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12th Microbial Bioinformatics Hackathon:
to address challenges in microbial bioinformatics

15-17 September 2025, Porto, Portugal
Free admission

Registration is now closed

About

In collaboration with ESGEM and  PHA4GE, the 12th edition of the Microbial Bioinformatics Hackathon took place at IMMEM XIV. This onsite event brought together bioinformatics researchers, scientists, and clinicians to address key challenges in microbial bioinformatics 

The two-and-a-half-day event took place on 15-17 September 2025 in Porto, Portugal, ahead of the IMMEM XIV conference to leverage the presence of international experts.

While next-generation sequencing is widely used in healthcare, challenges remain in translating genomics data into actionable insights due to non-standardized data, poor visualisation tools, and miscommunication between researchers and stakeholders.

We aimed to unite leading bioinformaticians, microbiologists, epidemiologists, and clinicians to collaborate and develop solutions. We aimed to foster stronger ties within the microbial bioinformatics community and advance the field through impactful recommendations.

On behalf of the organising committee: Natacha Couto, Ângela Novais, Luísa Peixe, Kathryn Holt, Nabil Fareed-Alikhan, Emma Griffiths and PHA4GE.

Programme

The hackathon ran daily from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM, with the final day ending at noon. An ESGEM-sponsored dinner took place on the first evening to promote networking and collaboration.

The hackathon included the following activities:

  • Introduction & Brainstorming: Participants will share challenges and define common goals.
  • Collaborative Groups Work: Small teams, guided by experienced facilitators, will tackle specific problems.
  • Wrap-up Presentations: Teams will present their solutions and explore opportunities for future collaboration.
  • Community Engagement: Interaction will continue through a dedicated Discord server and GitHub organisation.
  • Final Presentation: Attendees will contribute to a group presentation of findings and outcomes at the IMMEM XIV conference.