLBIO may be their first experience with an academic conference. The aim for this tutorial would be to provide first time conference attendees with additional information on how to navigate the meeting in order get the most out of the experience, and to build a cohort of trainees that will reduce isolation and provide ongoing support and social opportunity. Participants will work in small groups to practice talking about their work and navigating casual conversations at the conference. With much or all of the 2021 GLBIO meeting likely to be virtual, the importance of building tools for engagement is even more critical. Ultimately, we hope to increase and enhance participation in the meeting by first time attendees, in particular undergraduate students.

Organizers:

  • Layla Oesper, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
  • Getiria Onsongo, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
  • Robin Shields-Cutler, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

URL: https://sites.google.com/macalester.edu/glbio2021tutorial/home

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Introduction to Deep Learning and Creating Neural Networks in Python and R


Recently, deep neural networks have become a powerful tool in bioinformatics and computational biology, which enables researchers to work with large and complex medical datasets (DNA/RNA/protein sequences, medical imaging, etc.) that can be challenging to analyze with simpler machine learning models. It is with the addition of neural networks to our computational toolkits that we have been able to make predictions from big data (predicting protein secondary structure: disease diagnosis, subtype, and treatment etc.) and discover underlying biological principles not easily identified through using other algorithms. The learning outcomes in this workshop include an introduction to deep learning and the various types of deep learning networks (ANN, CNN), how neural networks work, what they can be used for, as well as how to build a basic CNN and ANN in Python and R to assess biomedical data.

Organizer:

  • Danielle Maeser, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
  • Nicole Maeser
  • Quincy Gu

URL: https://maese005.wixsite.com/mysite 

Max capacity: 60

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Machine Learning on Microbiome Data: Theory and Practice



The workshop will focus on the theory and application of machine learning to microbiome datasets, including bacterial and viral communities. The following topics will be addressed:

  • Introduction to supervised machine learning, and how to implement a machine learning workflow using R and Python.
  • Applying machine learning algorithms (such as Random Forest) on microbiome datasets for disease risk prediction in humans.
  • Introduction to bacteria-phage interactions, and how it contributes to bacterial pathogenicity.
  • Applying machine learning methods to predict bacterial pathogenicity induced by phages.

Organizers:

  • Tatiana Lenskaia, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
  • Sambhawa Priya, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Participation can be in-person or online, a participant will need a computer with Internet access and pre-installed R and Python.

URL: https://glbio-mlmb.github.io/

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Mass Spectormetry (MS)-based multi-omics analysis using the Galaxy-P bioinformatics platform: A case study in COVID19 data analysis

The Galaxy for proteomics (Galaxy-P) team at the University of Minnesota will lead a hands-on workshop in the use of MS-based multi-omics informatics tools, using the investigation of COVID19 proteomics data as a case study. We will train participants in well-validated tools and workflows available for multi-omic data analysis within the publicly accessible Galaxy platform. We will also leverage ongoing developments of the Galaxy Training Network (GTN) which rovides online, hands-on training in complex bioinformatics tools for novice and advanced users.

Our workshop would be targeted to an audience of mixed expertise, from wet-bench scientists to data scientists and bioinformaticians. The workshop will be presented in two modules: 1) In module 1, participants will be introduced to the Galaxy platform, GTN resources, and basic usage of Galaxy for bioinformatics analysis. They will also be introduced to publicly available data and resources for COVID-19 bioinformatics analysis. 2) In the second module, researchers will be instructed in hands-on training resources and introduction to multi-omics resources focusing on tools for identification of expressed COVID19 proteins, human host proteins, and potentially co-infecting microbial components which involves integration of metagenomic and proteomic data. Tools for visualizing and interpreting results will also be discussed. Attendees will be required to bring their laptop computer so that they can access public Galaxy resources for the training.

Organizer:

  • Tim Griffin, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

URL: https://covid19.galaxyproject.org/proteomics/

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An Introduction to Bayesian Networks and their Microbiome Applications

This workshop will focus on the application of Bayesian Networks (BNs) to count data originating from next-generation sequencing experiments.  The workshop will cover an introduction to Bayesian statistics and probabilistic models, comparative discussion of BNs packages in R, and generating and testing hypotheses using BNs. Participants will be trained in applications of BNs to metabolomic and microbiome data.

