Giant Jamboree/Special Events

Workshops

In addition to the main portion of the Jamboree which is the team presentations and posters as in the past, we are organizing and inviting others to organize additional special events.
Take a look at last years special events or send us a message at hq at igem dot org if you have any questions.

iGEM Community Workshops

iGEM is pleased to offer a workshop series that could include topics in: Career Development, Technical Series, How to Advocate for Funding and Garner Support for your iGEM Project, How to Navigate the iGEM Competition Season, iGEM Hall of Fame, and more!

Safeguarding Science and the Future

Meet with the FBI and participate in a discussion on the shared responsibility to protect the life sciences as a member of law enforcement or the synthetic biology community (whether you’re an iGEM’er, scientist, biohacker, investor, business person, or all of the above). Find out what it means to be a guardian of science. Hosted by the FBI.

Multi-Omics Solutions for Synthetic Biology Workflows

Synthetic biology requires multi-disciplinary approaches in the discovery of enzymes, pathways and suitable organisms, the building of efficient production strains and their validation, and finally the creation and monitoring of a bioprocess. Agilent’s broad portfolio of solutions and tools in molecular biology, analytical instrumentation, as well as bioinformatics solutions for data analysis and integration enable researchers to overcome challenges in their workflows from discovery, through the engineering cycle, to the final bioprocess. Hosted by Agilent.

Design and run experiments in automated labs

At Autodesk, we have been working on tools to accelerate scientific discovery. In this workshop, we will explore visual tools to create, execute and analyze automated lab experiments. Hosted by Autodesk.

Modeling Biology with SimBiology

Mathematical modeling is an indispensable component of synthetic biology, and the iGEM competition. Modeling and simulation enables synthetic biologists to test the feasibility of their designs prior to fabrication, thus cutting down on trial and error. Every year, iGEM teams successfully use modeling as a tool to guide and optimize the design of their genetic assemblies.

In this workshop, we will introduce iGEM teams to SimBiology, a MATLAB-based tool for modeling, simulating and analyzing biological systems. Using an example from synthetic biology, we will demonstrate key features, including:

  • Block diagram model building environment
  • Model exploration methods, including sensitivity analysis
  • Parameter estimation techniques
  • Advanced analysis via custom analysis tasks written in MATLAB

    • Hosted by MathWorks.

A Synthetic Biology Approach to Novel Molecular Biology

Molecular Biology is undergoing a revolution, fueled by the promise of Synthetic Biology. Join us to see emerging technologies that accelerate the design, build, test, and analyze cycle: SureVector Next Generation Cloning System, allowing you to combine standard DNA components with your own gene of interest to build your own customized vector in a 20 minute reaction. QuikChange HT Protein Engineering System, enabling rapid creation of libraries of rationally designed mutants, precisely targeting and mutating from 1 to 20x50 consecutive or discreet AA with up to 120,000 user-defined sequences at a fraction of the cost of a synthetic variant library. Early access to Agilent genome editing products.

See how free SureVector kits are being used by iGEM Teams! Join us to see emerging next gen cloning, protein expression, and genome editing technologies that accelerate the design, build, test, and analyze cycle. Up to 3 Teams will be chosen to speak about their use of SureVector in their projects. For more info, visit Partner Special Offers. Hosted by Agilent.

Paving the way to grad school

After iGEM and undergraduate studies, the next step for many on the synthetic biology research career path is to attend graduate school to pursue a Ph.D. This workshop will guide you through the graduate school application process, including how to get great letters of recommendation, how to emphasize research experiences, and how to find the program that’s right for you. The presentation gathers together wisdom from students, professors, and admissions experts to help you to apply to graduate programs in synthetic biology related disciplines. Learn what you need to do to gain acceptance into your dream graduate school! Note: this workshop concentrates on admissions at U.S. research institutions. Hosted by Synberc.

Synbio at Science Museums

The Museum of Science, Boston, Synberc (the Synthetic Biology Engineering Research Center), and AAAS (the American Association for the Advancement of Science) are partnering to engage scientists and members of the public in activities and multi-directional conversations about the societal implications of engineering biology at science museums around the U.S. iGEM attendees will test out hands-on activities created through collaborations between museum developers and research scientists and learn about opportunities for participating in “Building With Biology” events that will take place at 200 sites in the summer of 2016. Hosted by Synberc.

Synthetic Dance-ology

Synthetic Dance-ology is a performance activity that uses dance to engage public audiences about synthetic biology. In this workshop, a professional dancer and a scientist will work with one or more iGEM teams to break down their iGEM projects into parts. We will then use movement as a metaphor to illustrate how those parts (translated into dance movements) are created, remixed, and strung together to build a complete iGEM project (dance routines). Through this method, workshop attendees will learn how their iGEM projects and other research activities can be translated into movement to illustrate synthetic biology concepts and engage diverse audiences. Through movement, participants explore synthetic biology in a unique and fun way that reinforces learning, sparks questioning, and promotes interaction with each other in an informal setting. Everyone is welcome to the workshop, but please submit an abstract if you would like your project to be danced at the Jamboree! Learn more at dance.synberc.org. Hosted by Synberc.

Taking SynBio visions to the next level

How will SynBio change the world around us, and how can we prepare for it? How do we respond to moral dilemmas and enhance opportunities for the public good? The workshop will discuss techno-moral scenarios developed by iGEM teams based on their projects, together with experts from various fields. Hosted by Synenergene.

New Track workshops

Workshops will also take place for this year's new tracks:

  • Art and Design
  • Community Labs
  • Hardware
  • High School
  • Measurement
  • Software

Host a workshop!

We have 60 minute workshop opportunities available. Workshop options include 1 session, 1-day (includes 2 sessions) or weekend (5 sessions) workshops. Click here for more details.

To host a workshop or learn more about our event, contact us at:


hq AT igem DOT org

+1.617.500.3106