Thank you for making iGEM 2022 shine!

As we look back on 2022, all of us at iGEM HQ wish to express our appreciation for the many people who have dedicated their time, talent, work, and support in helping ensure that the field of synthetic biology, and all of the power this technology holds, gets developed everywhere by everyone.

We are grateful for the many dedicated people who are essential in helping iGEM teams apply the tools of synthetic biology to solve local problems everywhere in the world, including:

• PIs, Advisors, and Mentors of the 2022 iGEM teams, who generously give their time and expertise in guiding the teams through the competition,

• Members of the Diversity and Inclusion, Engineering, Human Practices, and Respect & Responsibility team members, who create programing and guidelines to help teams navigate the many challenges in carrying out their iGEM project, and

• Judges and members of Judging Program and Judging Corps Committees who bring their individual areas of special expertise and serve as master generalists in evaluating all aspects of a team's work.

We appreciate the generous support of groups who aid iGEM teams in using synthetic biology to respond to the needs of their local communities, including:

• Safety and Security Grants, funded by Open Philanthropy, to help support teams working on technical advances in biosafety and biosecurity,

• Impact Grants, funded by the Frederick Gardner Cottrell Foundation of Research Corporation Technologies, Inc., to help support impactful iGEM projects in global pandemic response, climate change, agriculture, biomaterials, and other areas critical for the future of our world, and

• The Partners and Sponsors of the iGEM 2022 Competition that offer resources and support to help us continue to provide this unique and valuable experience to iGEMers worldwide.

2022 was a milestone year for iGEM. A few highlights include:

• 2022 Grand Jamboree, the most important global synthetic biology gathering, held for the first time in-person at the Paris Porte de Versailles Expo,

• iGEM Community (formerly known as After iGEM), open to anyone who has been part of iGEM or who wants to be engaged in iGEM related programming all around the world,

• Technology Program, featuring the iGEM 2022 Distribution built from the ground up with support from The FreeGenes Project and the iGEM Engineering Committee, and the Sixth International InterLaboratory Measurement Study,

• Responsibility Program, involving a range of efforts in risk management, education, field-building, research, and leadership; and featuring the Biodiversity Youth Leadership Program and the 2022 Responsibility Conference,

• iGEM Startups (formerly iGEM EPIC - Entrepreneurship Program Innovation Community), supporting the development of hundreds of synthetic biology based start-ups globally to help accelerate the transition to a more sustainable bioeconomy,

• iGEM Leagues, Regional or National initiatives enabling iGEMers and members of their local communities to participate in their synthetic biology ecosystems and bioeconomies, including Design League tailored to Kickstart the synthetic biology journey of Latinas and Latinos throughout Latin America, and Indian League developing a vibrant synthetic biology network across India for students and educators alike,

Finally, we wish to thank the iGEM 2022 team members who have given the world a glimpse of what the future of synthetic biology may hold by demonstrating their ideas, initiatives, and innovations for humanity’s most pressing problems. 

Thanks to all of you from all of us at iGEM HQ!

P.S. Please note that iGEM HQ will be closed for the winter holidays from Dec 23 - Jan 2 (re-opening Jan 3). We look forward to working with you again and welcoming even more new iGEMers in the 2023 season!