Beyond the Lab: A Journey to Democratize Synthetic Biology

As I write this message, I'm filled with a multitude of emotions. February 29 2024 marked my final day with the iGEM Foundation, a journey that commenced in 2011 when I first embraced the incredible opportunity to lead not just one, but four teams into the synthetic biology (Synbio) frontier.

My Synbio journey began in Monterrey, Mexico ( Tecnológico de Monterrey ), and extended to Edinburgh, UK, ( The University of Edinburgh ) laying the foundation for a decade-long expedition that has been nothing short of amazing.

For those who might not be familiar, the International Genetically Engineered Machine (iGEM) competition has been a catalyst for the synthetic biology industry. Originating as an ambitious experiment, iGEM founders sought to discover if students could collaborate to construct functioning biological devices. Over two decades later, the resounding answer has been a unanimous "Yes!"

The creation of the iGEM Leagues was a pivotal moment in our collective story. Amidst the 2020 pandemic, our discussions transcended the mechanics of synthetic biology to address a more profound question:

Who should be at the forefront of this technological evolution?

This really resonated with me, having made the effort to participate in iGEM 4 times before, while also working to inspire and help others participate in the iGEM competition as an ambassador, I can not overstate how challenging it was for some teams to raise funds, learn in their language, secure a lab, participate and travel across the world to be able to be part of this amazing competition.

Inspired by iGEM's 2021 vision of making synthetic biology accessible to all, we embarked on a challenging yet rewarding journey to democratize Synbio across the globe through our iGEM Leagues Program.

As the Vice President of the iGEM Leagues, alongside Daniel Dominguez Gomez and Maria Astolfi , we inaugurated the program, echoing the iGEM Founders' own search for discovery 20 years prior.

1. Could we do this while understanding and tackling our shared challenges, such as a lack of infrastructure and limited resources?
2. Could we train the next generation of Synthetic Biologists, providing educational opportunities in their languages?
3. Could we create a program that could welcome and inspire more students from previously underrepresented regions?

I am very glad to say, we discovered the answers to be an exciting “YES!” to all.

• We were glad to prove that students do not need a lab to understand local problems, learn synthetic biology, and design solutions through an In-silico approach, allowing for more people to contribute to their local bioeconomy.
• Alongside the Design League team, we were able to create iGEM Academy, iGEM’s first official educational platform, with more than 50 videos and over 25 hours of Synbio educational content to train responsible synthetic biologists, making it more accessible by translating and subtitling it into English, Spanish, Portuguese, Arabic, and Bahasa Indonesia.

• We worked together with Ginkgo Bioworks to create the iGEM Design League Grand Prize, an award for the iGEM Design League Grand Prize winner, which included mentorship by Ginkgo's Bioengineers, support for their project’s build and test stages, as well as an all-expenses-paid trip to Boston, USA, all thanks to the amazing support of their Bioengineers and mentors and the iGEM Design League organizing team who went above and beyond to make this possible.

• We held our own iGEM Synbio Festival, the first in person event for the iGEM Leagues program, reminiscent of the first iGEM Jamborees, in collaboration with the INMEGEN (Mexico’s Institute for Genomic Medicine) with participation of over 400 students and community members in Mexico City, in 2023.
• In my role, I was able to empower regional teams to develop and carry out their own Leagues, with the iGEM Design League being led by Patricia Rodil , iGEM Indian League led by Shruti Sridhar , iGEM Indonesian League led by Muhammad Farhan M. , and iGEM MENA League led by Youssef Abdelmaksoud .
• With the program allowing us to kickstart the synthetic biology journey for over 2000 students from Algeria, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Egypt, Guatemala, India, Indonesia, Mexico, Panama, Peru, Saudi Arabia, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates, and Venezuela.

To me and my team, the leagues were more than a program; they were beacons of hope and innovation, offering unprecedented opportunities for students and participants who otherwise would not have had the same opportunity me and my team had 10 years prior.

Looking back, my pride swells not just for the achievements but for the shared values we championed through our program: inclusivity, diversity, and accessibility. As I close this chapter of my life, I'm eager to embark on my next journey, where I will continue to learn more and take actions to make the most impact possible while staying true to my values and experience, carrying with me the lessons and friendships forged during my time at iGEM.

This journey would not have been possible without the help of so many people involved, with too many to mention. But I would like to particularly thank:

1. First of all, our iGEM Leagues' more than 2000 participants, judges, mentors, and partners, who believed in us and without whom this never would have been possible.
2. My coworkers at the iGEM Foundation and the iGEM Leagues team, particularly Daniel Dominguez Gomez , Maria Astolfi , Patricia Rodil , Cristiane Toledo , Alejandra Oyarzo , Ricardo Garza Carpio , Caroline S. , Martha Carolina Elizondo Cantú , Daniela Alvarez-Robledo , Shruti Sridhar , Onkar Date , Priyannth RS , Youssef Abdelmaksoud , Nehal Attiya , Dina Hesham , Muhammad Farhan M. , Nurul izzati Immanuel Sanka , Aulia Reski Widyaningrum Alfiatun Hasanah , who took on the challenge to dream, build, and accomplish something even better than what we set up to do, reminding me how even when the past years were quite the challenge, its impact was worth it in the end.
3. Last but not least, my former bosses, particularly Meagan Lizarazo and Guilherme Kundlatsch , for believing in me and proving once more, we can go further and faster when we work together for what we value and for what we believe in.

As we part ways, I invite anyone inspired by our achievements and values to reach out. Whether to reminisce, to discuss the next big thing to come, or to seek guidance for your own Synbio journey, my door will remain open.