Organizer:

  • Breanna Shi

URL: https://breannashi.github.io/BayesiannetworkforMicrobiomeData/


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CONTACT



GLBIO General Questions

Bel Hanson
Senior Manager
Operations and Programs

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Tel: 1-571-293-0286


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TALK ABSTRACTS



Coming Soon.


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POSTER PRESENTATION SCHEDULE



Coming Soon.


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TRAVEL FELLOWSHIPS



Links in this page: Sponsor | Funding Information | Travel Fellowship Application Overview | Maximum Awards and Amounts | Eligibility Requirements | Application Process | Eligible Expenses | Notification | Contacts


Sponsors

    

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Funding Information

Funding is provided by the University of Minnesota and we are pleased to offer registration fellowships to attend GLBIO 2021 for high school and undergraduate students. Funding sources for Registration Fellowships are very limited and we regret that we are not able to fund all applicants. The conference organizers are committed to providing support to as many eligible applicants as possible. Registration Fellowship consideration is based on criteria listed below.

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Registration Fellowship Application Overview

  1. Applicant must be a current student (high school or undergraduate) to submit an application.
  2. All applicants must attend all three (3) conference days.
  3. The deadline to submit a fellowship application is April 19, 2021, by 11:00 pm Eastern Daylight Time. No exceptions will be made.

 

Travel Fellowship Key Dates
April 19, 2021 Travel Fellowship Application Deadline (11pm Eastern Daylight Time)
April 21, 2021 Travel Fellowship Acceptance Notification
April 30, 2021 Registration Deadline

 
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Maximum Award Amounts

The maximum fellowship award is $50 USD for ISCB members and 70$ for non-members, but non-members will not be eligible for the free year of complimentary membership.

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Eligibility Requirements

  • You are a high school student or registered in an undergraduate degree program.  Graduate Students, Postdocs, and Professionals DO NOT qualify.
  • You will attend all three days of the conference, May 11-13, with verification occurring through your sign-in to the virtual platform.
  • Applicant must be prepared to register for GLBIO 2021 no later than April 30, 2021. If attendance at the conference is dependent on receipt of registration fellowship funds, please do not register until after the notification of registration fellowship funding. Any funded applicant failing to register for the conference by the deadline of April 30, 2021 will automatically forfeit the funds so that another applicant can be awarded from among the original pool of applicants.
  • You have other funding resources to cover costs not met by a registration fellowship award. Applicant must be able to pay all expenses of attending the conference which include the registration amount not covered by the fellowship.


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Application Process

Please complete the application form:  
https://forms.gle/owbe8SpF4WtSJrDH8

No application will be accepted after the deadline of April 19, 2021.  Special consideration will be given to first-time GLBIO attendees who are not necessarily presenting work at the conference, women, undergraduate or high school students, underrepresented minorities, or students with disabilities

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Eligible Expenses

Eligible expenses include conference registration. A discount code will be provided to cover $50 for ISCB members and $70 for non-members.  Registrant must cover any remaining fees.

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Notification

Applicants will be notified no later than April 21, 2021 of their funding status. In some cases applicants may be notified they are on a wait list for funding. Any wait listed applicant that is eventually awarded funds will be offered the opportunity to register at the early registration rate, therefore, please do not register for the conference if your attendance is fully dependent on being awarded a travel fellowship as any cancellation of an applicant's registration will be subject to the full regular registration cancellation policy.

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Contacts

Questions regarding travel fellowships should be addressed to: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

The information on this page is subject to change without notice, and all changed information will be considered final for the purposes of awarding and funding GLBIO 2021 registration fellowships.


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Exclusively for members

  • Member Discount

    ISCB Members enjoy discounts on conference registration (up to $150), journal subscriptions, book (25% off), and job center postings (free).

  • Why Belong

    Connecting, Collaborating, Training, the Lifeblood of Science. ISCB, the professional society for computational biology!

     

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