Version 156 (modified by mn, 15 years ago)

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BioHackathon 2009

About the Hackathon

The hackathon (hacking + marathon) basically is a camp where invited participants discuss about current issues and implement software to solve the problems on site collaboratively. This kind of meeting is very effective for the intensive development of projects, because face-to-face meeting of developers, who are usually spread around the world, accelerates communication and collaboration to exchange their ideas.

BioHackathon 2009 is sponsored by the Database Center for Life Science ( DBCLS) and the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology ( OIST), and will be held in Tokyo and Okinawa, Japan.

The DBCLS is being accepted as a national center for the sustainable life science databases in Japan. The OIST is the graduate university of science and technology and aiming to create a leading intellectual hub in the Asian-Pacific region.

Objectives

In the  BioHackathon 2008, we focused on the standardization of bioinformatics web services and the exchange data formats to create bioinformatics workflows. To make these global efforts to be fully utilized by the biologists, we need to integrate these services into the various end-user applications.

For this purpose, we will organize the second BioHackathon gathering software developers of mash-up services and web service providers. Additionally, we will also involve semi-wet biologists to apply their data for testing these services and applications in combination to address the real world use cases.

Our goal is to develop stable and usable platforms for emerging demands, such as

  • Workflow for the massive sequence annotation (Galaxy, BioMart, Taverna, MOWserve etc.)
  • Automatic genome sequence assembly and mapping (GMOD/GBrowse, UTGB etc.)
  • Visualization of the large scale data sets (Cytoscape, Processing etc.)
  • Interoperable web services and database resources (BioMOBY, TogoWS, TogoDB etc.)

and test these infrastructures with several biological use cases.

For example, the Marine Genomics Unit in OIST is equipped with Roche 454 sequencers and they are hoping to start environmental genomics of the coral reef in Okinawa. We have been working on the integration of our database resources into the Galaxy, and would like to offer them to use the services provided by the DBCLS. Additionally, we will start to select some suitable use cases to deal with, based on the discussion in the mailing list.

Expected outcomes

  • Improve end-user applications like Galaxy or Taverna by testing with the use cases.
  • Document how to solve the biological problems using these software and resources based on the hands-on seminar.
  • Issue a manifesto and guidelines for creating interoperable web services with SOAP and/or REST.
  • Publication of the meeting report.

Mailing list

Meeting organizers

Confirmed participants

  • Katsuhiko Murakami (BIRC, Japan)
  • Hideaki Sugawara (WABI/SABI; DDBJ, Japan)

Venue

Our preliminary plan is to gather on Sunday in Tokyo for the reception. On Monday morning, we will have a public symposium, then fly together to Okinawa on Monday afternoon. We'll be back to Tokyo on Saturday after we are tired of the hacking activities.

  • Tokyo (DBCLS) - for the 1st day (reception and symposium)
  • Okinawa (OIST) - rest of the days (hack, hack, hack)

Schedule

  • 2009/3/15-21

3/15 (Sun)

International flights to Tokyo actually arrives at Narita in Chiba prefecture (>50km away from Tokyo).

Then you need to take a train to Tokyo. We can recommend  Keisei line to the  Ueno terminal.

62min by  Keisei Skyliner express (1,920 JPY including express seat charge) or 76min by  Keisei rapid limited express (1,000 JPY).

Your hotel in Tokyo is located near the Ueno station (5min walk). You can also enjoy museums and a zoo around the Ueno park area.

Take a taxi or about 1.5km walk from your hotel to the DBCLS.

  • 18:00-20:00 Reception at  DBCLS (5F)

Probably we are ready by 17:00 and you are welcome to visit us earlier. We will provide light meals and some drinks.

3/16 (Mon)

We will have a public symposium in the morning. Check out your hotel and BRING ALL YOUR BAGGAGES with you.

Talks are 15min each followed by a 5min buffer.

After taking a group photo, we will take buses to the Haneda airport. You will have some free time for lunch at the airport.

  • Flight from Tokyo-Haneda airport to Okinawa-Naha airport
    • ANA 131: HND 15:30 - 18:15 OKA

Dinner at the restaurant near to the Naha airport (buffet style). Then take a 1 hour trip by bus for the Rizzan hotel/OIST guest rooms.

  • Transport from Naha airport to Hotel/OIST

3/17 - 3/20

We will have parallel sessions mainly focused on:

  • Software development (hack, hack, hack)
  • Use case driven hands-on seminar (try and record)

and ad-hoc satellite meetings to accelerate collaboration between the above two groups:

Time 3/17 (Tue) 3/18 (Wed) 3/19 (Thu) 3/20 (Fri)
8:00 breakfast breakfast breakfast breakfast
9:00 hack, hack, hack hack, hack, hack hack, hack, hack hack, hack, hack
12:00 lunch lunch lunch lunch
13:00 hack, hack, hack hack, hack, hack excursion summarize
17:00 progress report progress report progress report overall presentation
18:00 dinner dinner dinner dinner
20:00 hack, hack, hack hack, hack, hack hack, hack, hack closing remarks

3/21 (Sat)

  • Departure from Naha airport (taking flight for appropriate destination)
  • Flight from Okinawa-Naha airport to Tokyo-Narita
    • ANA 2158: OKA 12:15 - 14:40 NRT

Housing

Access

Misc

What should you bring with you?

  • Laptop computer
  • Conversion plug for your AC adaptor (identical to the US type; 100 volt)
  • Local liquor as always (for the Liquorthon at night or for the reception :-)
  •  LinkedIn account to share your contact address

SVN repository

Photo album

IN PREPARATION

Streaming and social networking

=== Goods ==

Attachments