- What is ISCB?
- Who do I contact for information on the conference?
- Where will the conference be held?
- Is there a map of the venue?
- What Hotel is being used for the conference?
- Are Children allowed at the conference?
- Will child care be available?
- Can grant funds be used for child care when employees of grantee institutions attend project-related conferences and meetings?
- How do I get from the airport to my hotel? How can I travel around the city?
- What attractions and sightseeing opportunities are available?
- What restaurants are close to the venue or my hotel?
- Are there any special discounts available for attendees?
- What is the local Time Zone?
- What is the Climate?
- Where can I find medical/emergency information?
- How can I pay to register?
- Where do I register when I arrive?
- What should I do if I lose something at the conference venue?
- What is the policy of photography or image capture?
- What are the hashtags for the conference?
Q: What is ISCB?
A: The International Society for Computational Biology (ISCB) is the parent organization of the annual Great Lakes Bioinformatics (GLBIO) Conference. The ISCB is dedicated to advancing the scientific understanding of living systems through computation. The ISCB communicates the significance of our science to the larger scientific community, governments, and the public at large. The ISCB serves a global membership by impacting government and scientific policies, providing high quality publications and meetings, and through distribution of valuable information about training, education, employment and relevant news from related fields. ISCB membership offers many benefits including reduced conference registration fees to several high impact events and reduced subscription prices for a selection of journals of Computational Biology and Bioinformatics. Members are from more than 50 countries and include over 800 students and nearly 500 post doctoral researchers.
Q: Who do I contact for information on the conference?
A: You can get information on the conference from:
Bel Hanson
ISCB Director of Operations & Programs
Phone: +1-571-293-2113
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Justine Morris
ISCB Coordinator of Operations & Programs
Phone: +1-571-293-2113
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Q: Where will the conference be held?
A: The conference will be held at the University of Pittsburgh:
University of Pittsburgh
4200 Fifth Avenue
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (PA)
15260
www.pitt.edu
Q: Is there a map of the venue?
A: Yes, you can download a PDF here.
Q: What Hotel is being used for the conference?
A: The GLBIO organizers have multiple conference hotel rooms and discounted rates available for rooms close to the conference venue - for details visit this link.
Q: Are Children allowed at the conference?
A: ISCB conferences are professional events. Children of registered ISCB conference attendees are welcome to attend the conference with their parent or guardian, as long as younger children are under the supervision of a parent or guardian at all times. Parents or guardians may bring children to educational events provided the child does not disrupt the event.
Q: Will child care be available at?
A: Yes, child care arrangements will be available through a professional child care service - more details will be available soon on how to register for this service.
Q: How do I get from the airport to my hotel? How can I travel around the city?
A: Pittsburgh Regional Transit (PRT) is the public transit agency for the greater Pittsburgh area, providing a variety of transportation options including bus, light rail, incline and paratransit service. You can find more information here.
Uber and Lyft are also popular services in the area and can provide you with an affordable ride. Cab Services and Parking Tips can be found in this additional link here. An accessibility guide if needed can be found here.
The two hotels in our block both have parking that can be added to your reservation (this can occur when you arrive and does not need to be pre-arranged). If you are not staying at one of those two properties, you can view other parking options here.
The closest airport to the University of Pittsburgh is Pittsburgh International Airport, which is approximately 20 miles (32 kilometers) away.
Q: What attractions and sightseeing opportunities are available?
A: Pittsburgh is located in western Pennsylvania at the junction of 3 rivers. It is a unique, vibrant city with a small-town feel but a wide variety of wonderful sights and attractions to enjoy. These include Arts & Culture, Sports, Annual Events & Festivals, Celebrations of Diversity, and even Free Events!
A full visitor’s guide can be found here.
And here are some fun facts about Pittsburgh to read at your leisure!
Q: What restaurants are close to the venue or my hotel?
A: You can find a list here. When searching, you can click ‘Near Address’ under the ‘Sort By’ heading and find what is closest to a specific location, or click ‘Near Me’ and it will use your GPS location. You can also search by keyword or cuisine.
Q: Are there any special discounts available for attendees?
A: VisitPittsburgh has created the “Show Your Badge” program for conference visitors to enjoy offers and discounts from partnered businesses and attractions. You can find more information on that program here.
Q: What is the local Time Zone?
A: Eastern Standard Time (EST) applies in Pennsylvania, USA.
Q: What is the climate?
A: The month of May in Pittsburgh has an average low temperature of 52°F (11°C) and an average high temperature of 72°F (22°C). Attendees should consider bringing a light jacket or raincoat in case of spring rain showers.
Q: Where can I find medical or emergency information?
A: More than 500 emergency phones are available throughout the Pittsburgh campus. Many phones are located outdoors and identified by a blue light. Once you press the phone's red emergency button, it will automatically register your location and connect you directly to University police.
You can also contact University Police via 412-624-2121 (emergencies) or 412-624-4040 (non-emergencies). For all medical emergencies, fire emergencies, or situations requiring the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police, please call 911.
All phone numbers are also listed here.
Q: How can I pay to register?
A: Delegates can pay on line during registration using a Visa, MasterCard or American Express credit card. Delegates wishing to pay using a wire transfer would create an invoice at time of registration and then contract the conference registrar for instructions.
Q: Where do I register when I arrive?
A: Conference Registration is available from Monday, May 13th to Thursday, May 16th at the University of Pittsburgh.
REGISTRATION DESK HOURS – May 13 – 16
University of Pittsburgh - Watch for signage
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Monday, May 13 |
7:30 AM – 5:30 PM |
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Tuesday, May 14 |
8:00 AM – 5:00 PM |
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Wednesday, May 15 |
8:00 AM – 5:00 PM |
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Thursday, May 16 |
8:00 AM – 3:00 PM |
Q: What should I do if I lose something at the conference venue?
A: A conference lost and found will be located at the conference information booth located at the University of Pittsburgh.
Q: What is the policy of photography or image capture?
A: ISCB encourages open sharing of science. As an author, you have the right to restrict the use of photography or any other form of capture of your research. If you do not wish to allow others to share your research, simply disclose this at the start of your oral presentation or add a note to your poster.
Q: What are the hashtags for the conference?
A: The hashtag is #GLBIO or #GLBIO2024. @ISCB is the ISCB Twitter/X handle.
We strongly encourage the use of Twitter/X at the conference to disseminate information. ISCB kindly requests that you observe the Conference Code of Conduct when tweeting. If you have a specific complaint, suggestion, or comment related to conference logistics, audio, heating and cooling, bathroom cleanliness, etc, we kindly request that you communicate your wish to a volunteer wearing an ISCB shirt, go to the conference registration desk, or an ISCB team member. Due to limited resources and the demands of managing the conference ISCB is unable to monitor Twitter/X fully and may miss an improvement request.