iGEM: Synthetic Biology for Students

What is synthetic biology? At its most basic, synthetic biology can be defined as the intersection of life and technology. It is engineering, biology, creativity, and innovation all rolled into one exciting, rapidly expanding field that morphs with fluidity and grace. Check out the video below for a brief summary

 What is iGEM? iGEM (International Genetically Engineered Machine) is an organization first established in 2004 that allows students to play an active role in synthetic biology research. Every year, teams compete in an international competition known as the Giant Jamboree in Boston. The program is growing exponentially, with graduate, undergraduate, and high school teams involved; this October, over 300 individual groups will compete. Students are given a kit of biological parts and work over the summer to build and test biological systems in living cells ranging from bacteria to mammalian cells in an effort to solve real-world problems. The video below demonstrates the meaningful impact this research has on students' educations.