A gem of an idea

3 October 2009

The Trust has launched a new scheme to support teams of UK students hoping to enter the iGEM synthetic biology competition.

Run by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, iGEM (International Genetically Engineered Machine) encourages undergraduate students to develop innovative projects based around biological building bricks in the same way that engineering students might develop a robot using standardised parts.

Previous iGEM projects have included a biosensor to detect arsenic in water supplies in developing countries, bacteria that take photographs and bacteria that smell of bananas. We are offering teams of students stipends to enable them to enter iGEM 2010. This will provide promising undergraduates with hands-on experience of synthetic biology.

"We need to attract the brightest young minds to take advantage of the rapidly emerging field of synthetic biology," said Dr Alan Schafer, Head of Science Funding at the Trust. "We hope to foster innovative ideas from UK teams and help students to consider a career in this field."