1. Registration for the program is open beginning 18 May 2010. Entries must be received by 15 Mar 2011 5 p.m. pacific time.
2. Registration is free.
3. Each entry must be registered in the name of only one institute/company. Multiple individuals, groups, or institutes may be represented through that single registration, but only one contact must be named. For example, several individuals or institutions can band together and participate as a team, as long as there is a designated team leader who can serve as a primary point of contact with Illumina. Only the registered institution/company will receive the actual award from Illumina. It is up to the entering entity to determine how allocation of any award or recognition will be made among individual team members. Illumina is not responsible for resolving disputes among team members.
4. A registrant must select either the Academic field or the Commercial field at the time of registration. This cannot be changed later on.
5. Academic field registrants include: universities and research institutes, whether government, private, profit or non-profit, where the primary purpose and objective of the institute is education and/or the advancement of science, medicine, or health. The Commercial field includes all other registrants. In the event Illumina determines, in its sole discretion, that a registrant more appropriately belongs in the other category, then Illumina may place such registrant in such category at any time. The registrant will be notified of the change; Illumina’s decision is final.
6. The person submitting the registration must obtain all required authorizations and permissions from his/her institution/company and ensure that entering into the iDEA Challenge does not and will not violate any of the institution/company’s rules, policies, or procedures.
7. A registrant must select one of the following categories for its entry: Most Creative Algorithm, Most Creative Visualization, or Both Most Creative Algorithm and Visualization.
8. Regardless of the category specified by the registrant, the entry may be judged for both categories as well as for the overall winner category. Entries are eligible for more than one award within the designated field.
9. A registrant can submit more than one entry. Each will be judged separately. However, several entries that represent small variations of the same theme will not improve your chances and Illumina reserves the right to discard entries that it determines, in its sole discretion, represent only small variations of the same theme from a registrant’s prior entry.
10. If you wish to withdraw you entry from consideration, please contact the organizers immediately, but note that materials, once submitted, may not be returned.
11. Please contact the organizers if you have any questions.

1. A written abstract containing an overview or brief description of the visualization and/or algorithm as well as a proposed means of implementing it.
2. A brief written explanation of what is new about the submission and how it improves the scientific utility of the data.
3. Illustrations, graphics or examples.

1. In order to be eligible for consideration, ALL materials must be received by Illumina no later than 5 p.m. pacific time 15 Mar 2011.
2. All materials must be submitted to Illumina electronically at the following email address iDEA_Organizers@Illumina.com. If you desire to send additional materials by separate means that may be bulky or too large to email, then please contact the organizers to make separate arrangement; provided that, the materials must be received by the same deadline out of fairness to the other entrants.
3. Illumina is not responsible for entries that are not received by 5 p.m. pacific time 15 Mar 2011 or that are received incomplete regardless of reason or fault.
4. Once submitted to Illumina, the materials cannot be returned.
5. Registrants will retain any and all intellectual property they hold or assert. No rights will be acquired or obtained by Illumina.
6. Please contact the organizers if you have any questions about the entry requirements.

1. The very nature of the subject matter and the current state of the art with respect to data analysis and visualization tools mean that the judging of the entries will be highly subjective. Accordingly, the judges will have full discretion and the ultimate say in determining the winner in each of the categories and the overall winners for the Academic and Commercial fields.
2. The following is a rough guide to be used by the judges. However, as the judges are the experts in the field, they will have the absolute discretion in determining the winners. The guide contains criteria with each criterion given a certain number of points based upon its relative importance.
1. Utility refers to both accessibility to biological information found in Illumina data and the insight gleaned into biological function found in Illumina data.
2. Typical scientist refers to a trained biological scientist, such as a geneticist or a biologist with some computing experience, but not knowledgeable in UNIX. The Typical Scientist is not a bioinformatics expert.
3. Present refers to June 2010

Criteria Applicable to Both Most Creative Visualization and Most Creative Algorithm



Points	Criterion	Commentary
40	Magnitude of the intellectual advance over the Present state of the art.
20	Novelty or uniqueness of the entry.	Novel ideas are encouraged over an incremental improvement over existing techniques.
15	Utility to the Typical Scientist.	Broadly useful strategies are more useful and favored over those that have narrow or obscure applicability.
15	Intuitiveness of results presented to the user of the Algorithm or Visualization.	Entries that allow Illumina data to be grasped and understood by a wider audience, even beyond the Typical Scientist are encouraged.
10	Integration of data.	Entries that utilize the variety of data types (mRNA-Seq, Methylation, etc.) found in the Illumina data are encouraged.
100 Point Total



Overall Winner
These additional criteria will be used in determining the Overall Winner.



