Teams/News Archive
News Archive
Here you will find the archived news items from the iGEM 2019 Main page
The October Newsletter is out now. Subject: "HQ's insider tips for upcoming final deadlines". In this issue...
- Insider tips from HQ: Last competition deadlines before the Giant Jamboree
- Register for the After iGEM Biosecurity Policy Conference
- Accessibility requests for the Giant Jamboree
- Last chance to get free/discounted DNA synthesis
- It's not too late! Find or post a collaboration
- Upcoming dates to consider
GenScript is offering a 20% discount for DNA synthesis and cloning services to iGEM teams.
The last day to use the discount is Tuesday, October 15 (next week!)
Have your ordered your 20 kb of free DNA or Alt-R® CRISPR Genome Editing products from IDT yet?
The last day to order is on Monday, October 14 (next week!)
Plan your days out at the Giant Jamboree! The detailed event schedule and workshop information is out now!
Don't forget to check out the team abstracts too!
Using and editing the wiki can be a trial-and-error process. Save some time and learn the basics here.
Don't forget: The Wiki/Registry Freeze is on October 21.
Previous News Items
The second round of volunteer applications is closing this weekend! Get a behind-the-scenes look at the biggest synthetic biology event of the year, and help us make the Giant Jamboree an amazing experience for attendees. See the Volunteers page for the application and additional information. Application closes Sunday October 6.
Please note: This opportunity is not available to individuals affiliated with a current team, including parents of team members. Members of After iGEM are welcome to apply.
Each team is welcome to submit a team video by emailing us the file to hq [AT] igem [DOT] org. We will select some of the videos to show during the Giant Jamboree Closing Ceremony!
Submissions are due by October 4 (3 days!).
Teams are required to use specific URLs in their wiki to be eligible for specific awards. The judges will be directed to these pages from static links within the judging form. If your documentation for an award is not on the page encoded by the static link, your team may not be judged for that prize. Click below to see the official list.
Don't forget: Judging Forms are due on October 16.
Join Promega's guest experts on October 1st (tomorrow!) to learn how you can make the most of scientific poster presentations, whether you're presenting or attending. The hosts of HelloPhD, Josh Hall and Dan Arneman, will expand upon the tips for a perfect poster presentation they shared on their podcast. Mike Morrison, a PhD student, will explain his #betterposter format for more user-friendly scientific conference posters.
This webinar will cover:
- Creating a scientific poster
- Presenting a scientific poster
- Engaging with other scientists about their posters
Late Registration ends today, September 30 at 11:59PM EDT. Don't miss out!
The second round of volunteer applications is now open! Get a behind-the-scenes look at the biggest synthetic biology event of the year, and help us make the Giant Jamboree an amazing experience for attendees. See the Volunteers page for the application and additional information. Application closes Sunday October 6.
Please note: This opportunity is not available to individuals affiliated with a current team, including parents of team members. Members of After iGEM are welcome to apply.
Show off your team spirit! Submit a banner design by September 27 (Today!)to have it printed and displayed at the Giant Jamboree! After the event you can take your banner home as a team souvenir. For specifications and the upload link, see the Team Banners page.
Submissions close Friday, September 27 (Today!)
Wondering when your team is presenting? Team information is now ready online, including abstracts, presentation times, and poster zone assignments. Browse the information on the abstracts page:
Looking to give your project an extra edge? Make sure to check out the Software Tools resource page! We have special offers from MathWorks and Benchling, as well as many free tools for you to use, including:
- SeqViz is a framework agnostic DNA viewer for sequences or files (gb, fasta, etc) with auto-feature annotation. This web tool is customized for use with iGEM parts and is powered by a free, open source JavaScript library of the same name under the hood.
- SynBioHub is a web-based design repository for people designing biological constructs. It enables DNA and protein designs to be uploaded, then provides a shareable link to allow others to view them.
Cloning is difficult, but it shouldn't be impossible! Check out our tips for successful cloning.
Show off your team spirit! Submit a banner design by September 27 to have it printed and displayed at the Giant Jamboree! After the event you can take your banner home as a team souvenir. For specifications and the upload link, see the Team Banners page.
Submissions close Friday, September 27 (3 days!)
