Giant Jamboree/Program/Competition
Attending the iGEM 2020 Virtual Giant Jamboree? Get your event pass now!
Individual Registration is now open through Eventbrite! All attendees, including team members, should register through Eventbrite to get access to the "My iGEM" Platform and App, and to sign media release agreements for the event.
Direct Link: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/igem-2020-virtual-giant-jamboree-tickets-125398561473
COMPETITION
November 14-16, 2020
The first three days will focus on the Competition and the judging activities for iGEM 2020 teams. Teams will interact with their judges at judging sessions, and network and present in virtual poster sessions. Spectators should watch Presentation Videos ahead of time, and then stream the judging sessions in the My iGEM app or right here at 2020.igem.org/Giant_Jamboree
Jump to: Judging Sessions | Poster Sessions | iGEMers' Prize Ballot | Team Information and Schedule
The iGEM 2020 Competition Finalists have now been announced! Watch their presentation videos, and view their wikis and posters below.
Tune in Sunday November 22 at 9AM EST for the Closing Ceremony, Awards, and announcements of the Grand Prize Winners!
Undergraduate Finalist
Toulouse_INSA-UPS
Space exploration drives us further away from Earth and will lead to year-long space travel. Some essential nutrients, such as vitamins, cannot be stored on the spacecraft since they rapidly lose nutritional value over time. iGEMINI aims to supplement astronauts’ food with nutritional and tasty yeast supplement. We designed a quasi-autonomous coculture between the acetogen bacterium Clostridium ljungdahlii and the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. This system uses minimal resources which are currently considered as waste on spacecraft. As a proof of concept, the yeast has been engineered to produce provitamin A, an essential vitamin for human health. Since astronauts' tastes are altered by physiological changes in their body, we give them the choice to choose their favorite flavors by using optogenetic systems. Our project builds new bridges between space research and microbiology, and multiple efforts have been done to promote space synthetic biology as a truly promising and exciting scientific field.
Presentation | Wiki | Poster
Undergraduate Finalist
Vilnius-Lithuania
Growing fish consumption rates encouraged marine culture farms to implement recirculating aquaculture systems that make intensive fish production compatible with environmental sustainability. Even if these systems reduce the use of terrestrial resources, water recirculation in such systems can cause significant losses because of bacterial or viral infections. A common pathogen of fish infections is the Flavobacterium genus bacteria, which can cause fish death in a few days after the initial infection. To detect the infection as soon as possible, we developed a rapid detection test based on helicase-dependent amplification and lateral-flow assay methods. Additionally, we created a novel treatment method which relies on a quorum sensing mechanism and exolysin protein with the aim of decreasing antibiotic consumption levels. Finally, to prevent forthcoming infections, our third goal is to provide a prevention system based on subunit vaccines encapsulated in alginate beads.
Presentation | Wiki | Poster
Undergraduate Finalist
XMU-China
Tea is deeply rooted in Chinese culture. For a long period, a large amount of glyphosate has been used as a herbicide, which raises a severe problem of pesticide residues in tea food. XMU-China aims at developing an efficient glyphosate detection and degradation system. For the detection system, glyphosate is degraded by several enzymes and then transferred into a measurable fluorescence signal caused by the NADPH; and the degradation system plans to disintegrate glyphosate to be AMPA to minimize the toxicity. Two suicide switches controlled by different inducers are also projected. It is hoped that this project could provide new ideas for the detection and degradation of pesticide residues. Taking care of the earth by tiny bacteria, we here promise a better future of tea.
Presentation | Wiki | Poster
Overgraduate Finalist
Aachen
The complex regeneration of biochemical energy sources represents a cost-intensive hurdle for many production and research processes. With M.A.R.S., we want to establish an innovative strategy to create light-powered, mitochondrion-like protocells and a bioreactor that will recycle those cells by magnetism. Through the design of our reusable recycling system it will be able to power every ATP-driven enzyme cascade, making M.A.R.S. universally applicable. By extracting bacteriorhodopsin out of Halobacterium salinarum, a phototrophic archaea species, and combining it with an ATP synthase from Saccharomyces cerevisiae in self-produced polymersomes and liposomes, we get simple but effective chassis, which make it possible to cover the energy requirement of any enzyme reaction cascade. Binding those chassis to magnet particles via anchor peptides enables the reuse of the entire protocell system within the reactor by means of magnetic purification, whereby they can be fed directly into enzyme cascades, without depending on living cells.
