Apr 1

Apr 1 The iGEM 2019 Annual Review

iGEM Headquarters

iGEM Blog

By iGEM HQ

“Know from whence you came. If you know whence you came, there are absolutely no limitations to where you can go.”

— James Baldwin, author and activist

In the spirit of knowing from whence we came, we are pleased to announce the release of the iGEM 2019 Annual Review, which documents the advances, highlights and continued development of iGEM. When iGEM began as an independent study course at MIT in 2003, its’ purpose was to build an industry and a field of synthetic biology. And in 2019, more than in any other year, the success of iGEM in serving this purpose is evident. Now in our 17th year, iGEM’s global community includes over 40,000 international trailblazers from 45 countries across the globe. Some of the highlights in 2019 include:

iGEM by the numbers:

·      7,000+ participants, 353 teams, 45 countries
·      183 judges, 94,000+ data points
·      163 gold medals, 77 silver medals, 57 bronze medals

Advances in the Registry:

·      24,0000+ documented DNA parts in the Registry
·      DNA synthesis replaces physical submission of DNA parts
·      Type IIS compatible parts officially supported

Trends in technology:

·      E. coli most popular chassis (260 teams)
·      Gibson assembly (70 teams)
·      MoClo/Golden Gate/GoldenBraid (32 teams)
·      CRISPR (26 teams)
·      Cell-free systems (15 teams)

Of note this year:

·      Welcoming the class of 2019 iGEM Ambassadors
·      First iGEM Start-up Showcase at the 2019 Giant Jamboree
·      Expansion of the iGEM Mentorship program
·      iGEM in the News
·      Launch of the iGEM blog – back and better than ever!

2019 After iGEM Ambassadors at the closing ceremony at the 2019 Giant Jamboree

In 2019, iGEM remained the leading pipeline for talent in synthetic biology, inspiring thousands of students to work in teams and use synthetic biology to solve local problems and tackle global challenges. Over 300 proofs-of-concept are tested at iGEM each year, leading to future research and PhD thesis projects. And more than 150 startup companies with roots in iGEM are turning the ideas and proofs-of-concept tested at iGEM into real world applications.

iGEM has become a natural test-bed for new ideas and approaches in synthetic biology, and has laid the foundation for building a global synthetic biology industry. The values of iGEM, including respect for all people and perspectives, now serve as a leading example for those practicing synthetic biology all over the world. iGEM’s Safety and Security program sets the standard for the industry in identifying and correcting potential risks. And iGEM’s Human Practices helps synthetic biologists creatively engage with issues in ethics, sustainability, inclusion, security, and many other areas in considering whether their projects are responsible and good for the world.

With opening day for iGEM 2020 just around the corner (May 1st), we’re looking forward to the exciting developments that will come from this next iGEM season. If you would like to be a part of iGEM 2020, there’s still time to register an iGEM team, apply to become an iGEM judge, join an iGEM Committee, or sign up for the many opportunities within iGEM and After iGEM.

Reflecting back on iGEM 2019 and looking to iGEM 2020 and beyond, there are absolutely no limitations to where the iGEM community may go in engineering safe and responsible biological solutions for the benefit of future generations. We invite you to join us as we continue to build the industry and field of synthetic biology.