FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
  1. NEW! What recent developments should I be aware of?
  2. Who is the ISCB?
  3. What is the ISMB conference?
  4. Who are the ISMB 2005 Conference Chairs?
  5. What is the University of Michigan?
  6. What is the MCBI
  7. Do I need a visa to visit Michigan, US?
  8. Where is Detroit?
  9. What can I do to ensure my personal safety?
  10. What Language is Spoken in Michigan, U.S.?
  11. Do I need vaccinations to visit Michigan, US?
  12. What is the currency?
  13. How can I pay to register for ISMB?
  14. How do I get from the airport to my hotel?
  15. Where do I register when I arrive?
  16. Are travel fellowships available and what expenses do they cover?
  17. Where do exhibitors set up their booths?
  18. Where do I set up my poster?
  19. What is the Cyber Cafe?
  20. Where is the Cyber Cafe?
  21. Will I be entitled to tax refunds on goods purchased in the US?
  22. What should I do if I lose something?
Q: What recent developments should I be aware of?

Attention ALL Attendees: Each year the Cities of Detroit, USA and Windsor, Canada hold a special event called Freedom Day. This event will be held on Wednesday, June 29 along the waterfront adjacent to the conference venue, Detroit Marriott, virtually closing access to the conference hotel between approximately 6:00 p.m. and Midnight.

Delegates should plan their travel accordingly.

New way to get to present your work at the meeting: Abstracts submitted for posters can (at your discretion) also be considered for oral presentation. There will be a parallel track of elevated platform presentations, selected from the best abstracts. There will be six full sessions devoted to these presentations

Why are submissions called "Abstracts and Posters" rather than just "Posters"?: In addition to being considered as a poster, abstracts may optionally also be considered for oral presentation.
Q: Who is the ISCB?
A: The International Society for Computational Biology (ISCB; http://www.iscb.org) is the parent organization of the annual Intelligent Systems for Molecular Biology (ISMB) conference. The ISCB is dedicated to advancing the scientific understanding of living systems through computation. The ISCB communicates the significance of our science to the larger scientific community, governments, and the public at large. The ISCB serves a global membership by impacting government and scientific policies, providing high quality publications and meetings, and through distribution of valuable information about training, education, employment and relevant news from related fields. ISCB membership offers many benefits including reduced conference registration fees and reduced subscription prices for several journals of Computational Biology and Bioinformatics.. There are currently over 1900 active members from 51 countries including more than 700 students and trainee members. A member's meeting and a meeting of the Board of Directors for the society are held annually in conjunction with the ISMB conference.
Q: What is the ISCB's contact information?

A: ISCB
c/o the San Diego Supercomputer Center, UC San Diego
9500 Gilman Drive
La Jolla, CA 92093-0505
USA

Phone: 858-822-0852
Fax: 858-822-3610
Email: admin@iscb.org

Q: What is the ISMB conference?

A: Intelligent Systems for Molecular Biology (ISMB) is the annual meeting of the International Society for Computational Biology (ISCB). Over the past twelve years, the ISMB conference has grown to become the largest bioinformatics conference in the world. The ISMB conferences provide a multidisciplinary forum for disseminating the latest developments in bioinformatics. ISMB brings together scientists from computer science, molecular biology, mathematics, and statistics. Its principal focus is on the development and application of advanced computational methods for biological problems.

Q: Who are the ISMB 2005 Conference Chairs?

A: Drs. David States and Brian Athey

David States, M.D., Ph.D.
Professor, Department of Human Genetics, The University of Michigan
Director, Bioinformatics Program, The University of Michigan
David States received his B.A. in biochemistry in 1975 and his M.D. and Ph.D. degrees in 1983 from Harvard University. He completed his residency in internal medicine in 1986 at the University of California, San Diego. He was a clinical associate for the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and a senior staff fellow at the NIH National Center for Biotechnology Information in Washington, D.C. Before joining the University of Michigan in 2001, David was the director of the Institute for Biomedical Computing and an associate professor of genetics at the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. David’s current projects focus on the application of quantitative analytic methods and machine learning technology to problems of molecular biology and genome analysis.

Brian D. Athey, Ph. D.
Associate Professor of Biomedical Informatics, Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan Medical School
Director, Michigan Center for Biological Information
Dr. Brian Athey received his Ph.D. in Cellular and Molecular Biology (Biophysics concentration) from the University of Michigan (1990), with a concentration in macromolecular structural biology. Dr. Athey is currently an Associate Professor of Biomedical Informatics as well as the Director of Biomedical Informatics in the University of Michigan Depression Center, Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan Medical School. In addition, he is Director of the Michigan Center for Biological Information (MCBI). In the mid 1990s, Dr. Athey served as the Director of Biological Imaging Programs at the Environmental Research Institute of Michigan (ERIM) (now part of General Dynamics). Dr. Athey is also a founding member of the University of Michigan Center for Biologic Nanotechnology. He is best known for his work with the National Library of Medicine (NLM) Visible Human Project where he has been a leader in establishing a nationwide Internet2 end-to-end test bed demonstration project with NIH/NLM sponsorship in collaboration with Pittsburgh Supercomputing Center, Stanford University, and the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USUHS).
Q: What is the University of Michigan?

