Know-how of holding a Bioinformatics competition: Structure, model, overview, and perspectives

PLoS Comput Biol. 2023 Dec 21;19(12):e1011679. doi: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1011679. eCollection 2023 Dec.

Abstract

The article presents a framework for a Bioinformatics competition that focuses on 4 key aspects: structure, model, overview, and perspectives. Structure represents the organizational framework employed to coordinate the main tasks involved in the competition. Model showcases the competition design, which encompasses 3 phases. Overview presents our case study, the League of Brazilian Bioinformatics (LBB) 2nd Edition. Finally, the section on perspectives provides a brief discussion of the LBB 2nd Edition, along with insights and feedback from participants. LBB is a biannual team competition launched in 2019 to promote the ongoing training of human resources in Bioinformatics and Computational Biology in Brazil. LBB aims to stimulate ongoing training in Bioinformatics by encouraging participation in competitions, promoting the organization of future Bioinformatics competitions, and fostering the integration of the Bioinformatics and Computational Biology community in the country, as well as collaboration among participants. The LBB 2nd Edition was launched in 2021 and featured 251 competitors forming 91 teams. Knowledge competitions promote learning, collaboration, and innovation, which are crucial for advancing scientific knowledge and solving real-world problems. In summary, this article serves as a valuable resource for individuals and organizations interested in developing knowledge competitions, offering a model based on our experience with LBB to benefit all levels of Bioinformatics trainees.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Brazil
  • Computational Biology* / education
  • Humans

Grants and funding

This work was sponsored by Micro Forge, Mendelics, Albert Einstein - Varstation, and Ecra Biotec. It was funded by the International Society for Computational Biology, and by the International Society for Computational Biology Student Council. The authors declare that the sponsors, and funding organizations had no role in the study design, data collection and analysis, the decision to publish, or the preparation of the manuscript.