This blog is where we share stories, announcements, and insights from around the iGEM community.
All by Alonso Flores
At iGEM, people can freely think about the future, and most importantly, how they want to get there. We invite you to join us at the second edition of the Responsibility Conference at the 2023 iGEM Grand Jamboree. The conference offers a platform for multi-stakeholder engagement to deliberate ongoing initiatives and emerging concerns in the realms of biorisk, biosecurity, and biosafety.
Synthetic biology holds tremendous promise for addressing global challenges, but like all powerful technologies, there also are risks of accidental or deliberate misuse that could cause harm. In honor of the 20th year of iGEM, I’d like to take a look back on some of the highlights of iGEM’s history in building a strong culture of responsibility for biosafety and biosecurity.
Yeast spores are typically not considered a problem in most situations. However, yeast spores can become problematic under certain circumstances. To help mitigate this risk, all teams who want to work with spore-forming fungi, including Saccharomyces cerevisiae, must first complete a Check-In Form to get permission from iGEM’s Safety and Security Committee.
