Tag: igem

iGEM is the Future of Biotechnology

Jennifer Lopez and Zachary Quinto. Biotech is going mainstream in a big way. That was the message to the more than 5,600 high school and college students crowded into Boston’s Hynes Convention Center for the 2016 International Genetically Engineered Machine (iGEM) competition. Lopez’s production company is producing CRISPR, a near-future crime drama named after the […]

Who Takes iGEM Seriously?

This past week iGEM startup PvP Biologics closed a $35 million round with Takeda. Last year, in June 2016, Ginkgo Bioworks raised $100 million. The company was founded by a team that participated in the first iGEM competitions. The iGEM startup page lists some 19 startups that originated from the competition. While Christopher VanLang is […]

Captain Underpants, BioBuilder and iGEM: Preparing Kids for the Biotech Century

Melvin’s Li’l Scientist Wristwatch had a built-in DNA extractor. Melvin inserted the filthy toenail into his watch and programmed a complete extraction procedure while the Turbo Toilet 2000 chased him back through town… As Melvin ran screaming, his watch quickly pulverized and sonicated the toenail cells, removed their membrane lipids, proteins and RNA, and purified […]