Archive

last day to register for Giant Jamboree!

Late registration for the Giant Jamboree ends today, so be sure to register by tonight if you haven't already!

Sheraton room block extension!

Due to issues with the booking website, the Sheraton Boston has extended their booking deadline. Jamboree attendees now have until October 13 at 5:00PM EDT to book hotel rooms at the Sheraton.

Remember to book by the deadline to save $150 per room.

• Sheraton Boston (preferred hotel, attached to Hynes Convention Center)
• Deadline: October 13 EXTENDED
• *Remember, rooms are only available on a first come first serve basis so book now!*
• Rates: $199 - $279 USD
• Booking code: iGEM
• Booking website: booking link

Additional details can be found on the hotel information page.

NOTE: if you have issues booking through the website, please send a screenshot of the error to HQ [at] iGEM [dot] org.

Giant Jamboree registration ends Sept 5

Be sure to register your team for the Giant Jamboree by 11:59PM EDT on Friday September 5! Registration fees received after September 5 will be subject to the late fee surcharge. Late registration will be open online from September 6 to October 3.

Have questions regarding registration? Email us at: registration (at) igem (dot) org!

Project titles & abstracts

Project titles & abstracts are due this coming Saturday August 30 at 11:59PM Boston time! See this page for additional details and submission instructions.

You can also view the complete Calendar of Events to see all upcoming deadlines.

Main page RSS feed!

Follow the RSS feed for this page, so you don't miss any updates!

Wiki requirements

As you begin to work on your team wiki, be sure to keep the wiki requirements in mind! In particular, please note that:

• all team wiki materials must be hosted on the 2014.igem.org server
• Flash is not permitted on team wikis

The complete list of requirements can be seen on the wiki requirements page.

Check-In Form published! Check-In by October 1 for organisms/parts already used

The Check-In form is now available for you to complete! Please submit a Check-In for any organism or part that is not on the White List.

Because of the late date, we know that most teams have already used many organisms/parts in the lab. Please review the organisms/parts you have used so far, refer to the White List, and submit Check-Ins for organisms/parts you have already used by October 1st (earlier is better).

Email safety AT igem DOT org with any questions.

Final Safety Forms due

As a reminder, Final Safety Forms are due on Monday September 1! You can email safety (at) igem (dot) org if there are any questions.

Safety Office Hours postponed to Friday, August 29

Unfortunately, we must postpone the Safety Office Hours from Thursday, August 28 to Friday, August 29 (still at 12:00 noon and 21:00 EDT). We are very sorry for the inconvenience. If you are unable to join us on Skype, you can always ask questions by email!

Out of the office

Many iGEM Headquarters staff members will be out of the office beginning Thursday August 21, and returning Thursday August 28. We thank you for your patience as email correspondence may be delayed during this time!

Reminder: Final Safety Form due September 1
Next Office Hours August 28

Great job on your Preliminary Safety Forms! Now it's time to edit and finalize your answers. The Final Safety Form is due on Monday, Sept 1.

The next Virtual Open Office Hours have been POSTPONED -- they will be on Friday, Aug 29, at 12:00 noon and 9:00 PM EDT. Join us on Skype, ask questions, and get help!

iGEM Community page

Check out the iGEM 2014 Community page! If you have news, events, team videos, etc., that you would like to share with the rest of the iGEM community, email us at: hq (at) igem.org!

We've recently added community contributions from:

• Team Pitt - Living Skin Therapeutics
• iGEM High School - Team videos
• Team Paris Bettencourt - Team Video
• Team Technion-Israel - Safie

Project descriptions and team rosters due August 15

Project descriptions as well as team rosters are due next Friday August 15! Be sure to post your project description to your team wiki on an easily accessible space or page.

Team rosters are used to determine a team's section (overgraduate or undergraduate) and for printing participation certificates. Be sure to check your team roster for the following:

• Correct name spelling
• Age information (especially for student team members)
• All team members should be listed as approved, not pending

See the complete Calendar of Events for more important dates in the iGEM 2014 season.

Giant Jamboree: special events

Hosting the Giant Jamboree at Hynes Convention Center means we'll have more space for special events! Check out the special events we're working on!

Have ideas for additional events, or interested in being involved with one of the events? Send an email to: hq (at) igem (dot) org!

Visa invitation letters

The visa invitation letter system is online! If you will be applying for a travel visa in order to attend the Giant Jamboree in the fall, you can use the online system to generate a visa invitation letter for your application. See the Visa help page for more information about visas, and instructions on how to obtain your invitation letter.

Giant Jamboree attendees should apply for a B-1 travel visa, which allows the visa holder to attend and present at conferences.

iGEM Community page

Check out the iGEM 2014 Community page! If you have news, events, team videos, etc., that you would like to share with the rest of the iGEM community, email us at: hq (at) igem.org!

We've recently added community contributions from:

• Team Linköping - Survey on Peanut Allergies
• Team Virginia - Survey update
• Team Stony Brook - Team introduction video
• Team UANL Mty-Mexico - The Reprogrammator

Registration is open!

