BioEngineering: iGEM and BioBricks

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Summarizing from their official page, iGEM is about:

Using standard biological parts to build biological systems and operate them in living cells.

I’ve been tracking them since before joining KTH’s Computational Biology Masters degree. Having a quick look at past editions is both surprising and enlightening to see what they archieve year after year.

Perhaps the most rewarding sensation is being able to incrementally be aware of what they are talking about on their projects as I progress on my studies. Indeed, before joining the Masters I could barely understand the general idea, and got absolutely lost in the biological details. Now I can follow it after stepping on some stones that the master provided me.

Last year, together with Hassan, we based our final Biomodelling presentation on one project that matched the models we were studying on the course: Reaction diffusion systems.

Just a few weeks ago, while learning again how to stand up on a snowboard table on Romme, I had the great opportunity to talk with one of last year’s Uppsala Team advisor, Daniel, who not only enjoyed the experience, but together with his team, managed to contribute back some biobrick.

Today I would even like to try (dare?) and join one of those groups, just for the fun of learning how this amazing world actually works and to struggle with a real world problem.

And you ? What are you doing this summer ?