Help Fund NC State's iGEM Journey

The Biotechnology Syndicate Club seeks to inspire students from diverse backgrounds to explore biotechnology through research, speaker events, and company tours. Biotechnology integrates fields such as computer science, genetics, medicine, and biomedical engineering, offering students hands-on research opportunities while also fostering community engagement. One of our key initiatives is educating younger students about biotechnology and its career prospects through classroom presentations in the RTP area.

After researching a selected biotechnology topic, our iGEM team travels to Paris to compete against other university teams at the International Genetically Engineered Machine (iGEM) Competition. As a newly formed club, we are excited to participate in our first iGEM project this year and aim to compete in the 2025 iGEM Jamboree (an international competition) with a focus on the bioremediation of PCBs. iGEM is an independent, non-profit organization dedicated to advancing synthetic biology through education, competition, and community-building. It fosters collaboration across disciplines and generations, connecting undergraduates with industry leaders and promoting innovation. Remarkably, over 250 startups have emerged from iGEM, developing biological solutions to global challenges and improving lives worldwide. This is one of the largest competitions, and we our team will be representing NC State.

University teams from across the globe compete annually for Bronze, Silver, or Gold recognition while also engaging in outreach to inspire younger students about synthetic biology's potential. The competition, held in Paris, attracts over 400 teams who present solutions across thematic “villages,” such as Climate Crisis, Diagnostics, and more. For the 2025 competition, we will participate in the Bioremediation Village, showcasing our research on addressing environmental contamination by PCBs. To enter this competition, we must raise funds for flight costs, hotel costs, etc.