Aug 20

Aug 20 From the iGEM Competition to xyna.bio: Adrian Romberg’s Journey

For many iGEMers, the competition is more than just a project showcase, it’s a launchpad to the next step in their synthetic biology journey. The people you meet, the roles you take on and the networks you build can take you into the many corners of the field, including the startup ecosystem.

At the 2024 iGEM Grand Jamboree, we caught up with Adrian Romberg, formerly working in Product Management at xyna.bio, a startup based in Mainz, Germany, focused on making powerful computation tools and bioinformatics intuitive and accessible.

Aug 18

Aug 18 From Brașov to Warwick: Tudor Onose’s Synthetic Biology Journey

iGEM Community

Tudor Onose’s journey into synthetic biology began with iGEM. As a team member in 2020 and 2021, and later as a mentor to the 2024 Warwick team, he’s seen the competition from two sides. Now a Ph.D. student at the University of Warwick, Tudor studies bacterial electrophysiology, and reflects in this interview with Andreea Cernei about team-building, mentorship and the future of synbio in Romania.

Jul 25

Jul 25 The World Needs Science Communicators Now More Than Ever

iGEM Community

Explore how iGEM and youth-led initiatives are bridging the gap between lab work and public understanding, via storytelling, engagement and ethics in the latest SciComm Made Easy Blog.

Jul 21

Jul 21 iGEM expands its SynBio industry reach with the inaugural edition of the BioInnovation Summit

iGEM Headquarters

iGEM Community, Competition News

To understand the thought process behind the creation of the BioInnovation Summit, a new event for 2025 at the iGEM Grand Jamboree, we spoke with Nemanja Stijepovic (President of the iGEM Foundation), Dorothy Zhang (Executive Vice President of iGEM) and Nadine Bongaerts (iGEM alumna, and curator of the BioInnovation Summit).

Jul 3

Jul 3 How Good Science Communication Can Reshape the Academic World

Hassnain Qasim Bokhari

iGEM Community

Explore how SciComm is reshaping the relationship between science and society, from open-access platforms and citizen science, to inclusive storytelling and the risks of the digital age.

Jun 26

Jun 26 From Idea to Impact: Highlights from the 2025 Venture Creation Labs

Matilde Scotti

iGEM Startups

The 2025 Venture Creation Lab (VCL), held from April 21st to May 16th, hosted by iGEM Startups, brought together aspiring biotech entrepreneurs from around the world to take their first concrete steps toward building a synthetic biology startup. Following the momentum of the BioHackathon, the VCL provided a four-week program designed to turn early ideas into viable venture concepts through lectures, workshops and personalized mentorship.

Jun 14

Jun 14 Building an Ecosystem from the Ground Up: Benjamin Arias and the Ecuador’s SynBio Movement

iGEM Community

What does it take to build a synthetic biology ecosystem in a region with limited infrastructure? For Benjamin Arias, it starts with community and a commitment to open science. Benjamin Arias shares how he’s building grassroots biotech tools and creating space for students, educators and researchers in Ecuador

May 27

May 27 Enhancing Science Communication in Synthetic Biology: The Role of Aesthetics in Bridging Knowledge Gaps

iGEM Community

Can design bridge the gap between science and society? Synthetic biology is full of promise, but also complexity, confusion and misinformation. Effective science communication can make a difference and visual aesthetics play a powerful role.

Apr 30

Apr 30 Understanding Impact Investing and Navigating as Early-Stage BioTech Entrepreneurs: Insights from Jonty Corrin

Meghiya Michelle

iGEM Startups

Jonty Corrin started his career in academia as a bioscientist, but his entrepreneurial journey began during his final year of undergraduate work. While his first startup didn’t thrive, it sparked a passion for early-stage startups and their growth. Along the way, he connected with Nucleate UK, a student-led, nonprofit organization that helps early-stage biotech founders translate academic research into real-world startups with dynamic support.