Points	Criterion	Commentary
20	Running software.	The extent to which the entry is operational and requires no additional development to implement
15	Usability of the interface.	An interface that can be used by the Typical Scientist without scripting or UNIX command line operations is preferred.
5	Stand-alone.	An entry that does not require other specialized commercial software to implement, such as MathLab is preferred.
5	Commodity hardware.	Entries that run on commonly available hardware such as a PC or Mac or the equivalent are favored.
5	Illumina data formats.	Entries that operate with data in Illumina’s data formats are preferable. Accordingly, solutions that do not require significant up-front data re-formatting are favored.
50 Point Total



3. The winner in each of the categories will be chosen by a majority vote of the judges, using whatever preliminary criteria or methods they may elect to narrow the field, select a group of finalists, etc. A judge will not be allowed to participate in the evaluation of an entry if that judge’s institution or a member of the institution submitted or participated in the entry.

1. The entrant whose submission is declared the Overall Winner in the Academic field will receive:
   1. A public announcement of the award
   2. A $50,000 grant awarded to the institution, subject to normal terms and conditions and subject to the institution and Illumina entering into a mutually acceptable written agreement concerning the grant. The grant must be earmarked to continue and further the development of the algorithm and/or visualization entry for which it was awarded. Any issues or disputes will be resolved by Illumina in its reasonable discretion.
   3. Inscribed award
2. Academic field entries selected as Most Creative Algorithm and Most Creative Visualization will receive recognition awards.
3. The entrant whose submission is declared the Overall Winner in the Commercial field will:
   1. a. Receive a public announcement of the award.
   2. b. Be offered a 1 year co-marketing package that will consist of:
      1. A seal designating the award. For example "Winner: Illumina Most Creative Software Award 2011."
      2. Visibility on Illumina Web site.
      3. Printed materials for distribution by both parties.
      4. Additional marketing activities such as may be agreed between Illumina and the overall winner.
   3. c. The co-marketing package is subject to the winner and Illumina entering into a mutually acceptable written agreement concerning the co-marketing relationship.
4. Commercial field entries selected as Most Creative Algorithm and Most Creative Visualization will receive recognition awards and may, subject to further mutual agreement, be awarded a seal so designating.
5. As a condition of prize awards, Illumina may require potential winning registrants to provide Illumina with a written release granting Illumina the right to publicize and exploit the submitted materials in connection with Illumina marketing.
   
   A registrant that the judges have designated as a winner but that does not execute a written agreement required by Illumina under the terms of these Official Rules may, in Illumina’s sole discretion, be disqualified (and prize forfeited) and the judges asked to select an alternate winner
   
   Potential winners will be contacted on June 1, 2011 at the email address provided.
   
   Winners will be posted on this website as they become available.

iDEA dataset now available online

1. We will provide a returnable hard drive with the dataset. Only one drive will be provided per registrant.
2. The samples consist of breast epithelial ER- and ER+ cell lines derived from normal cells, solid tumors and metastases.
3. The samples were processed and the following data extracted:
   1. RNA-Seq
   2. Directional RNA-Seq
   3. Small RNA
   4. DNA Methylation
   5. Genomic DNA
4. A detailed description of the data will be provided along with the data set.
5. Illumina will bear the cost of shipping the dataset to registrant's address.
6. Datasets will be available approximately June 15, 2010 to Feb 15, 2011.

For more information on the iDEA Challenge data, watch a webinar of Gary Schroth describing the various datasets. *

*Webex player required. Download it here.

