The application of Biotechnology dates back to the early era of civilization, when people first started to cultivate food crops. While the early applications are certainly still relevant, modern biotechnology is primarily associated with molecular biology, cloning and genetic engineering not only to increase the yield and to improve the quality of the crop but also its potential impact has touched upon virtually all domains of human interactions. Within the last 50 years, several key scientific discoveries revolutionized the biological sciences that facilitated the rapid growth of the biotechnology industry.

As part of the conference, Muskaan and Sasha facilitated a hybrid workshop for participants (students and researchers) to gain a working understanding of synthetic biology and its various applications and promote the field, especially in eastern India, where knowledge is limited on the subject. During the workshop, participants explored:

• The origins, programs, and transformative impact of iGEM in the global SynBio community.
• The fundamentals of SynBio: its history, applications, techniques, the concept of "Biological Legos", intellectual property and entrepreneurship.
• The ethical and legal considerations that come with advancing SynBio. As many life sciences students graduate without ever learning the term "dual-use" in this part of the workshop, participants learned how to evaluate Dual Use Research of Concern and bring their biosecurity and biosafety considerations to the next level.

To find more information about the iGEM Ambassadors & Promoters for Asia & Oceania and regional synbio activities visit our Asia & Oceania webpage. Learn more about the Ambassador Program here.

To stay up-to-date about news, events and opportunities from the global synbio community, subscribe to our newsletter ↗.