2021 Annual Report

A community comes from a group of people with shared experiences. Each year the iGEM Competition brings together over 300 teams to share their work and advance the field of synthetic biology while solving changes important to their local communities. Each individual in those over 5000 have their own reason to participate in iGEM, but once they reach the end of the season and graduate from the competition, they retain a shared experience and core values.

While competition teams are one element of this community, it extends far beyond them and involves individuals who create what we call the iGEM experience. These are the judges, the mentors, the advisors, the volunteers, anyone interested in learning about synthetic biology and anyone who is a part of the global synthetic biology ecosystem. More than 60,000 individuals have shared this iGEM experience and their contributions have gone on to develop the field of synthetic biology over the past 2 decades.

Our Story

iGEM Community’s journey of experimentation, growth and improvement continued in 2021 which also fueled our transition from After iGEM to iGEM Community. The After iGEM program started in 2017 as an effort to support alumni of the iGEM Competition. Over the years, we expanded from a team of just 5 Ambassadors in 2017 to over 100 members in 2021 - working together on topics important to our community. This growth and change helped us reinforce and expand our goal to support not just competition participants, but also welcome anyone interested in synthetic biology. This annual review presents the highlights and continued development of iGEM Community in 2021.

Our Purpose

The iGEM Community program brings together all of them to amplify their individual impact, support and grow the global synthetic biology community through a collective effort, and further develop their own skills and careers. It is a resource-rich space for iGEMers to team up, and collaboratively build assets for the synbio ecosystem, while developing into the future leaders of the field.

Our People

The iGEM Community is open for everyone interested in synthetic biology. Each year, we welcome a group of volunteers who lead efforts with us to support you, our community members. In 2021, we welcomed 128 individuals to iGEM Community as Ambassadors, Steering Group and Initiative members. Along with our 5 staff members, they led and shaped the program.

iGEM Ambassadors


The iGEM Ambassadors represent and promote iGEM and synthetic biology in their respective regions. They are a diverse and international team of regional leaders who have experienced iGEM and now work together to promote initiatives to expand iGEM and collaborate with local stakeholders to disseminate cooperation across their community.

Interface between the teams and iGEM HQ and voice for their regional iGEM communities

Recruit potential teams and identify barriers to entry

Connect to iGEM alumni and help improve iGEM Community's programs

Promote or help create the iGEM League in your region

Meet the 2021 cohort: 37 Ambassadors, 5 Regional Heads, 1 Global Coordinator, 22 Countries and 5 Regions

Africa


Alex Kyabarongo
Alex Kyabarongo
linkedin
Ambassador - Africa (Regional Head)
Uganda
Erikan Baluku
Erikan Baluku
linkedin
Ambassador - Africa
Cape Town, South Africa
Sara Ghoul
Sara Ghoul
linkedin
Youssef Mahmoud Abdelmaksoud
Youssef Mahmoud Abdelmaksoud
linkedin
Egypt

Asia & Oceania


Avadhoot Jadhav
Avadhoot Jadhav
linkedin
Pune, India
Ayesha Sameer
Ayesha Sameer
linkedin
Cynthia Lam
Cynthia Lam
linkedin
Jianzhe Yang
Jianzhe Yang
linkedin
Pasuruan, Indonesia
Nympha Elisa Sia
Nympha Elisa Sia
linkedin
Roudlotul Jannah
Roudlotul Jannah
linkedin
Project Head
Pasuruan, Indonesia
Ryo Niwa
Ryo Niwa
linkedin
Seyeon Park
Seyeon Park
linkedin
Shivaramakrishna Srinivasan
Shivaramakrishna Srinivasan
linkedin
Shrestha Rath
Shrestha Rath
linkedin
Regional Head
Shruti Sridhar
Shruti Sridhar
linkedin
Bangalore, India
Soumodeep Sarkar
Soumodeep Sarkar
linkedin
India
Zhandong Jiao
Zhandong Jiao
linkedin
Beijing, China

