[comp.databases] HICSS-25 Biotechnology Computing Minitrack

hunter@work.nlm.nih.gov (Larry Hunter) (03/07/91)

		     Call for Papers and Referees
       Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences - 25
		 Kauai, Hawaii  -  January 7-10, 1992
		  Biotechnology Computing Minitrack

Building on the success of the Biotechnology Computing Minitrack in
the 24th HICSS, the Software Technology Track of HICSS-25 will contain
a special session focusing on design of computer systems for use in
biological science and engineering.  The presentations will provide a
forum for the discussion of new approaches to the challenges posed by
this rapidly growing application domain.

Both the rate of innovation in biotechnology and the effective
transfer of basic scientific insights into significant application
depend crucially on a diverse and complex collection of computer
systems.  In a dramatic shift over the last five years or so, nearly
every biologist working in genetics, protein structure, or other
molecular fields now routinely uses very large databases and
sophisticated analytical tools.  For example, the discovery that
certain oncogenes (cancer causing genes) are point mutations of normal
growth factors depended crucially on the use of macromolecular
databases and rapid sequence searching algorithms.

The challenges of biocomputing touch on nearly all aspects of computer
science.  The field is open to dramatic improvements driven by
innovations at any level of computation, from hardware input devices
and laboratory robotics to user interfaces and data-browsing tools, to
AI inference engines and supercomputer modelling techniques.  All of
these diverse technologies are being applied to the very particular,
well defined goals of understanding the structure, interactions and
functioning of biomolecules.  Papers are invited that describe
improvements in the power, quality, effectiveness or ease of use of
software and systems in any bioscience or biotechnology related area.
Areas of special interest include advances in:

* Modelling of molecular dynamics, reactions, or metabolic pathways

* Prediction of macromolecular structure and function from data

* Design of data structures, databases and search engines for managing
  biological information, and for integrating diverse data sources.

* Representation, use and discovery of significant patterns in
  macromolecular sequence data.

* Design and efficient implementation of molecular visualization tools
  and advanced user interfaces for bringing advanced computational
  abilities to the bench biologist

* Automation of experimental techniques, data acquisition, data
  analysis, quality monitoring and other laboratory activities,
  especially those related to genome sequencing.

* Design of biotechnology workstations and wide area integrated or
  loosely coupled systems, including issues in networking, standards,
  access and international cooperation.


Instructions for authors :

Manuscripts should be 22-26 typewritten, double-spaced pages in 10 or
12 point type; do not send submissions significantly longer or
shorter.  Papers must not have been previously presented or published,
nor currently submitted for journal publication.  Each manuscript will
be refereed by at least five reviewers.  Manuscripts should include a
title page that identifies the title of the paper, the full name(s) of
the author(s), affiliation(s), complete mailing and electronic
address(es), telephone number(s) and a 300 word abstract of the paper.

Members of the community willing to serve as referees should send
their name, electronic and physical address, phone number, and areas
of interest to the program chair.  Authors of submissions to this
minitrack may not serve as referees.

Deadlines:

* A 300 word abstract is due by April 22, 1991
* Feedback to the author concerning the abstract  by May 6, 1991
* Six copies of the manuscript are due by June 5, 1991
* Notification of accepted papers by August 30, 1991
* Accepted manuscripts, camera ready, are due by October 1, 1991
* All registrations must be received no later than Nov. 15, 1991 

Send submissions and questions to:

	Lawrence Hunter
	National Library of Medicine
	Building 38A, Mail Stop 54
	Bethesda, MD 20894

	(301) 496-9300
	(301) 496-0673 (fax)
	Hunter@nlm.nih.gov
       

--
Lawrence Hunter, PhD.
National Library of Medicine
Bldg. 38A, MS-54
Bethesda. MD 20894
(301) 496-9300
(301) 496-0673 (fax)
hunter@nlm.nih.gov (internet)
hunter%nlm.nih.gov@nihcu (bitnet/earn)