Apr 28

Apr 28 The Ethics of AI-Generated Scientific Research – Can AI Replace Scientists?

iGEM Community

AI is streamlining data analysis, optimizing experiments, and even assisting in literature reviews. But as its role grows, so do ethical concerns: Who takes credit for AI-generated discoveries? Can we trust AI-driven research without human oversight?

Apr 23

Apr 23 Yizhi ‘Patrick’ Cai: An iGEMer who is unraveling nature’s design rules to create synthetic life

iGEM Headquarters

iGEM Blog

Professor Yizhi ‘Patrick’ Cai, of the University of Manchester, credits iGEM for introducing him to synthetic biology and giving him the experience, colleagues and connections necessary for a successful academic career. Here, Professor Cai describes his many and varied iGEM experiences that helped shape and influence his career, and offers insights into the future of synthetic biology for the iGEMers of today.

Apr 21

Apr 21 A Quest Driven by Care: Camila Quinonez's Contributions to the Synthetic Biology Future

iGEM Community

Camila Gaspar Quinonez shares her passion for protecting the earth, leveraging the power of synthetic biology, working with microbes, and taking care what’s left of our planet in this alumni feature for the iGEM Blog.

Apr 17

Apr 17 The 2025 BioHackathon: Your First Step Into the World of BioEntrepreneurship

Matilde Scotti

iGEM Startups

Apr 6

Apr 6 The Role of Generative AI in Science and Sustainability Communications

iGEM Community

Generative AI is changing the way we talk about science, helping to break down complex ideas and make them more accessible for some. The blog explore what AI is doing for science communication and where it might fall short of our hopes.

Apr 4

Apr 4 Stephanie Michelsen, Co-Founder and CEO of Jellatech: How Her iGEM Experience Helped Her Build Jellatech

Audrey Budiman

iGEM Startups

Stephanie Michelsen, founder and CEO of Jellatech, started her journey as a student participating at the iGEM Competition in 2018 with the University of Copenhagen. Fast forward to 2021, she founded Jellatech, a biotech startup producing high-value human proteins using synthetic biology, based in the United States.

Apr 1

Apr 1 Art & Design: Unleash your creativity in synthetic biology via our newest iGEM Village

iGEM Headquarters

iGEM Blog

Art and design can enable new possibilities for the future of synthetic biology. How could your team unleash its creativity in advancing synthetic biology innovations? What is your vision for creating new synthetic biology solutions with art and design?

Mar 29

Mar 29 Cultivating Bangladesh’s Synthetic Biology Ecosystem Through iGEM

iGEM Community

Building Bangladesh’s synthetic biology future starts with passionate iGEMers like Showmick Paul, Usrat Nubah and Abrar Hasan. Read how iGEM is opening doors, inspiring young scientists and shaping the future of synthetic biology in Bangladesh.

Mar 27

Mar 27 A Cell Biologist Turned Co-Founder: Gregory Segala’s Journey with FluoSphera is Set to Revolutionize Drug Discovery

Meghiya Michelle

iGEM Startups, iGEM Community

Gregory Segala, CSO and co-founder of FluoSphera, earned his Ph.D. from the University of Toulouse and continued as a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Geneva, where his passion for cell research laid the foundation for his entrepreneurial journey.

Mar 23

Mar 23 Shaping the Future: 10 iGEMers Carving a New Path in Synthetic Biology

iGEM Community

This month, at iGEM we celebrate the women in synthetic biology who are building and empowering global communities and redefining the future of the field. These 10 iGEMers have shown us the impact of resilience, collaboration and community.

Mar 20

Mar 20 A Declaration for Equitable Biosecurity: iGEMers Champion Global Biosecurity at the Munich Security Conference 2025

iGEM Community

Biosecurity Rising Leaders Munich Security Conference Declaration calls for urgent action to embed biosafety and biosecurity into the global life sciences ecosystem. Read about the Munich Security Conference Declaration, and the contributions of iGEMers to it.

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