BioFM 2026
The 2^nd International Workshop on
Foundation Models for Biology and Bioinnovation
12-15 November, 2026
Shenyang, China
The IEEE International Conference on Data Mining (ICDM'26)

Workshop Sponsors

   

Welcome

The rapid advancement of AI and machine learning has led to the emergence of foundation models; large-scale pre-trained models that can be adapted for various tasks. In the biological sciences, foundation models are transforming genomics, drug discovery, and personalized medicine by leveraging vast datasets and improving predictive accuracy. The BioFM 2026 workshop will explore how foundation models can drive bioinnovation, enhance biomedical research, and contribute to breakthroughs in healthcare. This workshop will serve as a platform to discuss recent advancements, challenges, and applications of foundation models in biology. We aim to bring together experts from academia, industry, and government institutions to share insights and foster collaborations that advance AI-driven bioinnovation.

We invite researchers and practitioners to submit high-quality contributions on topics including but not limited to:

Call For Papers

Theme 1: Foundation Models in Life Sciences

• Pretrained models for genomics, proteomics, single-cell, and spatial omics
• AI-driven analysis of molecular structures and interactions
• Multi-omics data integration at scale
• ProcessGPT
• Intelligent Knowledge Lakes

Theme 2: AI in Drug Discovery and Personalized Medicine

• Generative models for novel protein and small-molecule design
• Clinical trial optimisation and digital twinning
• Biomarker discovery and computational phenotypin
• Precision medicine using large-scale biological models

Theme 3: Large Language Models (LLMs) for Biology

• LLMs for literature mining and knowledge extraction
• Foundation models for diagnostic reasoning and treatment development
• Applications of large-scale pretrained models to support clinical decision-making
• Automated hypothesis generation for novel therapeutic pathways
• Automated hypothesis generation using LLMs
• Enhancing scientific discovery with natural language processing

Theme 4: Big Data in Biology

• Scalable data management for biological datasets
• AI-driven insights from high-throughput screening and sequencing
• Real-time analytics for epidemiological modelling, population genetics
• Managing large-scale biological datasets efficiently

Theme 5: Ethics, Trustworthiness, and Regulatory Challenges

• Explainability and interpretability in AI-driven biology
• Ethical considerations and regulatory challenges in AI for healthcare
• Privacy-preserving foundation models for bioinformatics and digital medicine
• Fairness and bias in AI-driven healthcare

Theme 6: Multimodal Learning and Knowledge Integration

• Integration of text, images, genomics data, and clinical records
• Knowledge graphs and AI for biomedical reasoning
• Foundation models for epidemiology and public health

Theme 7: Industry Applications of AI in Biology

• AI-driven diagnostics and decision support systems
• AI-powered laboratory automation and high-throughput screening
• Real-world case studies from biotech and pharmaceutical indus
• AI in agricultural biotechnology and food security
• We welcome original research papers, case studies, and visionary position papers that explore the role of foundation models in advancing biological sciences and healthcare.

Workshop's Previous Editions:

• The 1st International Workshop on Foundation Models for Biology and Bioinnovation, 12-15 November 2025, Washington DC, USA

Paper Submission Instructions

Authors are invited to submit original papers that have not been published elsewhere and are not currently under consideration for another journal, conference, or workshop. Please notice the followings:

• A paid registration is required for every accepted workshop paper, regardless of whether the author presents in person or via video.
• All accepted papers (main conference and workshops) must have at least one registered author.
• Non-archival submissions for workshops are not allowed, i.e., all accepted papers will be included and published in the proceedings.

Paper should be limited to a maximum of ten (10) pages, in the IEEE 2-column format (https://www.ieee.org/conferences/publishing/templates.html), including the references and any possible appendices. Submissions longer than 10 pages will be rejected without review. All submissions will be triple-blind reviewed by the Program Committee on the basis of technical quality, relevance to scope of the conference, originality, significance, and clarity. The following sections give further information for authors.

Manuscripts must be submitted electronically through the ICDM 2026 online submission system.
Please note: when submitting, make sure to select the track “The 2^nd International Workshop on Foundation Models for Biology and Bioinnovation (BioFM 2026)”.

Important Dates

• Paper Submission Deadline: September 5, 2026
• Paper Notification Deadline: September 18, 2026
• Early Bird Registration Deadline: TBC
• Camera-ready Deadline: October 5, 2026
• Workshop date Tentatively on Nov 12, 2026

Workshop Organizers

Workshop Program

Program Committee