If you have an extra day in Boston after the Giant Jamboree, we recommend checking out the NEB headquarters tour! You've been using their reagents, and now you can see where it all comes from!
Sign up your team by this coming Monday, September 23rd, for a chance to tour NEB’s laboratories, meet their scientists, and hear a presentation from Nobel Laureate Sir Richard Roberts, immediately following this year’s iGEM 2019 Giant Jamboree. Selected teams will visit NEB for a half day on Tuesday, November 5th, 2019.
Each team is welcome to submit a team video by emailing us the file to hq [AT] igem [DOT] org. We will select some of the videos to show during the Giant Jamboree Closing Ceremony!
Submissions are due by October 4.
You are cordially invited to claim your free pass today for GenScript’s 1st Annual Double Helix Symposium, and get a special discount to register SynBioBeta 2019.
Don’t pass up the opportunity to save your spot for Double Helix Symposium:
- George Church, Ph.D. to keynote;
- A variety of applications of synthetic biology in biofuel, astrobiology, DNA information storage, and food science;
- Innovative technologies of genome editing, DNA nanotechnology, DNA origami, RNA fold, protein engineering, etc.;
- Career workshop for early career scientists.
iGEMers are invited to submit a poster or become a Cloud Scientist to receive a complementary pass.
Direct Link: https://www.genscript.com/double-helix-symposium-2019.html
Show off your team spirit! Submit a banner design by September 27 to have it printed and displayed at the Giant Jamboree! After the event you can take your banner home as a team souvenir. For specifications and the upload link, see the Team Banners page.
Submissions close Friday, September 27.
Are you using NEB® reagents in your iGEM project?
Sign up your team by Monday, September 23rd, for a chance to tour NEB’s laboratories, meet their scientists, and hear a presentation from Nobel Laureate Sir Richard Roberts, immediately following this year’s iGEM 2019 Giant Jamboree. Selected teams will visit NEB for a half day on Tuesday, November 5th, 2019.
There are four competition deadlines at the end of this week.
1. Final Safety Form Due
Your Safety Form MUST be completed, and submitted by a team instructor or PI by September 13, 11:59PM EDT. Don't leave it to the last minute - ask your instructors early! Failure to comply with safety requirements can lead to disqualification from the competition.
2. Track Selections Due
Declare your team track selection as your number 1 choice on your track preference list on your team profile page by September 13, 11:59PM EDT. You may also submit second and third choices (optional).
Please note: High School teams will automatically be placed in the High School track.
3. Team Project Title and Abstract Due
Add your project title and abstract to your team profile page by September 13, 11:59PM EDT. It will be copied into your team Judging Form, and will be used in the Giant Jamboree programs.
4. Final Team Rosters Due
Make sure that ALL team members, advisors, mentors, instructors etc. are documented in your team roster on your team profile page by September 13, 11:59PM EDT. Only members on the roster will receive participation certificates. High school teams should also make sure consent forms have been completed for all team members.
Deadline: Friday, September 13 at 11:59PM EDT.
Has your team worked on a game, device, or other item that you want to display at the Giant Jamboree? We would love to see it! An Exhibition Space will be set up inside the poster hall at the Hynes Convention Center.
Spaces are limited, and priority will be given to Special Track teams (Open and Software) - but all teams are welcome to apply for space! Applications close in two (2) days!
Applications close on Wednesday, September 11 at 11:59PM EDT.
Join Promega's guest experts on October 1st to learn how you can make the most of scientific poster presentations, whether you're presenting or attending. The hosts of HelloPhD, Josh Hall and Dan Arneman, will expand upon the tips for a perfect poster presentation they shared on their podcast. Mike Morrison, a PhD student, will explain his #betterposter format for more user-friendly scientific conference posters.
This webinar will cover:
- Creating a scientific poster
- Presenting a scientific poster
- Engaging with other scientists about their posters
Don't forget, iGEM 2019 teams need to register with IDT by August 30 (in 2 days!) to claim your 20 kb free custom DNA.
Each team is welcome to submit one banner image for iGEM to print and proudly display at the Giant Jamboree. After the event, you are welcome to take this memento of your participation at the Jamboree home as a way to commemorate your team's achievements! For specifications and the upload link, see the Team Banners page.
