Add GCC recap of the French Bioinformatics Community

content/news/2026/2026-07-16-gcc-ifb-recap/index.md

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+---
+title: "The French Bioinformatics Community at GCC2026 in Clermont-Ferrand"
+date: "2026-07-16"
+tease: "A look back at the 2026 Galaxy Community Conference in Clermont-Ferrand, France."
+tags: [conference, community, gcc]
+subsites: [global]
+main_subsite: ifb
+contributions:
+  authorship:
+    - bebatut
+    - abretaud
+    - lecorguille
+  funding:
+    - ifb
+---
+
+From **June 22 to 26, 2026**, the global Galaxy community gathered in **Clermont-Ferrand, France**, for the **[Galaxy Community Conference 2026 (GCC2026)](https://galaxyproject.org/events/gcc2026/)**—the flagship event for researchers, engineers, developers, and platform managers working with the Galaxy data analysis environment. Co-organized by **[Université Clermont Auvergne (UCA)](https://www.uca.fr/)**, **[French Institute of Bioinformatics (IFB/ELIXIR-FR)](https://www.france-bioinformatique.fr/)**, and **[Johns Hopkins University (USA)](https://www.jhu.edu/)**, this year's edition brought together **200 participants** to explore the latest advancements in **open science, large-scale data analysis, and the integration of AI in Galaxy**.
+
+The conference featured **three days of talks and discussions**, followed by **two days of hands-on training and a collaborative hackathon (CoFest)**, where attendees advanced existing projects and launched new initiatives.
+
+<div style="display: grid; grid-template-columns: repeat(auto-fit, minmax(220px, 1fr)); gap: 1rem; margin: 1.5rem 0;">
+  <figure style="margin: 0;">
+    <img src="./images/55372499142_f1bc9a1ca0_c.jpg" alt="A person wearing glasses and a yellow shirt with a blue lanyard smiles while sitting at a table with a water bottle and a white pitcher in the foreground." style="width: 100%; border-radius: 10px;" />
+  </figure>
+  <figure style="margin: 0;">
+    <img src="./images/55370941573_372e6a7efc_c.jpg" alt="Three people wearing lanyards engage in a conversation, with one person holding a drink." style="width: 100%; border-radius: 10px;" />
+  </figure>
+  <figure style="margin: 0;">
+    <img src="./images/55373859980_5d7af7e82e_c.jpg" alt="Two people wearing glasses collaborate over a laptop covered in stickers, with one person resting their head on their hand while the other leans in to look at the screen." style="width: 100%; border-radius: 10px;" />
+  </figure>
+</div>
+
+### Relive GCC2026
+
+A **comprehensive recap** of the conference is available on the [Galaxy Project website](https://galaxyproject.org/news/2026-07-06-gcc2026-recap/), and all presentation videos are accessible on the **[GCC2026 YouTube playlist](https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLB4YWcG-HSbw)**. This year's event placed a special emphasis on **AI-driven developments and applications within Galaxy**, with a dedicated session summary available [here](https://galaxyproject.org/news/2026-07-09-gcc2026-fishbowl-summary/).
+
+## The French Bioinformatics Community at GCC2026
+
+<figure style="margin: 1.5rem 0 2rem 0;">
+  <img src="./images/group.jpg" alt="French Bioinformatics Community GCC2026 attendees gathered for the conference group photo in Clermont-Ferrand, France." style="width: 100%; border-radius: 12px;" />
+</figure>
+
+The **French Galaxy community** played a pivotal role throughout the conference, first by organizing it and then by contributing to sessions on **data analysis, community dynamics, and cross-disciplinary collaborations**. Beyond traditional "omics" fields, the community now embraces **"non-omics" domains**, including **Earth system science and ecology**, represented by members from **[Data Terra](https://www.data-terra.org/)**, the **Muséum de Concarneau**, and the **[BRGM](https://www.brgm.fr/)**.
+
+<div style="display: grid; grid-template-columns: repeat(auto-fit, minmax(220px, 1fr)); gap: 1rem; margin: 1.5rem 0;">
+  <figure style="margin: 0;">
+    <img src="./images/55371011020_a5f130d8d4_c.jpg" alt="A smiling person with glasses and a blue lanyard stands in front of a poster display at a conference." style="width: 100%; border-radius: 10px;" />
+  </figure>
+  <figure style="margin: 0;">
+    <img src="./images/55370808086_b09dcb8538_c.jpg" alt="A person with a beard and a blue lanyard holds a paper cup while smiling and engaging in conversation with others at an indoor event." style="width: 100%; border-radius: 10px;" />
+  </figure>
+  <figure style="margin: 0;">
+    <img src="./images/55370736653_c49097fe5b_c.jpg" alt="A person wearing a cap, orange sunglasses, and a GCC2017 tee-shirt drinks from a paper cup while making a peace sign with their fingers." style="width: 100%; border-radius: 10px;" />
+  </figure>
+</div>
+
+Below, we highlight the **talks and posters** presented by French contributors, showcasing their innovative work and collaborations.
