International Genetically Engineered Machine competition (iGEM)

The iGEM competition, or International Genetically Engineered Machine competition, is a program devoted to the advancement of synthetic biology through undergraduate research. Teams are given a kit of biological parts at the beginning of the summer from the Registry of Standard Biological Parts. Working at their own schools over the summer, they use these parts and new parts of their own design to build biological systems and operate them in living cells. Teams are encouraged to model the biological functionality of new parts of their creation, and to characterize parts that exist in the registry. More info about the iGEM competition can be found at http://igem.org/About

W&M is trying to assemble an iGEM team, which would be composed of experimentalists plus about two modelers. Useful background may include MATH 302 or 345, knowledge of molecular/cellular biology, and some experience with programming.

Adviser: Margeret Saha, Greg Smith