Europe


Abigail Conner
Abigail Conner
linkedin
Assaf Kazakov
Assaf Kazakov
linkedin
Athina Milona
Athina Milona
linkedin
Ambassador - Europe (Regional Head)
Claudia Sofía Troncone Clemente
Claudia Sofía Troncone Clemente
linkedin
Leandros Tsiotos
Leandros Tsiotos
linkedin
London, UK
Matthew Turk
Matthew Turk
linkedin
UK
Sagi Sheinkman
Sagi Sheinkman
linkedin
Israel

Latin America


Abril Diosdado Hernadez
Abril Diosdado Hernadez
linkedin
Ambassador - Latin America
Ana Ruth Quintero
Ana Ruth Quintero
linkedin
Heber Torres
Heber Torres
linkedin
Regional Head
Monterrey, Mexico
Heloisa Oss Boll
Heloisa Oss Boll
linkedin
Jimmy Linhares
Jimmy Linhares
linkedin
Manaus, Brazil
Minerva Castellanos
Minerva Castellanos
linkedin
Monterrey, Mexico
Norka Pena
Norka Pena
linkedin
Lima, Peru
Rodrigo Gallegos
Rodrigo Gallegos
linkedin
Lima, Peru
Samantha García Arias
Samantha García Arias
linkedin
Regional Head

North America


Ansley Gnanapragasam
Ansley Gnanapragasam
linkedin
Regional Head
Canada
Erin Kim
Erin Kim
linkedin
Regional Head
Ethan Levy
Ethan Levy
linkedin
Kaavya Ashok
Kaavya Ashok
linkedin
Boston, United States of America
Marie Peras
Marie Peras
linkedin
Navya Lam
Navya Lam
linkedin
Nimaya De Silva
Nimaya De Silva
linkedin
Qitong Luan
Qitong Luan
linkedin
Rocky An
Rocky An
linkedin
Tim Hov
Tim Hov
linkedin

iGEM Networks


The iGEM Networks are dedicated to connecting individuals, building communities, sharing resources and developing initiatives geared towards specialized areas related to synthetic biology. Each Topic is led by a dedicated Steering Group.

Discover and re-curate the resources which are produced and benefit iGEMers

Connect individuals and maintain communities around the different areas of interest

Develop projects and initiatives geared towards specialized areas related to synbio

Meet the 2021 cohort: 68 Members, 3 Coordinators, 26 Countries and 6 Topics

Academia & Research


Anastasios Galanis
Anastasios Galanis
linkedin
Greece
Ashwin K. Jainarayanan
Ashwin K. Jainarayanan
linkedin
Oxford, UK
Athira Shreejith
Athira Shreejith
linkedin
Thrissur, India
Frank Liu
Frank Liu
linkedin
Boston, United States of America
Guilherme Kundlatsch
Guilherme Kundlatsch
linkedin
Brazil
Kedar Bhosale
Kedar Bhosale
linkedin
Bhopal, India
Michelle Oeum
Michelle Oeum
linkedin
Melbourne, Australia
Nanxi Wang
Nanxi Wang
linkedin
Nanjing, China
Nemira Zilinskaite
Nemira Zilinskaite
linkedin
Coordinator
Cambridge, UK
Roger Rubio Sánchez
Roger Rubio Sánchez
linkedin
Cambridge, UK
Sourav Suresh
Sourav Suresh
linkedin
Hosur, India

Education


Christopher Kuffner
Christopher Kuffner
linkedin
Boston, United States of America
Craig M Trester
Craig M Trester
linkedin
New York City, United States of America
Devin Camenares
Devin Camenares
linkedin
Alma, United States of America
Dorothy Zhang
Dorothy Zhang
linkedin
Paris, France
Heber Torres
Heber Torres
linkedin
Monterrey, Mexico
Hyeonseok Choi
Hyeonseok Choi
linkedin
Gimpo, South Korea
Muhammad Marsad Siddique
Muhammad Marsad Siddique
linkedin
Paris, France
Nannan Jiang
Nannan Jiang
linkedin
Atlanta, United States of America
Owen Lo
Owen Lo
linkedin
Macao/Edinburgh, UK
Pedro Lovatt Garcia
Pedro Lovatt Garcia
linkedin
London, UK
Priyannth RS
Priyannth RS
linkedin
Suwon, South Korea
Shivaramakrishna Srinivasan
Shivaramakrishna Srinivasan
linkedin
Shruti Sridhar
Shruti Sridhar
linkedin
Head
Singapore, Singapore
Smriti Suresh
Smriti Suresh
linkedin
Montreal, Canada
Suhasini Iyer
Suhasini Iyer
linkedin
Singapore, Singapore
Varsha Jaisimha
Varsha Jaisimha
linkedin
India

