Computational Molecular Biology and Machine Learning Workshop Machine Learning Conference 1994 Program Committee: Michiel Noordewier (Rutgers University) Lindley Darden (Rockefeller University) Description and Focus --------------------- This workshop will focus on the application of methods from machine learning to the promising problem area of molecular biology. A goal is to consolidate a machine learning faction in the emerging field of computational biology. One problem area is identified as genetic sequence search and analysis, and protein structure prediction. Biological sequences have become a ready source of sample data for machine learning approaches to classification. Recently such sequences have also provided problems for sophisticated pattern recognition paradigms, including those borrowed from computational linguistics, Bayesian methods, and artificial neural networks. This workshop will bring together workers using such diverse approaches, and will focus on the rich set of problems presented by the recent availability of extensive biological sequence information. Another area of applicability of ML techniques to molecular biology is in the application of computational discovery methods. Such methods are employed for forming, ranking, evaluating, and improving hypotheses. Learning strategies using analogies or homologies among molecules or processes from different organisms or species are also of interest. The format of the workshop will be the presentation of short papers followed by panel discussions. Submission Requirements ----------------------- Persons wishing to attend the workshop should submit three copies of a 1-2 page research summary including a list of relevant publications, along with a phone number and an electronic mail address. Persons wishing to make presentations at the workshop should submit three copies of a short paper (no more than 10 pages) or extended abstract, in addition to the research summary. All submissions must be received by May 1, 1994. Notification of acceptance or rejection will be mailed to applicants by May 15, 1994. A set of working notes will be distributed at the workshop. Camera ready copies of papers accepted for inclusion in the working notes of the workshop will be due on June, 15, 1994. The timetable is as follows: Abstracts, papers, etc due to chair 1 May Decisions made, submitters get feedback 15 May Final working-note submissions rcv'd by chair 15 June workshop date 10 July, 1994