Registration for the Giant Jamboree is now open!
Deadline: September 5
Cost: $750 for iGEM team members
Visit the Giant Jamboree registration for more information!

Track preferences due July 25

Which tracks are applicable to your project? Be sure to choose your track preferences by July 25! See the track selection page for detailed instructions on how to submit your track preferences.

The complete Calendar of Events for iGEM 2014 is also available online.

Next Safety Office Hours: July 19/20

Do you have questions about the Safety Form, or any other topics related to safety in iGEM? Join kelly_igem on Skype for Safety Office Hours!

• Saturday, July 19, 21:00 EDT
• Sunday, July 20, 12:00 noon EDT

iGEM 2013 World Championship - Team Experiences

See what teams have to say about their iGEM 2013 experience.

Congratulations to all iGEM 2013 participants! Relive the iGEM 2013 World Championship with team interviews and testimonies!

Watch the video

Track preferences due July 25

Which tracks are applicable to your project? Be sure to choose your track preferences by July 25! See the track selection page for detailed instructions on how to submit your track preferences.

The complete Calendar of Events for iGEM 2014 is also available online.

Next Safety Office Hours: July 19/20

Do you have questions about the Safety Form, or any other topics related to safety in iGEM? Join kelly_igem on Skype for Safety Office Hours!

• Saturday, July 19, 21:00 EDT
• Sunday, July 20, 12:00 noon EDT

Safety Form is ready! Submit a Preliminary version by July 21

All teams should complete a Preliminary Version of the Safety Form. Answer the questions that you can answer, and leave blank the ones you cannot answer yet.

If you need extra time for any reason, please email safety AT igem DOT org. For more information, check the Safety Hub.

iGEM Community page

The iGEM 2014 Community page is up! If you have news, events, team videos, etc., that you would like to share with the rest of the iGEM community, email us at: hq (at) igem.org!

We've recently added community contributions from:

• Team Aalto-Helsinki - BioBrick Seeker and Team Seeker tools
• Teams SYSU-Software and SYSU-China - Biobrick Blast tool
• Automatically generate plans for assembling your genetic constructs -Evan Appleton, Boston University
• Team Virginia - Survey

Upcoming deadlines

Preliminary Safety Form - July 21

On this form, you will tell us about your safety training, the organisms/parts you are using, the potential risks of your project, and what you have done (or will do) to minimize those risks.

Visit the Safety Hub for more information.

Track Selection - July 28

Tracks in the iGEM competition allow teams to focus their project towards a specific subject area within synthetic biology and allow them to know who they will compete against for the track award. Track selection is due on July 28

See what options you have available on our Tracks page and contact us if your team has any questions!

iGEM Meetups

It is never to late to organize a meetup!

Meetups are opportunities to get together with teams near you, meet iGEMers and help each other with their projects!

Did your team already participate in a meetup? Be sure to post pictures, videos and all media! Share your event with all the iGEM Community

Visit the Meet ups page for more information.

About Our Lab form due tonight!

Remember, the About Our Lab form is due tonight at midnight EDT! To learn more about safety in iGEM, visit the Safety Hub.

If you need extra time, please email safety (at) igem (dot) org.

New Partner: ERASynBio

ERASynBio has joined as an official iGEM 2014 Partner and will be offering a special partner offer to teams. Following their support of advancing European teams in previous years, ERASynBio is pleased to invite applications for the iGEM 2014 Giant Jamboree registration credit! For more details see the Partner Offers page.

About Our Lab form published

The About Our Lab form has been published. It is now due on Monday, June 23. If you need extra time (for example, because your team has not started working yet), contact safety (AT) igem (DOT) org.

Visit the Safety Hub to find out about all this year's safety requirements and deadlines, learn about safety and find resources.

Giant Jamboree Update

Wondering where to stay for the Giant Jamboree?
New hotel information is now available!
Check out the Giant Jamboree Page for details and reservation discount codes.

Last day for late registration!

Today is the last day for late registration! To register your team, complete the registration application, including the shipping information and resource description sections, and submit the team registration fee.

Questions? Feel free to contact us at hq (at) igem (dot) org!

Safety office hours & more!

Join Kelly Drinkwater at Virtual Open Office Hours to ask questions and discuss safety in iGEM!
Remember to get Skype, and then add kelly_igem as a Skype contact.

• Thursday, May 22, 12:00 noon EDT
• Thursday, May 22, 21:00 EDT

Check out the Safety Hub for resources on lab safety and information on this year's safety requirements.

Meet ups!

Is your team organizing a Team Meet up? Want to meet fellow iGEMers?

Meet up events are happening around the world. Teams share ideas, help each other and spend time with their fellow iGEMers!

iGEM HQ wants to help! Please contact us by May 31st and tell us about your meet up . There is the opportunity to have a representative from Headquarters come to your event.

Visit the Meet ups page for more information.

iGEM 2014 DNA Distributions have shipped!

The 2014 DNA Distributions have shipped to our registered teams! Teams will be receiving their kits shortly, so be sure to read through the 2014 Distribution Handbook, where you'll find information on what to expect and how to use the kit. We hope you enjoy the colorful 2014 pins too!