Submissions close Friday, September 27.
The Judging Form is a critical form for every team in the competition. It informs your team's judges about the medal criteria you have fulfilled, as well as any special prize(s) you have nominated your team to compete for at the Giant Jamboree. Please make sure you fill out and save your form by October 16, 11:59PM EDT or you could miss out on awards!
Regular registration will end this week on August 31 at 11:59PM EDT. Attendance fees for all attendees will increase at midnight.
Teams, please note: at least one team member must be registered by this date in order to ensure you have a presentation session at the Giant Jamboree.
Has your team worked on a game, device, or other item that you want to display at the Giant Jamboree? We would love to see it! An Exhibition Space will be set up inside the poster hall at the Hynes Convention Center.
Spaces are limited, and priority will be given to Special Track teams (Open and Software) - but all teams are welcome to apply for space!
Applications close on Wednesday, September 11.
Promega's FINAL Ask the Experts Live Q&A Webinar "iGEM Transfection Challenges" is coming up next week on Tuesday, August 20.
Promega's experts will answer your questions on all things tricky about transfections. Note that this webinar is scheduled for 9:00 AM Central Daylight Time (CDT).
Register below to RSVP, or to download their previous webinars on ligation and transformation challenges:
Did you order your 20 kb of FREE custom DNA from IDT yet? Last day to register is August 30. Last day for orders is October 14!
Check your inbox for messages from the safety committee
iGEM's safety committee are currently reviewing safety forms and notifying teams of any gaps in information. It is important to respond to the safety committee in a timely manner to comply with the rules of the competition. Make sure to check the email inbox of the address indicated in the Safety Form for your team.
The August edition of the iGEM Newsletter is out now. Subject: "When does human practices matter? A checklist for teams, and more..." In this issue:
- Checklist for teams: Make sure you're on track this August
- New blog post about human practices
- Register now for the Giant Jamboree
- Last chance to claim some offers from iGEM's partners
- Special message from the iGEM Measurement Committee
- Find an upcoming team meetup near you!
Twist Bioscience is offering every iGEM 2019 team complimentary 10 kb of Gene Fragments during the 2019 competition. Synthesis will be performed in monthly batches; orders must be received by the monthly submission deadlines to be processed.
Submit requests by August 7 to be included in the next round.
Join the Benchling team at 10am PT/1pm ET on Tuesday, August 13 to learn the ins and outs of Benchling's Molecular Biology and Notebook applications, and to learn how they can help your team collaborate more efficiently. We'll show you how to get started on Benchling, walk through a molecular biology workflow, and share some of our favorite tips and tricks. We'll also have time for Q&A.
Register below to join us for this webinar. Even if you're in a different time zone or you'll be busy, register now to automatically receive an email with the recording.
Promega is hosting an exclusive iGEM Ask the Experts Live Q&A Webinar Series, where Promega's experts will answer your questions about ligation, transfection and transformation. The next webinar "iGEM Transformation Challenges" is coming up next week on Tuesday, July 23.
Note that this webinar is scheduled for 9:00 AM Central Daylight Time (CDT).
Register below to RSVP, or to download their previous webinar on ligation challenges:
Are you interested in judging at the 2019 Giant Jamboree? Judge Applications are still open, so apply today and help us celebrate the achievements of our amazing teams this year!
We are looking for volunteers to help us make the 2019 Giant Jamboree a great event! Help us ensure that every attendee has an amazing experience. The first round of applications is open through August 30, and notifications will be sent by September 9.
This opportunity is open to iGEM alumni and other non-team members only. This opportunity is not available to current team members or their family members. For the application and more details, visit the Volunteers page. Please email Kitwa if you have any questions: kitwa AT igem DOT org
Register now to attend the Giant Jamboree!! Join us at the Hynes Convention Center from October 31-November 4 and experience iGEM in action.
Regular registration will end on August 31 at 11:59PM EDT.
Teams, please note: at least one team member must be registered by this date in order to ensure you have a presentation session at the Giant Jamboree.
Twist Bioscience is offering every iGEM 2019 team complimentary 10 kb of Gene Fragments during the 2019 competition. Synthesis will be performed in monthly batches; orders must be received by the monthly submission deadlines to be processed.
