Links within this page: Materials | Key Dates | Topics | Submission Guidelines | Review Process
The purpose of the Tutorials program is to build knowledge and provide hands-on training in "cutting-edge" topics relevant to the bioinformatics field. Tutorials offer participants an opportunity to get an introduction to important established topics in bioinformatics, to learn about new areas of bioinformatics research, or to develop advanced skills in areas about which they are already knowledgeable.
Tutorials may include any form of presentation, such as brief talks or panel discussions, but should include hands-on exercises. Tutorials serve an educational function and are expected to provide a balanced perspective on a field of research. They should not focus on the presenters' own research or software, unless balanced with other tools in the same realm. However, tutorials on broadly used bioinformatics tools will be considered.
This call is an open invitation to scientists and professionals working in the fields of bioinformatics and computational biology to submit high-quality proposals for Tutorials at Great Plains 2026.
The conference organizers are able to offer a complimentary conference registration for up to 2 tutorial presenters. Tutorial organizers may choose to share the value of the complimentary registration if the tutorial has additional presenters.
Materials
The tutorial speakers agree to provide participants with teaching materials that include:
- Copies of the final slides in PowerPoint or PDF format for posting online.
- Copies of relevant articles/book chapters published by the presenters are provided as Supplementary
- Information. Presenters will have to obtain copyright permission from their publishers, as required.
- Links to repositories containing training materials.
- Make your training materials FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable) as much as possible.
Key Dates
Topics
Potential topic areas may include, but are not limited to the following:
- Single cell and spatial transcriptomics data analysis
- DNA and protein language models
- Protein design, drug design, and virtual screening
- Pathways and networks in complex diseases
- Network-based integration and analysis of OMICS data
- Integration of domain knowledge in biological system and data analysis
- Biomarker discovery using AI tools and network models
- Biomedical image analysis
Submission Guidelines
Tutorials are planned to be in-person at the Scott Center. (eg. tutorial presenters and participants should be fully in-person). There is a set limit on the number of in-person tutorials. Tutorials presented in person will be held on September 28, 2026.
Tutorials timing for full-day or half-day sessions:
In-person: September 28, 2026 (Central Daylight Time - CDT)
Half Day Schedule: 9:00 am - 12:00 pm (Break at 10:45-11:00 am)
Tutorial proposals should contain the following information in a maximum of 4 pages:
- Title of Tutorial
- Abstract for Tutorial
- Learning Objectives for Tutorial
- Short promotional blurb for promotion if selected
- Maximum number of attendees participating
- Draft Schedule of the tutorial, including coffee breaks (half-day or full-day schedule) - Include draft talk titles or draft content to be covered in each section
- Identify and highlight blocks of hands-on content in your submission
- Draft List of Tutorial Speakers with titles and affiliations - including URL/Google Scholar/ORCID links
- Brief note on the teaching experience of the presenters (workshops, tutorials, and/or lectures)
- Intended audience and level - Describe the audience for which the Tutorial is aimed, and at which level it would be taught (e.g., beginner, experienced, or advanced).
The final proposal must be uploaded as a PDF file only.
During the submission process to provide a brief description of the tutorial that will be used on the website to promote it to delegates, and to confirm that if selected, you will submit draft and final tutorial materials for committee review by the listed deadlines
Correspondence from prospective instructors should be sent to:
Review Process
All tutorial submissions will be evaluated by a committee, which will consider the following criteria:
- Relevance, interest, and value of the topic to Great Plains attendees
- The tutorial should achieve a good balance between the theoretical component and hands-on exercises
- Completeness, clarity, and quality of the proposal and materials, including the schedule of the tutorial
- Educational value and effectiveness of the proposed presentation approach
- Educational value and effectiveness of the proposed presentation approach, and FAIRness of the data, tools, and content