iGEM High School Competition: Why Synthetic Biology Super-charges IP Math & Physics Skills

Q: What does iGEM High School Competition: Why Synthetic Biology Super-charges IP Math & Physics Skills cover?
A: A parent-and-student guide to the iGEM High School Competition: timeline, judging, famous projects, and how the modelling track turns classroom calculus.

TL;DR
The International Genetically Engineered Machine (iGEM) High School Competition invites 60-plus teams each year to design, build and test new biological systems in only eight months. Success hinges on the very maths (binomial proofs, differential equations) and physics (diffusion, spectrophotometry) that Integrated-Programme students already learn - now weaponised to model gene circuits and bioreactors.

Registration quick answer (global): Teams register on the iGEM competition site; a Principal Investigator (PI) and host institution are required. Fees, deadlines and track options change yearly - check the High School participation page for current instructions: https://competition.igem.org/about/high-school

1 What exactly is “iGEM HS”?

• Origins - iGEM began at MIT in 2003 as an undergraduate January course and spun out as a non-profit in 2012; the High School league was officially carved out in 2015.
• Scale - The 2024 cycle fielded 62 high-school teams from 16 countries, up from 9 teams in its inaugural year.
• Deliverables
  1. Wet-lab work (BioBricks, CRISPR, cell-free systems)
  2. Mathematical modelling (ODEs, stochastic simulations)
  3. Wiki + video + live Jamboree presentation
  4. Human practices (ethics, outreach)

Gold, Silver and Bronze medals are awarded, and a Grand Prize (the infamous “BioBrick trophy”).

2 Competition timeline