Governance and Policy


Ethan Agena
Ethan Agena
linkedin
Toronto, Canada
Gokul Bhaskaran
Gokul Bhaskaran
linkedin
Berhampur, India
Gurpreet Dhaliwal
Gurpreet Dhaliwal
linkedin
London, UK
Henrique D'Ambrosio Retti
Henrique D'Ambrosio Retti
linkedin
São Paulo, Brazil
Janvi Ahuja
Janvi Ahuja
linkedin
Oxford, UK
Jose Garza Martinez
Jose Garza Martinez
linkedin
Monterrey, Mexico
Martin Holub
Martin Holub
linkedin
Delft, The Netherlads
Rene Melendez
Rene Melendez
linkedin
Monterrey, México
Ronit Langer
Ronit Langer
linkedin
Head
United States of America
Tessa Alexanian
Tessa Alexanian
linkedin
Head
Toronto, Canada
Varsha Jaisimha
Varsha Jaisimha
linkedin
Coordinator
India

Industry


Alice Kei Endo
Alice Kei Endo
linkedin
São Paulo, Brasil
Anton Mykhailiuk
Anton Mykhailiuk
linkedin
Paris, France
Ellis C. Kelly
Ellis C. Kelly
linkedin
Cambridge, UK
James Welch
James Welch
linkedin
Philadelphia, United States of America
Jatin Khaimani
Jatin Khaimani
linkedin
Hyderabad, India
Melodie Dupre
Melodie Dupre
linkedin
Head
Paris, France
Muhammad Hassan Raza
Muhammad Hassan Raza
linkedin
Greensboro, United States of America
Nemira Zilinskaite
Nemira Zilinskaite
linkedin
Coordinator
Cambridge, UK
Taycir Ben Ammar
Taycir Ben Ammar
linkedin
Tunis,Tunisia

Science Communications


Cibele Zolnier
Cibele Zolnier
linkedin
Coordinator
Paris, France
Clare Li
Clare Li
linkedin
Nanjing, China
Harindi Jayakody
Harindi Jayakody
linkedin
Cambridge, UK
Harkirat Singh Arora
Harkirat Singh Arora
linkedin
Ann Arbor, United States of America
Hassnain Qasim Bokhari
Hassnain Qasim Bokhari
linkedin
Advisor
Pakistan
Larissa Markus
Larissa Markus
linkedin
Wageningen, Netherlands
Marissa Sumathipala
Marissa Sumathipala
linkedin
Head
Cambridge, United States of America
Nannan Jiang
Nannan Jiang
linkedin
Atlanta, United States of America
Nicola Freyer
Nicola Freyer
linkedin
Göttingen, Germany
Revathi Reddy
Revathi Reddy
linkedin
Co-Head
Alberta, Canada
Shanthi Hegde
Shanthi Hegde
linkedin
Cumming, Georgia, United States of America
Tamisha Dzifa Segbefia
Tamisha Dzifa Segbefia
linkedin
Accra, Ghana
Uttara Jayashankar
Uttara Jayashankar
linkedin
Indiana, United States of America

