OpenVT Reproducible Agent-Based Multicellular Model Competition 2026
Abstract
Launched in 2024, the Open Virtual Tissues (OpenVT) initiative brings together top biologists, computer scientists, and virtual tissue modelers to advance multicellular virtual tissue modeling and address real-world problems.
Multicellular simulations have become indispensable in understanding complex biological phenomena, from tissue development to disease progression. The diversity of simulation methods – including cellular Potts, cellular automata, lattice-free, stochastic particle and other methodologies – and the lack of standards for multicellular model specification pose challenges to building reproducible, modular and reusable simulations.
This competition is designed to promote and support the development of multicellular models which follow FAIR principles. Specifically, it recognises recently published multicellular models of scientific significance that have been designed to be accessible, reproducible and reusable.
Along with the awards for first, second and third place ($400/200/100 respectively), the winners for this prize will be invited to be part of an OpenVT Minisymposium at the SMB 2026 Annual Meeting (joint with ECMTB) in Graz, Austria, from 13 to 17 July 2026. However, attending the meetings is not required for submission or to win.
Winners will be invited to present a virtual seminar in the Global Alliance for Immune Prediction and Intervention (GLIMPRINT) multiscale modeling virtual seminar series.
Models must have been published in a peer-reviewed journal published on or after 1 January 2024, and must be publicly available, e.g. by prior submission to a public model repository such as BioModels or the MorpheusML Model Repository, or through a public GitHub site or similar resource (GitLab, SourceForge, BitBucket, etc.).
The deadline for submissions is Wednesday 31 December 2025.
