See you soon at ECCB2024 in Turku, Finland!
More than 700 colleagues have already signed up for this must-attend event in European computational biology and bioinformatics. We can’t wait to welcome you to Turku, Finland, on 16-20 September!
Register now | If you haven’t registered yet, you have until 5 September!
Conference programme | The conference programme is now available – take a look!
Workshops and tutorials | Some slots remain for pre-conference workshops and tutorials. If you’re already registered for ECCB, find your confirmation email, and click the ”Edit you information” link to sign up!
Conference dinner | The conference dinner will be held at the historic Turku Castle on Thursday, 19 September. Join us for a memorable evening! You can sign up via the conference registration form, or if you’ve already registered, follow the instructions above.
How to get to Turku? | Visit the ECCB website for traveling and accommodation tips! For ideas on what to see and do in Turku and the surrounding areas, the Visit Turku website is your best guide.
Highlight from the programme: Debate on medical data sharing and privacy protection
On Thursday 19 September, we’ll feature a special session, as Dr. Melissa Haendel (UNC School of Medicine) and Prof. Yves Moreau (KU Leuven) engage in a debate on on medical data sharing. The discussion will be hosted by Tommi Nyrönen, Head of ELIXIR Finland, and ECCB co-chair.
Melissa Haendel
Yves Moreau
Dr. Haendel has shared some of her thoughts with us ahead of the debate. So, grab a cup of coffee and enjoy this sneak peek!
Can you provide a brief overview of your stance on the topic of health data sharing?
“Today, people share data about themselves in many contexts; for example, our phones track where we go and our internet browsers track what we search. To realize the vision of precision medicine, which is tailoring healthcare decisions to the specific needs of an individual, we need to understand how that individual compares to the greater population. We need to link and integrate the data about each individual – ‘putting the patient back together again’ – where we reconstitute the different data streams from a patient into a holistic view.”
What motivates you to take this stance?
“Better health outcomes are desperately needed. We need to understand environmental, dietary, and genetic influences on disease, and what interventions work in the real world. Patients with rare conditions are especially challenged, as so little data exists that can help find the right diagnosis or treatment. Patients don’t have agency in how their data is used, even when they want to share it – it is not so easy. Healthcare data management is far behind modern technical standards for other data types, and using data better could save or improve many lives worldwide.”
How would you like this debate to contribute to the broader discourse on medical data sharing and privacy protection?
“It would be terrific to have a conversation about the ethical balance in using data for public benefit, while mitigating and managing the risks of reidentification. Access control systems help, but are largely designed to protect organizations and not to empower patients in who has access and when and how their data is used.”
Students and early-career researchers, ESCS2024 is for you
The ISCB Student Council, along with its Regional Student Groups, invites early-career researchers in bioinformatics, computational biology, and related fields to the 8th Student Council Symposium in Europe.
ESCS2024 will take place on 17 September, from 8:00-16:00, in Turku, Finland, just ahead of ECCB.
This symposium is a platform for young researchers in computational biology and bioinformatics. The event will feature keynote talks, prizes for the best poster and best talk, and opportunities to make new connections in a collaborative environment.
Submit your abstract by 24 August!
Get to know the co-organizing sponsor: ELIXIR Europe
ELIXIR is an intergovernmental organisation that brings together life science resources from across Europe. These resources include databases, software tools, training materials, cloud storage and supercomputers.
With the aim of bringing together the life science community, ELIXIR sponsors ECCB2024 and organises two workshops and an ELIXIR Communities track programme.
“Practical and pragmatic FAIRification targeting ELIXIR Communities” workshop will equip participants with a systematic approach to implementing the FAIR principles in research projects at any scale.
“Navigating the ELIXIR Genomic Data Highway: Applying population genomics to health research” workshop will shed light on ELIXIR’s efforts in the 1+MG initiative and the European Genomic Data Infrastructure project.
ELIXIR Communities track programme talks will showcase Communities’ activities, the benefits of using ELIXIR resources and three scientific areas in the 2024–2028 ELIXIR Scientific Programme.
During ECCB2024, ELIXIR will also have a dedicated booth where participants can chat with ELIXIR members to know more about the research infrastructure.
Interested in sponsoring or exhibiting at ECCB2024?
ECCB2024 strives to bridge global breakthroughs in computational biology with those in applied technologies, infrastructures and services.
The conference theme is Data and Algorithms for Health and Science. More than 700 global experts in bioinformatics, computing, health data, and technology have already signed up for the event.
Join as an exhibitor/sponsor to present your products or services to an international audience of scientists, policymakers, and other stakeholders!
Follow ECCB2024 channels and get in touch for more information
If you have questions regarding scientific programme, please contact: eccb2024@utu.fi.
Questions regarding registration or practical details of the conference, please contact: aboaevents@certia.fi.
