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COSI Organizer Information Page

• Last update: May 21, 2023
  
  
• COSI Track Benefits
• Abstract Submission Process
• Live/Virtual Platform Talks
• Abstract Sharing Tool
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  Schedule Overview:
  https://www.iscb.org/cms_addon/conferences/ismbeccb2023/schedule/schedule.php
  
  

 COSI Track Benefits

• COSIs receive four (4) complimentary registrations. Complimentary discount codes* will be issued to COSI organizers by March 30, 2023.
  
  *(Please note the code does not allow a non-member to receive the complimentary ISCB membership and will not work if the free membership is chosen.)
  
  
• Speaker Funding- $1000 per COSI day to support TRAVEL of invited speakers. Speakers who will not be presenting in-person may not take advantage of funding.  COSIs may choose to use their escrow funding to give stipends, honoraria, purchase additional registrations, etc.
• Attendee Commissions - At the end of the conference, ISCB will calculate the COSI commissions. Commissions are based on the number of registrants identifying your group as one of their COSIs of interest. A registrant may select up to four COSIs if purchasing a full conference registration. A set commission rate is applied to each paid registrant and shared based on total percentage to the COSI.
  
• Unrestricted use of your COSIs escrow funds to support COSI track speakers or additional events
• Any sponsorship raised by a COSI goes to that COSI's escrow. Note: COSIs are responsible for fulfilling any benefit promised to a COSI-only sponsor. Sponsors wishing to participate in the exhibit hall, for example, would need to pay the conference exhibitor fees.

Key Dates

Process:

• Each COSI manages the decision and notification process for abstracts submitted to that COSI.
• Each COSI identifies 2 or 3 Abstract Chairs (ACs) from within their community to manage the review process for their COSI. These names will be added to EasyChair as Track Chairs for each COSI.
• COSI Abstract Chairs are responsible for identifying a review / programme committee to review the abstracts for both talk and poster presentation within their COSI. ACs will add the programme committee names to their COSI track within EasyChair.
• Authors may submit abstracts for consideration as:
  • Poster only
  • Talk and poster (abstracts in this category if not accepted as a talk should be considered for a poster).
• Ideally each abstract should get a minimum of two (2) reviews and preferably three (3).
• COSI Abstracts Chairs are encouraged to quickly review the abstracts that are submitted to their COSI. If a submitted abstract is not relevant to your COSI please let Steven Leard (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.) know as quickly as possible and he can transfer the abstract to a more appropriate COSI. Please identify the COSI  you suggest is most appropriate to receive the transfer.
• No later than May 4, COSI Abstract Chairs must report their tentative talk/poster acceptance decisions to ISCB, so that submissions that are not accepted for a talk by the primary COSI can be made available for consideration by other COSIs.
• COSI Abstract Chairs are responsible for notifying  the authors of all abstracts submitted to their COSI by May 11 (via EasyChair)
  
  
  • See Draft Acceptance Letter below.
  • Notifications to authors should state whether the abstract was accepted for a longer talk (of a specified time), a shorter talk, a poster, or rejected.
  • Each presenter will need to sign a form (sent by ISCB) to register for the conference and provide permission allowing their talk to be available through the ISCB Nucleus platform.

• Talks should be scheduled in 20-minute time slots (running in parallel with other conference tracks), with time for questions included. (Typically, if a talk is chosen for a 20-minute slot, the author should be asked to prepare a 15-minute talk, with 5 minutes allocated for Q&A)
• Late Posters: COSI Area Chairs are responsible for reviewing Late Poster submissions to their COSI (opens April 24, closes May 18). *Acceptance notifications sent May 25.
• COSI Area Chairs may wish to recognize a top talk and/or poster. If doing so, the COSI is responsible for awarding their own prizes.  The name of the prize winner name, affiliation and poster title should be sent to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. no later than 3:00 pm CEST on Thursday July 27 so the award can be recognized during the closing ceremonies.
  
  

• COSI Track Schedule

  • COSIs should provide their detailed track schedule (including titles, authors, and start/end times) by May 31, 2023 using the template provided by ISCB.
  • Track schedules will be made available on the conference website and through the online ISCB Nucleus platform.

  
  COSI Invited Talks

  • With limited exceptions for health reasons, all invited talks are expected to be in-person.
  • COSI Track Chairs must provide ISCB a list of confirmed invited speakers (name, affiliation, email) no later than May 31. All presenters must be registered for in-person attendance.

  
  Posters

  • All abstracts accepted for poster presentation will receive instruction on how to enter their poster to the ISCB Nucleus platform.
    • ISCB will use the abstract, title, author list, as entered in EasyChair.
    • Each poster entry will include PDF of poster and a recording of the poster presentation.
    • Posterpalooza at ISMB/ECCB 2023.  Poster presenters must upload their poster details between June 26 and no later than 5:00 pm (Eastern), July 7. No extensions. Upload includes MP4 poster presentation video (5-7 minutes), poster description annd PDF of poster.
       
      https://www.iscb.org/ismbeccb2023-programme/posterpalooza

   
  Presentations

• All talks should be presented in-person, if possible, with limited exceptions for health reasons (see section below on Live/Virtual Platform Talks).
  

• All talks, including 5-7 minute poster talks, should be pre-recorded by the presenting author and submitted via the ISCB Nucleus platform
  
  
  Communication with Presenters

  • ISCB will handle the communications with all presenters on how to upload talks and use the ISCB Nucleus platform if presenting virtually.
  • All presenters must be registered for the conference. You can allocate your four (4) complimentary passes as you wish or cover additional passes from your COSI escrow.
  • ISCB also has a fellowship programme  that grants a limited number of free ISMB/ECCB registrations (in-person or virtual). Fellowships are prioritized based on career level and income status of the applicant's  country of residence.