Submit requests by July 10 to be included in the next round.
We are excited to announce that the iGEM Blog is officially back, and better than ever! Through the iGEM Blog, we'll be sharing stories from all around the iGEM community.
The first blog post "What is iGEM?" is up now. Our lead writer Linda Kahl wants to hear from YOU - what does iGEM mean to you? Share your perspective for the chance to be featured in future blog posts.
There are two competition deadlines coming up at the end of this week:
1. Preliminary Safety Form Due
An initial version of your Safety Form is due June 28, 11:59PM EDT. This includes your team's contact information, information about your lab, and information about your project. Any team member may fill this in and save the form for submission.
2. Project Inspiration and Descriptions Draft Due
Your preliminary draft for your team's project inspiration and description is due June 28, 11:59PM EDT. This description should be posted on your Team Wiki Description page
(example URL: https://2019.igem.org/Team:TeamName/Description).
Deadline: June 28, 11:59PM EDT (4 Days!)
Promega is hosting an exclusive iGEM Ask the Experts Live Q&A Webinar Series, where Promega's experts will answer your questions about ligation, transfection and transformation. The first webinar "iGEM Ligation Challenges" is this week. Note that this webinar is scheduled for 9:00 AM Central Daylight Time (CDT) on Thursday June 27.
GenScript has announced the winners of their team sponsorship offer!
Congratulations to the following teams:
- Montepellier
- Toronto
- Lubbock TTU
- Ruperto Carola
- BrownStanfordPrincetn
All iGEM teams are still eligible to receive 20% off DNA synthesis and cloning services from GenScript.
Twist Bioscience is offering every iGEM 2019 team complimentary 10 kb of Gene Fragments during the 2019 competition. Synthesis will be performed in monthly batches; orders must be received by the monthly submission deadlines to be processed.
The next request deadline is in two (2) days!
Submit requests by June 12 to be included in the next round.
Promega has announced the winners of their team sponsorship offer!
Congratulations to the following teams:
- UAlberta
- Bonn
- CU
- MSP-Maastricht
- Northern BC
- NUS Singapore
- Sao-Carlos Brazil
- NYU Abu Dhabi
- Sorbonne U Paris
- Victoria Wellington
Promega will continue to support ALL iGEM teams with expert technical help throughout the season. Join Promega for an exclusive iGEM Ask the Experts Live Q&A Webinar Series where Promega's experts will answer your questions about ligation, transfection and transformation.
Ask the Experts - Upcoming Webinars:
- June 27: iGEM Ligation Challenges
- July 23: iGEM Transformation Challenges
- August 20: iGEM Transfection Challenges
Twist Bioscience is offering every iGEM 2019 team complimentary 10 kb of Gene Fragments during the 2019 competition. Synthesis will be performed in monthly batches; orders must be received by the monthly submission deadlines to be processed.
Submit requests by June 12 to be included in the next round.
Benchling is partnering with iGEM for the first time to help iGEM teams accelerate their work! In 2019, all iGEM teams can sign up for FREE Benchling accounts. iGEMers will get special access to an enterprise feature, Benchling Sync, and 10 GB of extra space. Get started with Benchling's Notebook and Molecular Biology applications, and create a Benchling organization to start sharing data with your team today. Get started.
It’s World Metrology Day! What better way to celebrate than with 7 newly published calibration protocols from our Measurement Committee?
Making precise and accurate measurements in wet lab can be hard. We want to make it easier for iGEMers. Improve the quality of your results - Calibrate first!
Opentrons has announced the winners of their Robot Challenge!
Congratulations to the following teams: CU, Victoria Wellington, OUC-China, Leiden, ITESO Guadalajara, Lethbridge, UC Davis, TUDelft, and NUS Singapore.
Teams that did not win a free robot are still eligible for a discount of $2000 off your first OT-2 Robot.
Our office will be closed this Monday, May 27 in observance of Memorial Day in the US. Please contact us by email at HQ [at] igem [dot] org in the meantime.
Our phone line is currently unavailable due to office relocation. We expect the phone to be restored by Friday, May 24. We apologize for the inconvenience.