Open Science and Accessibility


Avadhoot Jadhav
Avadhoot Jadhav
linkedin
Pune, India
Cibele Zolnier
Cibele Zolnier
linkedin
Head
Paris, France
Deborah Schafhauser
Deborah Schafhauser
linkedin
Itapema, Brazil
Diego Rosas
Diego Rosas
linkedin
Oaxaca, Mexico
Erikan Baluku
Erikan Baluku
linkedin
Ambassador - Africa
Cape Town, South Africa
Estefany Sofia Sánchez Martínez
Estefany Sofia Sánchez Martínez
linkedin
Estado de México, México
Gyanaranjan Parida
Gyanaranjan Parida
linkedin
Dhenkanal, India
Heloisa Oss Boll
Heloisa Oss Boll
linkedin
Heng (Annika) Shi
Heng (Annika) Shi
linkedin
NC, United States of America
Jaume Puig
Jaume Puig
linkedin
Barcelona, Spain
Kelly Bacherman
Kelly Bacherman
linkedin
Florida, United States of America
Luna Eresta Jaya
Luna Eresta Jaya
linkedin
Kobe, Japan
Mahmoud AbdelGawad
Mahmoud AbdelGawad
linkedin
Cairo, Egypt
Maria José Durán
Maria José Durán
linkedin
Texas, United States of America
Mirudula Elanchezhian
Mirudula Elanchezhian
linkedin
Mohali, India
Mohammad Tarek Mansour
Mohammad Tarek Mansour
linkedin
Cairo, Egypt
Muhammad Farhan Maulana
Muhammad Farhan Maulana
linkedin
Head APAC
Bekasi, Indonesia
Nana Oye
Nana Oye
linkedin
Head EMEA
Accra, Ghana
Osman Padilla Meza
Osman Padilla Meza
linkedin
Sant Esteve d'en Bas, Spain
Shrey Singh
Shrey Singh
linkedin
Kobe, Japan
Stephen Mukuze
Stephen Mukuze
linkedin
Kwekwe, Zimbabwe
Sudarshan GC
Sudarshan GC
linkedin
Paris, France
Tejas Borkar
Tejas Borkar
linkedin
Nanded, India
Tessa Alexanian
Tessa Alexanian
linkedin
Advisor
Toronto, Canada
Tim Hov
Tim Hov
linkedin
Umut Bilgiç
Umut Bilgiç
linkedin
Darmstadt, Germany
Youssef Mahmoud Abdelmaksoud
Youssef Mahmoud Abdelmaksoud
linkedin
Reporter
Cairo, Egypt

Network topics


iGEM Community initiatives


The iGEM Community initiatives are efforts designed to address specific challenges that are important to our community.

Discover and re-curate the resources which are produced and benefit iGEMers

Connect individuals and maintain communities around the different areas of interest

Develop projects and initiatives geared towards specialized areas related to synbio

Our Community Efforts


The 2021 season started with the Kickoff event. We introduced the synbio community to our working groups, their purpose, goals, and the topics they will be contributing to. We also launched our new website, experimented with a JOGL space for external participants to take part of our activities, and opened up our slack for the general community members so that they can engage with each other.

Supporting iGEM teams


Regional ambassadors activities


The iGEM Ambassadors implemented projects specific to their regional needs. These projects focused on supporting and recruiting new iGEM teams, connecting and supporting regional iGEM alumni, and helping the creation of iGEM Leagues in the region.

Ambassadors to Africa

  • Meeting with Potential iGEM teams: 4 Events; 1:1 Meetings - 5 institutions; 90 individuals engaged. - Universities and School Outreach: 13 Institutes, 4 Countries. - Other events: SynBio Africa Conference and SynBio Arabia

Ambassadors to Asia and Oceania

  • ATGC Workshop: +400 applicants - Accepted 80 participants, 14 Guest Speakers - Work in Progress: 7 Attendees, 2 Sessions - Wiki Reading Circle: 30 Attendees - University Outreach: 11 institutions, 6 Countries

Ambassadors to Latin America

  • Coffee with SynBio (Café com SynBio): 2 Events, 11 Attendees - iGEM LATAM Fest: 227 Attendees, 32 Guests

Ambassadors to North America

Understand Global Biotech and Synbio Governance


Building Synthetic Biology Resources


Excelling beyond the competition


Supporting your career and upskilling your passion


Improving Accessibility in SynBio


Highlight issues of representation


Connecting Global Communities


Synbio gets developed everywhere around the world