Nucleic Acid Structure Annotation & Prediction Hackathon 2026

From tools to interoperable workflows for nucleic acid structures.

Event type: Workshop / Hackathon
Event date: 27–29 May 2026
Location: Hotel Globus, Prague (Gregorova 2115/10, 148 00 Praha 4–Chodov) https://www.hotel-globus.cz/cs/
Participants: ~15–20 (domain experts + early-career researchers)

About the hackathon

The Nucleic Acid Structure Annotation & Prediction Hackathon brings together a small group of domain experts and early-career researchers to tackle two bottlenecks: fragmented annotation/validation tooling and insufficient representation of non-canonical base pairs in RNA prediction. Over three focused days, we will co-develop interoperable formats, integrated (reproducible) workflows, and benchmark case studies, producing outputs intended for community reuse and follow-on dissemination.

What we will work on

Workstream 1 — Unified annotation & validation workflow
Integrate key annotation and validation steps into a single workflow with consistent, standardised outputs, demonstrated on agreed case studies.

Workstream 2 — RNA prediction and non-canonical base pairs
Define or refine interoperable 2D + mmCIF representations of canonical and non-canonical base pairs, and use them to support benchmarking and case studies for prediction approaches.

Expected outcomes

By the end of the hackathon we aim to have:

• A runnable prototype workflow for annotation/validation demonstrated on agreed inputs
• A documented format/spec + examples covering non-canonical base pairs (2D + mmCIF mapping)
• A brief benchmarking summary and a prioritized roadmap of next steps
• A public repository with README, usage notes, and a write-up outline

Who should apply

We welcome participants who work on nucleic-acid structural biology, tool development, annotation/validation, RNA structure prediction, data standards (e.g., mmCIF), benchmarking, or reproducible workflow practices. The event is designed for a balanced mix of domain experts and early-career researchers.

Registration

Please register via the registration form.

https://forms.gle/PWbaPSEobkxPY6uQ8

Because the event is intentionally small (~15–20 participants), registration will be followed by a selection/confirmation step.

Deadlines

• Registration deadline: 2 March 2026
• Confirmation of participation by: 11 March 2026

Venue, accommodation, and travel

The hackathon will take place at Hotel Globus, Prague.

Accommodation will be arranged for non-local participants at the venue hotel (details provided to confirmed participants).
Travel guidance and reimbursement/support details will be shared directly with accepted participants.

Preliminary schedule

Wednesday, 27 May: arrivals/registration, kickoff, team formation & sprint planning; evening group dinner

Thursday, 28 May: build + integration + testing/benchmarking; evening consolidation

Friday, 29 May: finalize outputs, demos, and next steps; departure

(Confirmed participants will receive a detailed agenda and onboarding pack closer to the event.)

Pre-hackathon onboarding

To help teams hit the ground running, we are aligning with reproducible workflow practices (including Nextflow/nf-core concepts). Practical onboarding materials/requirements will be shared with confirmed participants.

Contact

For questions, please contact the organizers:

Lada Biedermannová (IBT): lada.biedermannova@ibt.cas.cz