2025 Stony Brook University iGEM

Hello, we are the 2025 Stony-Brook iGEM team! Based out of Long Island, NY, we are a group of 15 undergraduate researchers, each of us dedicating our summer to developing a novel therapeutic to treat HIV.

In the genetic research community, CRISPR technology is trailblazing the future of gene-editing. Our project, CasT-Away (pronounced as “cast away”), aims to prove whether or not this technology can be used to neutralize HIV in a novel capacity. All our work builds up to an international competition-based symposium called the iGEM Jamboree, hosted in Paris, France. Everything from lab materials to conference tickets come at a price, creating a new problem: budget cuts.

Recent changes by the current administration have had a rippling effect on laboratories across the nation. Budget cuts, layoffs, and grant terminations are halting the development of potential cures to the world’s worst diseases, including HIV. Consequently, we too have begun to feel financial pressure, watching as our advisors scramble to assemble money for our stipends.

Hence, our plea to you: $5. If everyone who comes across our campaign were able to contribute $5 to our cause, we could guarantee the security of our work, materials for our lab, and every member a seat at the Jamboree. All donations of any amount would be greatly appreciated, with every cent put towards the success of our lab and our research. Thank you so much for supporting the careers of 15 young scientists.

With warm regards, the 2025 Stony Brook iGEM team.