iGEM Open House Winter 2015

2015 Open House

What is iGEM?

• international Genetically Engineered Machine

• Synthetic Biology Competition

• Started in 2004 at MIT with 5 teams

• Grown to 245 teams, over 2300 participants from around the world

Synthetic Biology

• New field, biological engineering

• Open and modular

• Multidisciplinary

Synthetic Biology at iGEM

UC Davis

Rancid olive oil detector

Heidelberg

Circularizing proteins

Bielefield

Biological fuel cell

History of the Waterloo iGEM Team

2005: First entry, joint Toronto/Waterloo team as only Canadian team

2007: First solo entry, first Silver Medal Standing

2013: First Gold Medal Standing, Regional Best Poster Award

2014: Gold Medal Standing, Best Undergraduate Modelling Award

2015 Waterloo iGEM Team

• Build on our success from last year

• New project design

2015 Team Structure

Business

Lab & Design

Math Modelling

Policy & Practices

Team Leads

Directors

Lab & Design Leads

Math Modelling Leads Policy & Practices Lead

Lab & Design

• Design and troubleshoot with the stuff of life!

• Expect to • Spend a lot of time in the (new!) lab

• Work in a team environment

pSB1A3 AmpR oriVE.coli ErmR oriVS. aureus

TT

sgRNA dCas9

xylose

XylR TT

Lab & Design – What we’re looking for

• Dedicated: 10-15 hours/week

• Quick learners

• Enthusiasm

pSB1A3 AmpR oriVE.coli ErmR oriVS. aureus

TT

sgRNA dCas9

xylose

XylR TT

Math Modelling

• Like biology, but more savvy with a keyboard than a pipette?

• Expect to • Sketch cellular networks

• Program

• Search literature for networks and numbers

Susceptible Staphylococcus

MRSA

Math Modelling – What we’re looking for

• Time Commitment • 2 – 4 hours/week

• Closer to 10 hours/week near deadlines

• Looking for • Motivation

• Enthusiasm

• Interdisciplinary Thinking Susceptible Staphylococcus

MRSA

Business

• Financial Coordinator • Financial analysis

• 3 – 5 hours/week

• Basic management experience

• Event Coordinator • Assist directors with organization

• 2 – 4 hours/week

• Logistical planning

Policy & Practices

• Closing the gap between concept and experience

• Responsible science

• Commercialization and expansion

Policy & Practices – What we’re looking for

• Time commitment • 3-8 hours/week

• Looking for • Committed

• Hardworking

• Enthusiastic

Application Process

• www.igem.uwaterloo.ca > Get Involved

• Application form • Due Thursday, January 22, 11:00 pm

• Interviews

Interested in joining our team?

• Be prepared to learn new things

• Be ready to work hard

• It’s a lot of fun

Thank you

Questions?