1. The person registering agrees that he/she has read, understands and agrees to be bound by all of the Official Rules.
2. By registering, the person registering personally represents and warrants that he/she has obtained all required authorizations and permissions from his/her institution/company, that entering into this Program does not and will not violate any of institution/company’s rules, policies, or procedures, and that the institution/company has agreed to be bound by all of the Official Rules.
3. Illumina is not responsible for the actions or decisions of the Registrants, Registrant’s employees, agents, or team members or the Judges.
4. Illumina reserves the right to discontinue or modify this Program at any time for any reason. In such event, Illumina will post a notice on this website. In the event of discontinuance, Illumina will have no liability to any existing or possible registrant or its employees, agents, or team members for such cancellation or modification.
5. Illumina may refuse to provide a financial award if Illumina determines in its sole discretion that the provision of such award would likely result in a violation of an applicable law, rule, or policy.
6. Registrant for itself and on behalf of its employees, agents, and each team member for which it is registering hereby irrevocably authorizes Illumina to copy, exhibit, publish, and distribute images, audio, video, and other works of every kind based upon the submissions, oral discussions, and presentations, solely for Illumina’s marketing purposes. Registrant hereby releases and holds harmless Illumina and forever discharges Illumina from any and all claims, demands, and causes of action which may arise by reason of this authorization.
7. Each Registrant is responsible for all of its own costs, and the costs of its employees, agents, and team members incurred or that may be incurred in connection with this Program, including, without limitation, any tax liability and any costs associated with entering into and participating this Program, developing ideas and materials, submitting materials, traveling to and participating in the iDEA Workshop.
8. Registrant understands and agrees that no ideas, information, or materials ("Registrant Materials") that are submitted to or otherwise provided to Illumina in connection with this Program will be returned. Illumina makes no guarantee or warranty with respect to the security or confidentiality of the Registrant Materials.
9. Registrant represents and warrants that Registrant is the owner of or rightfully in possession of the Registrant Materials.
10. Each entering entity and each participant in the entering entity agrees to accept and abide by the Official Rules and agrees that any dispute with regard to the conduct of the iDEA Challenge, rule interpretation or award of prize, shall be resolved by Illumina, whose decision shall be binding and final. By participating, each entering entity and each participant in the entering entity agrees to release and hold harmless the judges and Illumina, Inc. and all of its parent companies, affiliates, subsidiaries, service agencies, independent contractors, officers, directors, employees, agents and representatives, from any injury, loss or damage, including death or property damage, due in-whole or in-part, directly or indirectly to the acceptance, use, or misuse of a prize, participation in any iDEA Challenge-related activity, or participation in the iDEA Challenge. Illumina is not responsible for any typographical or other error herein, administration of the iDEA Challenge or in the announcement of awards, including such error as may give an erroneous indication that an award has been won.
11. IN NO EVENT SHALL ILLUMINA, ITS OFFICERS, DIRECTORS, EMPLOYEES, OR AGENTS, BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, PUNITIVE, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES WHATSOEVER ARISING UNDER OR AS A RESULT OF ENTRANCE IN OR PARTICIPATION IN THE iDEA CHALLENGE PROGRAM, WHETHER BASED ON WARRANTY, CONTRACT, TORT, STRICT LIABILITY, OR ANY OTHER LEGAL THEORY, AND WHETHER OR NOT ILLUMINA IS ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. THE FOREGOING LIMITATION OF LIABILITY SHALL APPLY TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW.
12. ILLUMINA'S TOTAL AND CUMULATIVE LIABILITY ARISING UNDER OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE PROGRAM SHALL IN NO EVENT EXCEED THE TOTAL VALUE OF THE AWARDS ELIGLBE UNDER THE PROGRAM.
13. Any and all actions, claims, disputes, or controversies relating to iDEA Challenge shall be governed by the law of the State of California, USA, without regard to its conflict-of-laws principles. By using this site, you expressly consent to the exclusive forum, jurisdiction, and venue of the state and federal courts of San Diego County, California, USA in such actions, claims, disputes, or controversies.
    
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