iGEM in the age of COVID-19: How teams are coping and succeeding
by Jeff Schmerker, IDT
Labs and classrooms around the world are on lockdown, but many contestants in this year’s iGEM Competition are moving ahead. Teams are collaborating and embarking on the early stages of experimentation this spring using video conferencing, virtual brainstorming, and the occasional Netflix Party.
On April 21, iGEM announced new changes for 2020 to help teams as they embrace the challenges – and the possibilities – of this exceptional iGEM year. Updates to the judging criteria (including no requirement for wet lab work to win a medal), new communication initiatives and activities, pushing back Opening Day and Regular Registration to May 15, and switching the Giant Jamboree to a virtual format are among the many adaptations to help iGEM teams succeed, stay connected, and have fun.
It’s often been said that iGEM is not easy, iGEM is worth it. And we at IDT believe this is especially true during this time of a pandemic. Our commitment to iGEM remains steadfast, and IDT is offering all iGEM teams up to 20 kb of free custom DNA or an equivalent value of IDT products. Teams can register here.
My colleagues and I spoke to some of this years’ teams and found that many are taking the new reality of research in the time of COVID-19 in stride. In Denmark, the team from the Technical University is focusing on filamentous fungi and aiming to develop a fungal strain that produces fewer hyphae for easier management of the fermentation process without losing its production abilities.
“Focus on what you *can* do,” said the TU Denmark iGEM team. “Use time well to ensure that you are as well prepared as possible when the labs reopen. Most importantly, remember to communicate and keep the enthusiasm going so that these months don’t go to waste.”
Members of the TU Denmark iGEM team split into smaller groups to research different aspects of the project and still hope to get back into the lab by the end of May, a timeline which would allow them to stay on schedule. In the meantime, team members are communicating their work using Slack, Connect, and Zoom, and also keeping things fun and social, like enjoying movie night together using the Netflix Party app.
In Turkey, the Bilkent-UNAMBG iGEM team is developing a modular platform which facilitates the display of functional proteins on phage particles; the particles would have a wide range of applications, including therapeutics. As is true for other teams, quarantine orders have reshaped the way they conduct their research.
“The quarantine slowed us down but has not stopped us,” said team member Ömer Can Ergül. “The ambiguity of what is going to happen to iGEM is concerning. If we are unable to get the pandemic under control, we will not be able to conduct our experiments. Even though this possibility is alarming, we continue to work hard.”
Ergül said that, while frustrating, there are aspects of quarantine that teams can use to their advantage.
“Although wet lab is a significant part of iGEM projects, there are other aspects that can be worked on during the quarantine,” he said. “Modelling is a demanding task and isolation is a great opportunity to finish dry lab research. While some models require experimental information, we think it is best to approximate results or obtain them from the literature until we can conduct experiments. Another good candidate these days is Human Practices and Public Engagement. Experts can be consulted online and feedback can be integrated into the project and models.”
And like some teams, the Bilkent-UNAMBG iGEM team has expanded their work to include the novel coronavirus.
“Luckily, the bigger part of our project was determined before the quarantine,” said Ergül. “But we are still brainstorming to improve it and are closely following the literature. We are focusing on other aspects, like modelling and human practices, the design of a mobile app, and an informative coronavirus webpage.”
One group that has pulled the plug is the team from the University of São Paulo’s Engineering School of Lorena.
“We believe that this situation can compromise the engagement of some team members,” said team member Fábio Nigro. “We worry how COVID-19 will impact our academic year and that it will make it even more difficult to obtain financial resources to make possible our participation in iGEM 2021.”
Nigro’s team was hoping to focus on bioremediation of the pollution of hydric resources using an endocrine disrupter that would optimize the effluent treatment by developing a lactase degrading system.
“We decided not to attend the Giant Jamboree this year due to financial issues and a team reorganization. Instead, we will focus on developing our project further,” said Nigro.
Other teams are pushing ahead, focusing on collaboration and dry lab work.
In Germany, members of the Marburg-Giessen iGEM team were able to start some lab prep just before the school was shuttered. The team is working with EvolvR, a directed evolution system published by the Dueber lab that allows the easy and precise mutation of user-defined loci. However, the team size has shrunk from previous years, leading to a restructure of both duties and subteam members as well as project design.
“Stay resilient,” said team member Janine Wanke. “There are lot of things that are simply not possible at this time, but giving up without trying everything in our power is not an option. We saw the need to reduce our project and design it in a way that allows us to add more projects and experiments along the way. At the moment, we are developing precise lab protocols, so we are prepared as soon as we may access the labs again.”
And like many iGEM teams, they have found that communication is key to staying cohesive.
“The constant exchange between subteams and frequent updates on what every member is doing allows us to distribute work evenly,” Wanke said. “In addition, everyone is held accountable by setting deadlines.”
While iGEM teams around the world are facing unique challenges, work is not stopping. Teams are using communication, consultation, and fresh ideas to innovate and move their projects forward.
Are you looking for support? IDT is here to answer your questions.
This is a guest post by IDT, a Platinum Partner of the 2020 iGEM Competition. Learn more about sponsorship opportunities at iGEM.
For the 2020 Competition, teams can once again access up to 20 kb FREE custom DNA or equivalent products from IDT. Register with IDT before October 9, 2020. Learn more.
