The International Genetically Engineered Machine competition (iGEM) is the most important competition in Synthetic Biology open to undergraduate students. To participate to the challenge, at the beginning of the summer teams receive a kit from the Registry of Standard Biological Parts at the MIT (Boston, USA). 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. Finally, they present their work at the iGEM Competition Jamboree at MIT in Boston (this year iGEM Jamboree will be on October 30th - Nov 2nd) , where prizes are awarded. New parts are added to the Registry of Standard Biological Parts for the students in the next year's competition.
The University of Bologna is now recruiting graduates and undergraduates to join the UniBo’s iGEM Team. We are looking for inventive, highly motivated, and collaborative students with the willingness to be creative, learn synthetic biology and work hard. Students from biological and engineering faculties at UniBo are invited to submit their application.
Students currently enrolled in Cesena campus are encouraged to apply. The UniBo iGEM team is open to graduate students (PhD or Master) from a wide range of disciplines, including:
- biology
- biochemistry
- biotechnology
- bioengineering
- chemistry
- chemical engineering
- computer science
- computational biology
- electronics engineering
- ethics
- physics
- integrative biology
- mathematics
- molecular and cell biology
iGEM will challenge you
You will become part of an emerging scientific community that is defining a new cross-disciplinary field called Synthetic Biology. Synthetic Biology is fundamentally about the union of Biology and Engineering. iGEM will introduce you to the fundamental ideas of Synthetic Biology and will give you the opportunity to perform cutting edge research in a field that is continually evolving. Introductive seminars and lectures on Synthetic Biology are scheduled.
Team's activities will include:
- design of a novel biological function
- identification of a molecular circuit to realize the function
- "in silico" simulation of the circuit
- assembling of a synthetic DNA code using BioBricks
- program living cells by this synthetic code
- test the design experimentally
- explore ethic implications of research
The Team will work since May until the iGEM Jamboree. A representative of the Team will travel to MIT to attend the Jamboree (hotel and airfare is underwritten by team sponsors). The Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Engineering at the II Faculty of Engineering (Cesena-Campus) will support the activities of the Team.
Students interested to be engaged in the Team, are kindly requested to send a personal short presentation to Silvio Cavalcanti.
