ISMB 2026 Proceedings submissions
are now one month away 

Each year, ISMB Proceedings showcase new, unpublished research that helps shape the future of computational biology! 

With just a month to go, we encourage authors to submit early to allow themselves time for final checks and revisions ahead of the deadline.

All accepted ISMB Proceedings papers are published in an open-access Bioinformatics special issue, reaching readers across the global computational biology community.

Submission deadline: Tuesday, January 20, 2026

Click the button below for full details on topic areas, submission guidelines, and publication information.

We look forward to seeing the work you bring to ISMB 2026 and to sharing another outstanding Proceedings issue with the community!

Share your expertise with the global computational biology community!

There is just one week left to submit a tutorial proposal for ISMB 2026. If you’re planning to contribute, now is the time to finalize your materials.

Tutorials provide hands-on training and in-depth exploration of established or emerging topics in computational biology. They help attendees deepen their skills, gain practical experience, and learn directly from leaders in the field. 

Strong proposals offer a balanced perspective, combining clear instruction with interactive components that engage participants and support meaningful learning.

Submission deadline: Thursday, December 18, 2025

Don’t wait to share your expertise with an international audience of researchers, educators, and practitioners!

Click here for full submission details and to submit your proposal.

This is a reminder that nominations for the 2026 class of ISCB Fellows will close in one week, at 6:00 AM EST on December 15.

The ISCB Fellows Program recognizes members who have made outstanding contributions to computational biology and bioinformatics. Each year, our community plays a key role in identifying colleagues whose scientific excellence, service, leadership, and impact deserve recognition on an international stage.

If you want to nominate a colleague, now is the time to gather and finalize your materials! A complete nomination includes a brief statement, an extended endorsement of the nominee’s scientific and community contributions, annotated publications, names of 3–5 qualified endorsers, and a CV. Endorsers will receive an automatic request from ISCB once the nomination is submitted, so please notify them in advance.

Thank you for helping us honor the individuals who continue to advance our field and strengthen the ISCB community!

Nomination Deadline: Monday, December 15, 2025 at 6:00am EST

In this issue:

Featured jobs:

• Director, National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS), NIH

Career Compass Featured Jobs

Director, National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS), NIH

Job description: The National Institutes of Health (NIH), the world’s premier biomedical research institution, is seeking applications from exceptional candidates for the exciting position of Director, National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS). The Director, NIGMS, provides leadership, and administers, fosters, and supports research in the basic and general medical sciences and in related natural or behavioral sciences. The Director develops Institute goals, priorities, policies, and program activities, and keeps the Director, NIH, abreast of NIGMS developments, accomplishments, and needs as they relate to the overall mission of the NIH. In exercising the Director’s responsibilities for program planning, implementation and evaluation, the incumbent works with and seeks the advice of a wide range of groups within the scientific community including investigators, institutions, scientific societies, and relevant commercial organizations.

The Director is responsible for managing a high-level, complex organization and serving as the chief visionary for the Institute. The Director actively engages others to create a shared vision of the purpose and direction of the organization and works collaboratively within the Institute, across the NIH, and with external entities to generate, gain commitment for, and accomplish NIGMS goals. The Director must demonstrate a keen awareness of the workings of the public sector and successfully navigate with that environment to promote and reach NIGMS and NIH objectives. To carry out its mission, the NIGMS has a staff of approximately 220 employees and an annual budget of approximately $3.2 billion.

The Director position is open for application from Friday, November 7, 2025 – Friday, December 12, 2025. Additional information on the position and the application process can be found here: Director, National Institute of General Medical Sciences | Office of Human Resources

Reflecting on Your Career Journey

Looking back at the projects you completed, the skills you strengthened, and the challenges you navigated can reveal valuable insights about your growth over the past year. This kind of intentional reflection can help you enter next year with renewed clarity!

Look Back with Clear Intent

Begin by reviewing your key accomplishments. Think about what energized you most and what drained your motivation. Those patterns can reveal a lot about where you want to go next.

It may also be helpful to consider how your responsibilities changed throughout the year and what might need adjusting. Did new opportunities push you in a direction that aligns with your long-term goals? Did your role shift in ways that no longer fit the path you want to pursue?

And don’t forget feedback. Revisiting any formal or informal feedback you received can reveal recurring themes that may offer valuable insight into your professional trajectory.

Taking time to reflect with intention lays the foundation for thoughtful goal-setting in the year ahead!

Assess Your Growth and Gaps

It’s great to note the areas where you made meaningful progress, but also to note those skills and areas that still feel underdeveloped. These gaps are opportunities to shape your next steps with intention!