+
+### Opening the Conference: A Look Back at the French Galaxy Community
+
+As local organizers, Bérénice Batut, Gildas Le Corguillé, and Anthony Bretaudeau kicked off GCC2026 with a **historical overview of the French Galaxy community** ([slides](https://f1000research.com/slides/15-1124)). Anthony Bretaudeau later contributed to the **[Galaxy Community Update](https://galaxyproject.org/news/2026-07-06-gcc2026-recap/#galaxy-community-update)**, representing the French perspective.
+
+<figure style="margin: 1.5rem 0 2rem 0;">
+  <img src="./images/55373440641_783f446020_c.jpg" alt="A person wearing a gray shirt and a blue lanyard speaks into a microphone at a podium with a laptop." style="width: 100%; border-radius: 12px;" />
+</figure>
+
+## Contributions by Theme
+
+### 🧬 Metagenomics & Microbiome
+
+- **Talk & Poster**: [*FAIRyMAGs: A Modular, FAIR-Compliant Galaxy Workflow Suite for Flexible and Scalable Metagenome-Assembled Genome Reconstruction*](https://hal.science/hal-05685741)
+  **Presenters**: Bérénice Batut & Paul Zierep
+  **Summary**: A **collaborative effort** across **four ELIXIR nodes**, *FAIRyMAGs* delivers a **modular, FAIR-aligned workflow suite** for **MAG reconstruction and analysis**, developed under ELIXIR’s *"Biodiversity, Food Security, and Pathogens"* (BFSP) program.
+
+- **Poster**: [*Microbiology Galaxy Lab: The First Community-Driven Gateway for Reproducible and FAIR Microbiological Data Analysis*](https://f1000research.com/posters/15-1114) ([HAL](https://hal.science/hal-05693236))
+  **Presenters**: Bérénice Batut, Engy Nasr, Nikos Pechlivanis, Nikolaos Strepis, Paul Zierep
+  **Summary**: The **Microbiology Galaxy Lab (MGL)** is a **global community platform** built on Galaxy, enabling **reproducible, FAIR-compliant microbiological data analysis**.
+
+### 🌿 Biodiversity & Biotechnology
+
+- **Poster**: [*The Biodiversity Genomics Galaxy Lab: A Collaborative Hub with Curated Tools, Workflows, and Training*](https://f1000research.com/posters/15-1166)
+  **Presenters**: Solenne Correard, Bérénice Batut, Anthony Bretaudeau, ELIXIR Biodiversity Community, Robert M. Waterhouse
+  **Summary**: A **thematic Galaxy subdomain** designed to make Galaxy’s bioinformatics resources **accessible and relevant** for **biodiversity genomics researchers**, featuring **curated tools, workflows, and tutorials**.
+
+### 🛠️ Tools & Infrastructure
+
+- **Poster**: [*Navigating Galaxy's Growth: How CoDex Lowers Barriers to Access*](https://f1000research.com/posters/15-1115) ([HAL](https://hal.science/hal-05693206))
+  **Presenters**: Solenne Correard, Anthony Bretaudeau, Bérénice Batut, Paul Zierep
+  **Summary**: Introducing the **Galaxy CoDex**, a **catalog of Galaxy resources (tools, tutorials, workflows)** that communities can **filter and expose** through **Galaxy Labs**—thematic subdomains tailored to specific research needs.
+
+- **Poster**: [*Galaxy-BioProd: An Integrated FAIR Platform for Synthetic Biology, Biotechnology, and Life Cycle Analysis*](https://f1000research.com/posters/15-1175) ([HAL](https://hal.science/hal-05694938))
+  **Presenters**: Anthony Pragassam, Thomas Chaussepied, Anthony Bretaudeau, Gildas Le Corguillé, Jean-Loup Faulon, Valentin Loux
+  **Summary**: A collaboration with **[UseGalaxy.fr](https://usegalaxy.fr/)** to support **[Galaxy-BioProd](https://galaxy-bioprod.github.io/)**, a **FAIR-compliant platform** for **synthetic biology, biotechnology, and life cycle analysis**.
+
+### Beyond the Conference: The Galaxy Summit
+
+In addition to the main event, **Anthony Bretaudeau and Gildas Le Corguillé** represented the French community at the **Galaxy Summit**, an annual coordination meeting where international Galaxy leaders discussed **funding, UseGalaxy.* platforms, and the organization of future GCC events**.
+
+<figure style="margin: 1.5rem 0 2rem 0;">
+  <img src="./images/55373448401_d1b534e372_c.jpg" alt="A person wearing a white T-shirt with the text 'Galaxy: La science ouverte, partout, par tou·te·s' works on a laptop at a table during the cofest." style="width: 100%; border-radius: 12px;" />
+</figure>
+
+*Photos in this post are by Bérénice Batut and are shared under a [CC BY-SA license](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/).*