If you need to contact iGEM Headquarters, please email us at hq [AT] igem [DOT] org.
Are you traveling from overseas to attend the Giant Jamboree? We recommend that teams who need a visa to travel to the United States of America apply for their visa as early as possible. It can take a long time for some visas to process, and even if the rest of your team receives their visa quickly, it may take longer for yours to be approved. You don't want to miss out on the amazing experience at the Giant Jamboree, so apply early!
All team members registered for the 2019 Competition can download a customized Visa Invitation Letter to assist with the visa application process. Visit the Visa Help page for more information:
Around the world, we now have 303 teams officially approved, and counting!
Find them on the interactive team map on Google Maps.
Have trouble accessing Google Maps? Click to browse the Team List on igem.org
We currently have two sponsorship opportunities for iGEM teams in 2019 from two of iGEM's partners, GenScript and Promega.
- GenScript will sponsor 10 iGEM teams, offering $4000 of total support for each sponsored team
- Promega will sponsor 10 iGEM teams, offering $2000 in Promega products for each sponsored team
The application deadline is in two (2) days!
Apply by May 17 to be considered.
Is your iGEM project safe? To help teams make sure of this, the Safety and Security Committee has created a series of resources and check-in forms.
Any team that plans to acquire or use any organism/part that is NOT on the White List must submit a Check-In form first. In addition, If your team plans to use any vertebrates (e.g. rats, mice, guinea pigs, hamsters), or higher order invertebrates (e.g. cuttlefish, octopus, squid, lobster) you will need to complete an Animal Use form to tell us about any risks associated with your work and how you will be managing them.
Twist Bioscience is offering every iGEM 2019 team complimentary 10 kb of Gene Fragments during the 2019 competition. Synthesis will be performed in monthly batches; orders must be received by the monthly submission deadlines to be processed.
The first request deadline is in two (2) days!
Submit requests by May 15 to be included in the next round.
The iGEM 2019 May Newsletter is out now. Subject: "We're hiring! Also: travel visas, safety check-ins, and new lab protocols for teams." Read it now!
We send out major news and notifications via the 2019 Competition Website (2019.igem.org) and through our newsletters. Make sure to check the competition website at least once a week, and add info AT igem DOT org and hq AT igem DOT org to your safe senders list.
Missed something? See our newsletter archive to read previous issues or subscribe.
Opentrons will sponsor 10 iGEM Teams in 2019. Each sponsored team will receive a free OT-2 pipetting robot, plus accessories - a combined value of $10,000! All registered iGEM Teams in 2019 are eligible to apply. If you have ever wanted to automate your protocols like transformations, ligations, digests, and more, you should apply for this sponsorship opportunity!
The application deadline is in two (2) days!
Apply by May 8 at 11:59pm EDT to be considered.
We currently have two sponsorship opportunities for iGEM teams in 2019 from two of iGEM's partners, GenScript and Promega.
- GenScript will sponsor 10 iGEM teams, offering $4000 of total support for each sponsored team
- Promega will sponsor 10 iGEM teams, offering $2000 in Promega products for each sponsored team
The application deadline for both opportunities is in 2 weeks! Apply by May 17 to be considered.
We provide a Judging Handbook for both judges and teams to review during the iGEM season. This handbook allows everyone involved in the competition to see how judging works in iGEM.
Click below to download a PDF of the 2019 Judging Handbook!
Visit the Judging Hub to learn more about judging in iGEM.
Want to be a judge for the 2019 Competition? Applications are open now.
Happy Opening Day! On this day, many of the main forms you’ll need for the 2019 season will open. Here's a summary:
- Submit a Safety Check-In Form
- Create a Visa Invitation Letter
- Start selecting team track preferences
- Start editing Safety Forms
- Start editing your team roster
- Start editing your team judging form
Opentrons is giving away 10 free OT-2 pipetting robots iGEM 2019 teams.
The application deadline is in 1 week! Apply by May 8 at 11:59pm EDT to be considered.
