YEREVAN, Armenia — On November 2, 2024, the American University of Armenia (AUA) Zaven P. & Sonia Akian College of Science and Engineering (CSE), in partnership with Optic Inc., will host the largest-ever BioML Hackathon in Armenia. The hackathon will bring together participants interested in training machine learning (ML) models with mentorship from industry leaders, including Denovo Sciences, Amaros AI, Optic Inc., and BostonGene.
The hackathon aims to address some of the most critical challenges in biomedicine, offering participants the opportunity to work on real-world problems with live datasets. The primary focus of the hackathon will be drug discovery, where participants will train a machine-learning model to predict whether a compound can inhibit a critical protein. Reflecting on the significance and purpose of the hackathon, Dr. Habet Madoyan, CSE Bachelor of Science in Data Science program chair, remarks: “This is a joint event with local and international companies operating in the fields of BioML and drug discovery. The goal is to spark interest in these areas among the general public and create a platform for future collaboration.”
The hackathon welcomes participants with ML experience in teams of one to three members, with no requirement of chemical knowledge. The competition will kick off with a lecture on training ML models using molecular data, followed by hands-on practice. By developing advanced predictive models, participants will contribute to reducing cardiotoxicity risks and boosting the success rate of clinical trials. Following the review, a panel of judges will determine the best solutions.
Under the sponsorship of Optics Inc., the hackathon will offer a total prize pool of $2000. The hackathon prizes include a $1000 Amazon gift card for first place, a $600 Amazon gift card for second place, and a $400 Amazon gift card for third place. Simon Steshin, deep learning researcher at Optic Inc. and one of the organizers, highlights the further impact the hackathon will bring, “A lot of drug development campaigns halt because dangerous side effects are discovered. We could bring new medicine if we detect those side effects in the early stages.”
Registration to join the hackathon is open to everyone interested by October 29. Please register here.
Founded in 1991, the American University of Armenia (AUA) is a private, independent university located in Yerevan, Armenia, affiliated with the University of California, and accredited by the WASC Senior College and University Commission in the United States. AUA provides local and international students with Western-style education through top-quality undergraduate and graduate degree and certificate programs, promotes research and innovation, encourages civic engagement and community service, and fosters democratic values.
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