A: The University of Michigan, with its size, complexity, and academic strength, the breadth of its scholarly resources and the quality of its faculty and students, is one of America's great public universities and one of the world's premiere research institutions. The University is a community of outstanding faculty, talented students, and committed staff who learn and work in a stimulating intellectual environment enriched by diverse cultural and social opportunities.
Q: What is MCBI?
A: Michigan Center for Biological Information (MCBI) is a nonprofit entity established to build bioinformatics infrastructure and promote bioinformatics research, product development and education in Michigan. MCBI's goals are to help advance biological research and technology and create jobs in research and industry in Michigan through promotion of bioinformatics.
Q: Do I need a visa to visit Michigan, US?
A: Foreign visitors must generally have a visa issued by the US Department of State. Some countries participate in the Visa Waiver Program. The VWP enables citizens of participating countries to travel to the US for tourism or business for 90 days or less without a US visa. To obtain a visa, or more information on this topic, please contact the American Embassy or Consulate in your country of residence. Visa inforrmation is located here: www.iscb.org/ismb2005/visa.html.
Q: Where is Detroit?
A: Detroit is located in Michigan, United States. Additional information can be found at: www.visitdetroit.com or www.ci.detroit.mi.us/visitors.htm.
Q: What can I do to ensure my personal safety?
A: Visitors to any major city must consider their personal safety and those they may be traveling with during their visit. The ISMB 2005 Local Organizing Committee has met with representatives from the Detroit Convention and Visitors Bureau to discuss the elements of the conference including delegate safety. These discussions will continue as the conference is planned. Visitors should as always take care not to leave personal belongings unattended, travel with small amounts of cash and consider travelers checks. Most hotels are equipped with safety deposit boxes for storing items of value. The conference organizers suggest that delegates exploring the city should do so with groups and should consider taxi service when traveling outside of the main area of the conference hotel.
Q: What Language is Spoken in Michigan, U.S.?
A: The official language spoken is English
Q: Do I need vaccinations to visit Michigan, US?
A: Vaccinations are not required
Q: What is the currency?

The US uses the dollar ($). The CNN currency converter may prove helpful.
Q: How can I pay to register for ISMB?

A: Delegates can pay on-line using the following credit cards or mail in a Check. Accepted credit cards are: Mastercard, Visa, Diners Club and American Express.

Registration fees and instructions can be found here: www.iscb.org/ismb2005/reg.html

Q: How do I get from the airport to my hotel?

A: Please note that there is no formal share-ride shuttle van service at Detroit Metro Airport!

Taxi: Taxis are available from Metro Cabs (tel: 800 745 5191)
Q: Where do I register when I arrive?

A: Conference registration will be at the Conference Hotel , the Detroit Marriott Renaissance Center. The exact location within the hotel will be posted at a later date.

Detroit Marriott at the Renaissance Center
Renaissance Center
Detroit, MI 48243

Website: www.marriotthotels.com/dtwdt
Q: Are travel fellowships available and what expenses do they cover?

A: Travel fellowship applications will be open for submission on December 1, 2004 and the deadline for application is March 8, 2005.

The travel fellowship will cover full or partial costs toward travel and housing, depending on the amount awarded. Receipts are required to receive the funding.

Please see application requirements and instructions:
www.iscb.org/ismb2005/fellowships.html (opening December 1, 2004)
Q: Where do exhibitors set up their booths?

A: Information for exhibitors will be provided soon. See the exhibitor floor plan here: www.iscb.org/ismb2005/exhibitor_all.html

Exhibitor schedule and resources here: www.iscb.org/ismb2005/exhibitor_res.html

Q: Where do I set up my poster?

A: Poster session schedule and instructions are listed at: www.iscb.org/ismb2005/posters.html. There will be multiple poster sessions taking place during the conference. Posters will be set up in the Ontario Exhibit Hall per the schedule as outline on the poster webpage.
Q: What is the Cyber Cafe?

A: The Cyber Cafe is sponsored by Apple Computer and is a facility offering web and email access for conference attendees. To avoid long lines, we request that users limit their access times to 15 minutes per session.

In addition, ISMB2005 and Apple is planning to feature wireless capabilities throughout the conference venue to provide greater access for conference delegates.

Q: Where is the Cyber Cafe?

A: The CyberCafe is located in Bar One - Level 1
Q: Will I be entitled to tax refunds on goods purchased in the US?

A: There is no national tax system in the United States such as the V.A.T. or G.S.T. charged in many other countries. Instead, sales taxes are assessed individually by state and city, and each state has complete autonomy in administering its taxes. The State of Michigan and city of Detroit do not provide a refund for sales tax.
Q: What should I do if I lose something?

A: A lost and found will be located at the information booth located outside the Ontario Exhibit Hall. Delegates should check at the Info Booth as well as with the Hotel in the event an item is lost or misplaced.