Apply to work with SYNENERGENE partners!

Are you looking for an exciting Policy & Practices challenge? Do you want to explore your project with think tanks, experts, policymakers, science museums, and public engagement specialists? Learn about SYNENERGENE, read the open calls/invitations, and apply now! First proposals are due May 30, 2014.

Late Registration is open

Don't miss the opportunity to participate in iGEM 2014! Late registration will be open until May 1st and the registration fee is currently $4000 USD.

Please visit the registration page and the team fee page for more information

Team approvals and sections

Registered for iGEM 2014 and wondering when your team will be approved? Team applications will be approved soon, and we thank you for your patience as we process the applications of 200+ teams!

The default section for pending teams is the Overgraduate section, until a team has been approved by iGEM HQ. After approval, teams will be assigned to either the Overgraduate or Undergraduate section based on the ages of students listed on the roster. See the Sections page for more information.

Note: If students do not provide age information, the team will be assigned to the Overgraduate section.

Passed the 200 team mark!

Regular Registration ends today!

Don't miss the opportunity to participate in iGEM 2014! Today is the last of the regular registration period!

Late registration beings tomorrow and the fee goes up by $500 USD. Visit the Team Registration Fee Page for more details.

Note: Late registration will end in May 1.

Registration deadline for iGEM 2014 is the 31st of March! Don't miss out! Register for iGEM 2014 now!

New Track Registration deadline 31st of March

Thinking about participating in one of our seven new tracks in 2014? Please tell us now and sign up on your team page! Especially for Microfluidics, we need to plan ahead so that we can have enough equipment ready for the workshop.

Not sure what track your team is currently in? Look up your team on our Team Track page.

Check out our tracks page at 2014.igem.org/Tracks.

Previous iGEM teams map by SynBio Consulting

We're already in our 10th year of iGEM in 2014! There have been over a thousand teams so far in the duration of the competition. So where are they and what did they work on? Check out SynBio Consulting's map on our previous competitions page to see a geographic distribution of teams and projects.

This map has info up to 2013. We're waiting for all the teams to register for the 2014 competition and will put one up a new map when it's ready!

Two weeks left to Register for iGEM 2014!

Be sure to check your email, we just sent out our March Newsletter.
Find out more about our new tracks and interesting FAQs!

Special: Multiple Team Discount

Register multiple teams from one school and get a $1000 discount! See details on the fees page.

New Track: Measurement

The foundation of all engineering disciplines is built on the ability to repeatedly measure precise properties of your system. Creation of new units of measurement can lead to great advancements in human progress. One such example is creation of the Ohm measure of electrical resistance leading to construction of the first successful transatlantic communications cable.

What can you measure precisely and with high repeatability in synthetic biology? What new units can you create that the field will use to make the next leap in human progress? What unit will you be known for that will still be in use in a 100 years?

If you’re interested in these problems, check out the Measurement New Track. We have an inter-lab study that all teams can participate in! The parts are in the 2014 Distribution! If you’re passionate about building new tools and want to get involved, check out our Measurement New Track page!

New Track: Policy & Practices

Are you interested in how synbio and iGEM will be regulated? What are the rules in your country regarding the release of engineered organisms into the wild? Do you know if you can test your awesome iGEM project in the field legally?

We’re faced with many challenging issues in getting synthetic biology acknowledged, understood and not feared by regulators. We need iGEM teams who are going to tackle the hard questions and approach and inform their legislators, law makers and policy makers about synbio.

If you’re passionate about these issues and want to get involved, check out our Policy and Practices New Track page! Human Practices has always been a core component of iGEM teams, but now you can choose P&P as your main project!

New Track: Microfluidics

Already registered for iGEM? Not sure what to work on yet? Looking for something cool to do over the summer? Interested in Microfluidics?

Check out our New 2014 Microfluidics track! We’re having a workshop at iGEM HQ where you get to build your own 8 channel controller and some chips. You’ll get to go home with the kit and any extra chips you can make. We’ll teach you everything you need to build, test and run the kit.

There will be a fee to attend the workshop, but you’ll go home with your own 8 channel controller!Check out the New Track page here:Microfluidics

Fees

There are two types of iGEM fees: the team registration fee and Jamboree attendance fee. Read more about fees in iGEM at 2014.igem.org/Fees.

New Tracks

iGEM has a diverse range of project tracks, from health and medicine to food and energy with many projects in-between. This year, we’re introducing seven New Tracks to bring even more diversity into the competition. Part of the reason for these new tracks is to highlight the different participation requirements and evaluation. We want teams to pick their New Track earlier, so we can help you over the course of the summer.

Check out the New Tracks page for more information.

Passed the 100 team mark!

37 teams in the first 4 days of iGEM 2014 Registration!

Register is now OPEN for iGEM 2014

Registration for iGEM 2014 is open until March 31! Team instructors, register your team by completing the registration application, and submitting the registration fee. Be sure to read the Requirements page, also.

2013 was a banner year for iGEM! Read a review of last year’s competition and teams in the 2013 Annual Review.