  
  Logistics and Track Execution

  • COSIs are responsible for monitoring their tracks on their scheduled day(s).
  • COSI session moderators are required to monitor Q&A from both in-person and virtual audience and to ensure programme remains on schedule
    
    • We suggest assigning 2-3 individuals to share the work of monitoring each session.

Live/Virtual Platform Talks

For a variety of reasons, ISCB/ECCB strongly prefers that scientific research accepted for oral presentation be presented in-person at the conference venue.  Of course, we understand that some presenters will have good reasons to avoid in-person attendance. ISCB/ECCB will grant remote presentation options for reasons associated with maternity/paternity leave, care for a family member, personal/medical disability, sickness, financial hardship, or potential visa problems.  If research is accepted for oral presentation and the speaker is unable to present in-person, ISCB/ECCB requires notification at the time of acceptance and no later than May 15, 2023. Speakers will be asked during confirmation of participation to confirm their in-person participation. If unable to participate they will need to request a waiver by writing This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

In-person presenters will use the provided podium computer (PC) to present slides. Video of the presenter is captured with in-room webcam placed on mic stand in front of podium. Audio and slides are captured through in-house AV system.  A volunteer technical moderator (VTM) is responsible for ensuring the image, slides and sound are transmitted/available through the ISCB Nucleus platform to virtual participants. Meeting rooms will also be serviced by a volunteer room assistant who will support the VTM, AV staff and virtual platform technicians.

A COSI session moderator will be responsible for introducing speakers, keeping talks on-time and moderating questions from the live and virtual audiences.

All presenters will be required to provide a pre-recorded talk for the ISCB Nucleus platform library in advance of the conference. The pre-recorded talk will be available shortly after the live presentation to provide faster and more seamless access to the conference content for virtual participants.

Draft Acceptance Letter:

Congratulations your submission [title] has been accepted for a talk and/or poster  <specify which> at ISMB/ECCB 2023 as part of the XXX COSI. Detailed talk schedules will be available early June and will be posted on the conference programme pages at 

Please take a moment to review these details:

• All talks are expected to be presented in-person, with limited exceptions for personal reasons. Speakers who are unable to attend the conference in-person, and wish to present virtually instead, must request a waiver by writing This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. no later than May 15. For more information see: https://www.iscb.org/ismbeccb2023-submissions/abstracts
• One author must be registered to present the talk and/or poster for the conference. Registration instructions are available at: https://www.iscb.org/ismbeccb2023-register 
• Presenters must be registered by June 16. Your registration ID is required to link your participation with talks and /or posters.
• Presenters of posters and talks will receive a confirmation of participation link that must be completed no later than June 16. This will be emailed directly to you from ISCB.
• ISCB is pleased to offer a limited number of fellowships to support registration and/or travel to any ISCB member in good standing with an accepted talk and/or poster, with priority going to members from low or middle-income countries as well as students and postdoctoral fellows to attend ISMB/ECCB 2023. 

  Travel Fellowship Application Invitations are sent directly to eligible individuals after acceptance of a scientific submissions to Proceedings, Abstracts, and/or Posters.

• While all talks will be presented live, all presenters will also be required to upload a pre-recorded talk for the ISCB Nucleus platform library (deadline TBA). The pre-recorded talk will be made available shortly after the live presentation to provide faster and more seamless on-demand access to the conference content. Details on recording requirements and deadlines will be available in early June.
• All poster presenters must upload their poster details between June 26 and no later than 5:00 pm (Eastern), July 7. No extensions. Upload includes MP4 poster presentation video (5-7 minutes), poster description and PDF of poster to the ISCB Nucleus platform to be included in Posterpalooza at ISMB/ECCB 2023. Additional details at: https://www.iscb.org/ismbeccb2023-programme/posterpalooza
• If you have questions about your presentation please contact the COSI organizers directly.
• For information about conference logistics, including hotels, please see the ISMB/ECCB website. Hotels can be booked at https://iscb2023.bnetwork.com/ 

Abstract Information Sharing tool

For the past several years we have used an Abstract Information Sharing tool to ensure quality submissions might have the opportunity for presentation in an alternate COSI if not selected for a talk within the originating COSI. As Chairs can only see Abstracts in your area the tool is way of sharing basic information on all submissions outside of EasyChair.

As you continue your review process I ask that you update the sharing tool (link below, using the decision column) to let others know the status of your submissions. (for example, a quality talk submission that might only be accepted by your COSI as a Poster could be offered a talk with another COSI). 

The decision column is set up with the following options:

• Accept Talk & Poster - COSI will accept this for a talk and Poster
• Accept Poster Only - COSI will accept this as a Poster only
• Reject - COSI will not accept (e.g. scientifically not sound)
• Available to other COSI - Submission better suited for other COSI

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/14Wky4-rZq7mY9Npi9Hp3LmvOCxeOXy-i5kM51IXyOl4/edit?usp=sharing

Please enter your decisions on the sharing tool no later than May 4 (5:00 pm Eastern).  COSI Track Chairs wanting to accept / request a submission from another area need to email me at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. on May 5 to facilitate any abstract moves.

**Remember you must still enter your final decisions in EasyChair and if no other COSI requests a submission be moved from your area you still need to complete the review**