MathWorks has shown its unwavering support to iGEM teams since 2008, through their continued generosity of offering complimentary software and technical mentoring of our growing community. For 2019, iGEM teams can continue to count on MathWorks: All teams are eligible to receive a complimentary software kit from MathWorks with 13 free products including MATLAB, SimBiology, Simulink and more! Learn more
Twist Bioscience is helping change the way iGEMers share in the 2019 Competition. For the first time, teams don't have to ship samples to HQ - Twist Bioscience will synthesize them! In addition, they will offer every team complimentary 10 kb of Gene Fragments in 2019. Learn more
IDT is helping bring iGEM's vision for the future to life! For 2019, they are offering FREE for all teams:
- 20 kb of DNA as gBlocks® Gene Fragments OR
- Alt-R® CRISPR Genome Editing products
GenScript is making research easy for iGEMers! This year, GenScript is offering a team grant opportunity worth $4000 in products and support per sponsored team, as well as 20% off synthesis and cloning services for all teams in 2019.
Team award applications close May 17.
Promega believes that mutual advancement can only be achieved by working in harmony. That's why for 2019 Promega is partnering with iGEM, and giving away up to $2000 of free Promega products to 10 iGEM teams. iGEMers can also call Promega's technical support scientists for technical help at any time!
Team grant applications close May 17.
iGEM startup Opentrons is enabling better reproducibility for iGEMers through low cost automation. For 2019, Opentrons will continue their giveaway of free OT-2 robots to 10 iGEM teams.
Apply by May 8 to be considered.
The Judge Application is now open! If you're interested in judging this year, please submit an application.
Do you have questions about being a judge or the application process? Please send us an email at judging [AT] igem [DOT] org with your concerns / questions and we'll help you out!
We recently announced several exciting changes to the iGEM 2019 Competition.
These changes reflect the next step in moving towards our vision of synthetic biology -- one where you don't have to manipulate your DNA and instead can focus on the information, documentation, and characterization of your parts.
We're happy to share this vision with you and we invite you to join us in making it a reality. Read more at https://igem.org/Vision.
With technologies ever changing, iGEM is changing too. For 2019, we are removing the requirement for teams to submit physical samples of their parts to HQ. We are now accepting parts in the Type IIS standard alongside the usual BioBrick RFC[10] standard. We are also including samples of Type IIS parts in Kit Plate 6 of the DNA Distribution Kit. These combined changes will give teams more flexibility, and allow teams to be closer to the cutting edge than ever before.
The Economist journalist, Oliver Morton, attended the iGEM 2018 Giant Jamboree. His subsequent piece titled, 'The engineering of living organisms could soon start changing everything' came out in the Economist this spring.
Missed out on regular registration? There's still time to join!
Late Registration is now available, and closes on April 30.
Our phone is back online. You can reach us at +1-617-500-3106.
iGEM Headquarters has just moved to a new location in Boston! Due to the short disruption we have experienced from the move, we have decided to extend our regular registration period by two days. The new deadline for Regular Registration is:
April 2 at 11:59PM EDT
Register and pay for your team before April 2 to avoid the $500 late registration fee.
Regular registration is closing in two weeks!
Register and pay for your team before March 31st to avoid the $500 late registration fee.
What is the most popular competition track? How many teams work in chassis other than E. coli? What are the most important research trends in iGEM?
Get answers to these questions and many more in the newly published iGEM 2018 Annual Report.
The day we've all been waiting for is finally here! Team registration for the 2019 Competition is now officially open. Visit the registration information page for instructions, including information about deadlines, fees, and other materials you'll need to register your team.
We will be opening team registration in Mid-February! Regular registration for 2019 teams will be $5,000 USD. We will send out the announcement through our Newsletter, so please sign up for the Newsletter to get the latest updates about iGEM 2019! You can see previous Newsletters and sign-up to receive them here: https://igem.org/Newsletters.
2019.igem.org will be your key resource for all competition related details and announcements. Visit this page often for news and updates. To get started, learn about competition requirements and registration by visiting 2019.igem.org/Competition.
iGEM Foundation
The International Genetically Engineered Machine (iGEM) Foundation is an independent, non-profit organization dedicated to the advancement of synthetic biology, education and competition, and the development of an open community and collaboration. Visit us at igem.org
hq AT igem DOT org
27 Drydock Avenue
Suite 27E-230
Boston, MA 02210
+1.617.500.3106