I am a junior in the bioengineering program, and I represent the 2015 UW iGEM team. iGEM is a research and design competition in which teams from universities all over the world research topics in synthetic biology and create and submit parts to an open-source registry. At the end of September, qualifying teams meet in Boston for a four-day research conference that includes poster and oral presentations, awards, and social events. It is a great introduction to lab work and an opportunity to network with other budding scientists.
We are starting our recruitment for this year’s team with an info session on January 9th at 6:00pm in Foege N130. There will be free pizza!
All undergraduates, from freshman through graduating seniors, are welcome! No previous lab experience is required to join. For freshmen and sophomores not in a lab yet, this is a great opportunity to learn lab techniques, get connected with professors, and get comfortable in a lab setting. Additionally, joining this year’s iGEM team can help refine hard skills and promote teamwork for students interested in grad school and/or careers in industry.
This year, our team will likely be focusing on a project combining microfluidics and 3D printing with more traditional synthetic biology techniques such as cloning and protein characterization.
Additionally, if you are are interested in programming, mathematical modeling, education and outreach, business and marketing, or art and design, we are looking to recruit you. iGEM promotes interdisciplinary collaboration, and interests in a wide variety of fields are necessary for a successful team.
If for some reason you cannot make it to the info session but would like more information, please email me; I am happy to answer any questions you might have.
All the best,
Anastasia Nicolov
