Open Targets Hackathon
Celebrating 10 Years
The Open Targets Platform turns 10 this year! Join us in person or online for a two-day hackathon connecting scientists, developers, and the bioinformatics community to explore data, analyses and tools for target discovery. Registrations will open in June.
About the Hackathon
Celebrating a decade of innovation in target identification and prioritisation for drug discovery
The hackathon aims to encourage interdisciplinary solutions for target discovery challenges, accelerate research by leveraging Open Targets Platform data, and foster collaboration between academic, industry, and technology communities.
The event is open to anyone, but please be aware that any output from the hackathon must be released under a CC-BY license, and available for commercial usage (APACHE2). It is your responsibility to check that you are able to participate under these terms.
What is the Open Targets Platform?
The Open Targets Platform (https://platform.opentargets.org/) is a comprehensive tool that supports systematic identification and prioritisation of potential therapeutic drug targets.
The Platform integrates publicly available datasets to build and score target-disease associations, assisting in drug target identification and prioritisation. Through our statistical genetics pipeline, we provide the largest and most comprehensive systematic analysis of common variation in humans.
Collaborative Innovation
Work alongside experts from academia, industry, and the Open Targets team to solve real-world challenges in drug discovery.
Real-World Impact
Create solutions that could directly influence drug discovery pipelines and methodologies used by researchers globally.
Hybrid Format
Participate in-person at the Wellcome Genome Campus or join remotely from anywhere in the world.
Mentorship Opportunities
Receive guidance from leading experts in genomics, drug discovery, and bioinformatics throughout the event.
Community Building
Connect with like-minded individuals, expand your professional network, and forge collaborations that extend beyond the hackathon.
Event Timeline
Key dates and milestones for our 10th anniversary hackathon
Project Call Opens
Submit your project ideas and proposals for the hackathon
Registration Opens
Secure your spot for either in-person or virtual participation
Registration Deadline
Registration closes at 23.59 anywhere in the world
Hackathon Begins
Day 1 of the hackathon featuring kickoff, team formation, and initial coding
Final Presentations
Project demos, judging, and award ceremony
In-Person Location
Wellcome Genome Campus
Hinxton, Cambridge CB10 1SD
United
Kingdom
Virtual Participation
All sessions will be streamed live via Zoom
Access details
will be shared with registered participants
Project Submission
Guidelines and categories for hackathon projects
Submission Guidelines
- Projects should centre around target discovery. We encourage you to explore, extend, or creatively apply the Open Targets Platform data, interface, or pipelines, but you are welcome to submit any project idea that fits the target discovery theme
- All code must be made available on GitHub under an open-source license (CC-BY/APACHE2)
- You can earmark your project for your team, or leave it open to others
- Virtual team members can collaborate with in-person participants
Example Project Categories
Projects focused on integrating new data sources or improving existing data integration pipelines.
Interactive visualisations, dashboards, or novel ways to explore Open Targets data.
Machine learning models for target prioritisation, prediction tasks, or automated analysis.
New features, tools, or modules that can integrate into the existing Platform.
Registration
Registrations will open on 30 June
In-Person Benefits
- Direct mentoring by the Open Targets team and industry experts
- Beginners welcome: develop your skills with hands-on learning
- Network and collaborate with other participants
- Catered meals and snacks throughout the day
In-Person Registration Details
Deadline: October 12, 2025
Fee: Free (sponsored by Open Targets consortium).
Capacity: Limited to 40 participants
Travel and accommodation: Participants are responsible for organising and funding their travel and accommodation expenses.
Virtual Benefits
- Access to all livestreamed sessions
- Dedicated virtual rooms for team collaboration
- Online Q&A with experts and mentors
Virtual Registration Details
Deadline: October 12, 2025
Fee: Free (sponsored by Open Targets consortium)
Requirements: Reliable internet connection, webcam, and microphone for full participation in collaborative activities.
Time Zones: Main sessions will be scheduled to accommodate multiple time zones when possible. All sessions will be recorded for asynchronous viewing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about the Open Targets Hackathon
Still have questions? Feel free to reach out to us directly.
Contact UsGet In Touch
Have questions about the hackathon? We're here to help!
Contact Information
Our team is available to answer any questions about the hackathon, Open Targets Platform, or how you can get involved.
Discussion Forum
Address
Open Targets
Wellcome Genome Campus
Hinxton, Cambridge CB10 1SD
United Kingdom
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