The 3rd metaRbolomics hackathon was organized by Steffen Neumann to bring developers and users of mass spectrometry and metabolomics-related R packages together to improve interoperability between packages, identify gaps and needs in current functionality and to foster collaboration between developers. The event took place from the 22-24 of November, with funding from the de.NBI ELIXIR-DE in Wittenberg (Germany) as an in-person event. As a safety measure, participants had the opportunity for on-site fast COVID-19 self-tests and all participants wore masks during the whole event.
Participants were also allowed to give flash talks presenting either R packages or approaches and concepts such as Maria Llambrich presenting the amanida R package for meta-analysis of metabolomics studies or Helge Hecht giving an overview of machine learning approaches for annotation of small compounds in mass spectrometry data.
After the actual hacking session participants socialized for example on the Christmas Market in Wittenberg.
Among projects and collaborations that were started at the hackathon were a new MsBackend for the Spectra Bioconductor package allowing handling of TimsTOF data (MsBackendTimsTOF), updates and fixes for the MsQuality package as well as further development and expansion of the xcmsViewer.
Summarizing, the hackathon was a very nice event fostering open science and open development in the metabolomics community.