International Geneticsllv Eneineered Machines (IGEMI

Introduction:

IGEM is a worldwide competition held in synthetic Biology that was initiated in the Year

2004. Since then, it has grown from a competition of 5 teams to over 130 in the year 2010. In the
Year 2013, over 245 teams were recorded to participate. This competition involves students from
various schools engineering new concepts into existing living cells causing them to perform
enhanced or new functions that are of benefit to humanity.

In the beginning, IGEM started at only the undergraduate level but now they have spread their
wings to a new high school division giving high school level aspirants an opportunity to carry
their ideas from the drawing board and into reality, thereby exposing them and undergraduates to
the arduous field of research.

The procedure involves registering a team by the given deadline as a result of which the team
gets their own Wiki page which they will have to update during the course of the work, so that
the organizers can keep track. The teams also get DNA distribution kits which they will have to

submit to the regis}ry. Once the team confirms their source of funding and buys the materials
required, they may work during the summer in their own school or university after whfch they
can register for the GIANT JAMBOREE which is the actual conference held in the HYNES
CONVENTION CENTRE, Boston, where the teams present their results.

India at IGEM:

- -* rrr,

is -ncerned, Mukund Thattai of NCBS has been leading Indian teams at IGEM
since 2006. India was represented by a single team: NCBS-Bangalore in 2006 but in 2009 India
was represented by four teams: Srishti, with their "smell of rain" project; IIT Bombay, who
engineered bacterial feedback controllers; IIT Madras, who designed a living lock-and-key
device; and IBB Pune, who designed cells based on game theory. ln 2007, the NCBS team lead
by Dr. Thattai was the first from India to win a prize at IGEM. In 2008 IIT Madras won '(Best
Foundational Advance" award. Although India has not been one of the top nrnners we have
still had a profound presence at IGEM.

SRM UNIVERSITY
L OF BIOEN
DEPARTMENT OF BIOTECHNOLOGY

IGEM - Cell

International Genetically Engineered Machines (IGEM)

has stood as a towering

symbol of collaboration and competition in synthetic Biology. It has been a prime example of
how global exposure can mould students of various nations and has also been a major source of
intellectual drive for many. In a bid to join this extravagant race 'The Biotech. Association Anveshna' proposes the establishment of an IGEM Cell to train the students of the department
under the watchful guidance of our faculty, so that we may be competition ready. The current
effort is aimed atthe Department's participation in IGEM 2017.
There are certain essentials that must be addressed in order to kick start this initiative:

l. Idea:
)

The idea must be in the field of synthetic biology and must have a demonstrable short term
application. Before proceeding with the practical work it must be ensured that the idea has a
strong theoretical basis. Contribution towards the idea must come both from the faculty and
students.
2. Team and

Structure:

The team will comprise of a faculty coordinator, who will be the deciding authority as to the
student's actions. There will also be two senior student coordinators who will take up the
managerial role as well help the team navigate the requirements of the competition. The core
team will consist of 5 students in total from both the II and III year. (Preferably the current II
years) The criteria for recruiting students in this regard are still being formulated and flyers will
be sent out to create awareness.
3. Others:
Other factors such as location of brainstorming, workplace, as well as source of funding will be
addressed during the course ofthe year based on the response and how the idea pans out.

Mr. S. Karthik
Coordinator,IGEM Cell

X'rom:
S.

Karthik (100997)

24February 2016

Assistant Professor
Department of Biotechnology
SRM University

To:
Dr. S. Thyagarajan
Professor and Head
Department of Biotechnology
SRM University
Dear Sir,

Subject: Faculty Coordinator of IGEM Cell

reg.

Recently students from Anvensha have approached with their idea of establishing an IGEM
(International Genetically Engineered Machines) Cell in the department whose agenda is to
encourage, train and help our students for participation in the IGEM competition held anrually at
Massachusetts Institute of Technolo gy, Boston.
In this regard they require a Faculty coordinator and after having heard out their plan of action, I
decided that although it wasn't fully formulated, much of the essentials had been drafted out and
the remainder of the details could be planned out along the way.
Therefore, I write this letter to you to register my interest in their endeavor and to give my
consent in being the Faculty coordinator of the IGEM Cell.
Thank you
Sincerely

ft*"
\

S.

Karthik