We are a registered student organization at the University of Chicago that designs and executes independent synthetic biology research projects to compete in the annual worldwide iGEM competition.

iGEM stands for International Genetically Engineered Machine. It is a foundation and the organizer of the largest worldwide student competition in the field of synthetic biology. The iGEM Foundation is an independent, non-profit organization that promotes synthetic biology education and competition. The competition challenges teams of undergraduate and graduate students from all over the world to design, build, and test novel biological systems using standardized parts and molecular biology techniques. iGEM encourages interdisciplinary collaboration and open-source sharing of knowledge and tools in the field of synthetic biology. The competition culminates in a giant Jamboree where the teams present their projects and compete for awards in different categories. The iGEM competition provides an exciting opportunity for students to gain hands-on experience in synthetic biology, while fostering innovation and advancing the field.