Winners of the AlphaFold Contest sharing a moment after annoucement of the results
The AlphaFold Contest 2025 brought together five talented teams for an intensive week-long competition, challenging participants to harness the power of AlphaFold in tackling real-world problems across diverse fields—from Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) and cancer genomics to agricultural science and personalized medicine.
Drawing participants from across East Africa—including Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, and Uganda—the contest saw representation from prestigious institutions such as Jomo Kenyatta University, Makerere University, and Mbarara University of Science and Technology (MUST). The competition showcased not just the technical prowess of the participants, but also their remarkable resilience and determination to deliver fully functional projects under tight deadlines. Spoiler alert: they absolutely crushed it.
Held from October 13th to 17th, this five-day scientific sprint challenged contestants to wield AlphaFold alongside complementary tools like ChimeraX and PyMOL, all while vying for the grand prize of $1,500. (Coffee budgets were presumably substantial.)
From day one, participants strategically formed teams, each member bringing unique expertise to the table—because let’s face it, even protein structures appreciate good collaboration. Among the creative team names that emerged were “The Watanos” (who ultimately claimed victory), “PhyFolders,” and “E3 Avengers” (securing first and second runner-up positions respectively).
We extend our sincere gratitude to Google DeepMind for sponsoring this groundbreaking hackathon and to the Infectious Diseases Institute for graciously hosting the event. As we celebrate the success of this year’s contest, we’re already looking forward to organizing more events and hackathons that showcase how AlphaFold is revolutionizing drug discovery and personalized medicine in the bioinformatics landscape.
The future of protein prediction is here—and it speaks with an East African accent.