It’s also helpful to think about how the field itself is evolving. Emerging methods, technologies, and research priorities can signal where future skill development will be most valuable. By grounding your reflection in both your own growth and broader industry trends, you can build a more strategic view of where to focus your efforts next year.

Set Strategic Goals for the Coming Year

With a clearer picture of your growth and gaps, you can better prioritize a small number of meaningful, measurable goals that help ensure your efforts stay focused and achievable.

Once you’ve identified your top priorities, break each one into actionable steps or smaller goals. Aim for goals that are specific, feasible, and tied directly to your long-term growth.

Finally, allow your goals to evolve as the year unfolds. Goals and growth plans don’t have to be written in stone! Treat your plan as a flexible roadmap that’s clear enough to guide your efforts and adaptable enough to grow with you.

Strengthen Your Support System

As you plan for the year ahead, think about the people and communities that can help you stay motivated. Identifying mentors, collaborators, or peers who can offer guidance or encouragement as you work toward your goals is a great starting point!

It’s also a good time to look at your professional network and consider how it supports your goals. Strengthening existing relationships or seeking out new ones can open doors to fresh ideas and opportunities, especially when you engage with broader communities both in person and online. And if you’re active in digital spaces, this is a great moment to make sure your professional profiles are current and reflect where you’re headed next.

Final Thoughts

As you look ahead to a new year, give yourself credit for the progress you’ve made and the resilience you’ve shown along the way! Thoughtful reflection highlights the strengths, habits, and insights you’re carrying forward. Use what you’ve learned this year to shape realistic goals, build on your momentum, and approach the coming months with a sense of direction. If you’re looking for a little guidance or your next opportunity, Revisit the ISCB Competency Framework to guide your skill development, browse ISCBacademy webinars to deepen your expertise, and keep an eye on upcoming conferences and submission deadlines!

Career and personal growth is an ongoing process, and each year offers a chance to refine your path.

Thank you for being a part of the ISCB community this past year. Here’s to a productive 2026!

Want Your Job Featured in the Next Career Compass?

You can get your job featured in the Career Compass newsletter by selecting this option when you post a new job!

To do so, follow these steps:

1. Sign in to the ISCB Career Center.

2. From your Profile page or My Job Posts page, click the blue “Post a Job” button.

3. On the next page, select option 2 that mentions the monthly marketing with Career Compass.

4. Complete the required payment for the Career Compass upgrade.

5. Fill out your job post details.

6. Click “Submit” to post your job on the ISCB Career Center.

7. Keep an eye out for the next Career Compass newsletter to see your job there, too!

There’s one week left to submit your nominations for the 2026 ISCB Awards

Each year, ISCB awards shine a light on the remarkable work being done across our community. They honor the researchers, mentors, innovators, and leaders whose contributions strengthen and advance the field of computational biology. 

As the deadline approaches, we invite you to reflect on the colleagues, collaborators, and mentors whose work deserves recognition, and consider them for one of the four annual ISCB Awards:

ISCB Accomplishments by a Senior Scientist Award
Honors a scientist more than two decades post-degree whose long-standing leadership and research have made major contributions to the field.

ISCB Innovator Award
Recognizes a leading scientist 10–20 years post-degree (or equivalent experience) whose work demonstrates consistent, outstanding contributions and forward-thinking innovation in computational biology.

ISCB Outstanding Service Award
Celebrates exceptional service, leadership, mentoring, or community contributions that have meaningfully strengthened the computational biology community.

ISCB Overton Prize
Recognizes an early- to mid-career scientist who has already made a significant contribution to computational biology.

If someone in your community has inspired you, supported your work, or helped advance the field through their leadership, creativity, or service, we encourage you to submit a nomination

Submission Deadline: Monday, December 8, 2025

The 2026 CBHC Awards are accepting nominations to recognize outstanding contributions across Canada’s bioinformatics, computational biology, and data science community!

Who’s Eligible

Nominees must work in bioinformatics, computational biology, or data science (BCBDS) in Canada, be based at a Canadian institution, and not have received the same award within the last five years. Self-nominations are welcome.

Award Categories

• CBH Research and Innovation Award: For early- and mid-career professionals advancing impactful, creative, and forward-looking work in bioinformatics, computational biology, and data science.
  
• Francis Ouellette Community Award: For early- and mid-career professionals strengthening the Canadian BCBDS community through leadership, inclusivity, open science, and shared resources.
• CBH Impact Trainee Award: For trainees making exceptional research or community contributions aligned with either award above.

Prize

One-year ISCB membership (courtesy of CBH) plus either $500 or an additional three years of ISCB membership.

Nomination Deadline: Monday, December 8, 2025