Presentation | Wiki | Poster
Overgraduate Finalist
Leiden
This year’s COVID-19 outbreak demonstrated how the world is impacted by a pandemic, causing over one million deaths worldwide and severely damaging the quality of life of billions. Rapid diagnostics are vital to keep an outbreak under control and reduce the need for disrupting measures. Here, we present an innovative, modular technique called Rapidemic that allows for the rapid detection of nucleic acids of pathogenic species in a future outbreak. By combining targeted amplification (RPA), nickase-based GQ DNAzyme generation (LSDA), and DNAzyme-catalyzed oxidation, our method reliably and rapidly detects pathogenic DNA or RNA and provides the user with a simple colorimetric output. Because it does not require a lab or external power source, our technology enables point-of-care testing in both high- and low-resource areas. This way, Rapidemic offers a global solution to a global problem and allows us to be one step ahead in tackling Disease X!
Presentation | Wiki | Poster
High School Finalist
GreatBay_SCIE
We produced ALFA (Aptamer Lateral-Flow Assay), an efficient, membrane-based test kit for amatoxins. Replacing antibodies with aptamers - a type of oligonucleotide - in LFIAs (Lateral Flow ImmunoAssay), several drawbacks that antibodies present (low heat stability, heavy reliance on immunogenicity of target molecules, etc.) are eliminated. Simultaneously, we developed a sandwich assay involving both aptamers and antibodies, combining the benefits of using either ligand. scFvs (Single-Chained antibody Fragments) have simpler structures and can be made through regular protein synthesis procedures, while conventional processes involve the mammalian immune system. Applying ELISA (Enzyme-Linked ImmunoSorbent Assay) to our design, we immobilize purified scFv onto the ALFA pad, then coat our samples - amanitin - onto the scFvs. BSA-conjugated aptamers are then coated to the amanitin. Hopefully, this test kit will assist in identification of common species of poisonous mushrooms, reducing cases of poisonings worldwide.
Presentation | Wiki | Poster
High School Finalist
TAS_Taipei
Seasonal flu and pandemics, which account for millions of infections and hundreds of thousands of deaths, require rapid and reliable detection mechanisms to implement preventive and therapeutic measures. Current detection methods of viral infections have limitations in speed, accuracy, accessibility, and usability. This project presents a novel, widely applicable viral diagnostic test that uses a modified version of rolling circle amplification (RCA) to be sensitive, specific, direct RNA targeted, colorimetric and operable at room temperature. We are specifically detecting the following high-impact viruses: SARS-CoV-2, Influenza A (H1N1pdm09), and Influenza B (Victoria Lineage), although our test can be adapted to any viral infection. Results using synthetic viral DNA and RNA sequences show that our diagnostic test takes approximately one hour, detects femtomolar concentrations of RNA strands, and differentiates between virus strains. We believe implementing our diagnostic test will provide faster responses to future viral-related outbreaks for quicker societal recovery.
Presentation | Wiki | Poster
Replay Commentator Show of November 14
Replay Commentator Show of November 15
Commentators and Hosts views are their own and do not necessarily represent iGEM Foundation's official stance on topics.
Judging Sessions
Judging Sessions are split into 14 parallel sessions over the 3 Competition Days (Nov 14-16). Unlike in previous years, the judging session presents a more in-depth way for teams to connect with their judges. Judges will watch your presentation videos, review team wikis and posters ahead of the judging session, and use the full 25-minute judging session to ask all of their questions.
At your judging session, you can expect:
- 3-5 minute introduction delivered by your team to your judges - you can highlight 1-2 things that you want your judges to note
- Optional: you may show 1-2 slides, 1-2 wiki pages, OR your poster page during this time
- 20 minute Question & Answer time directly with your judges
- 5 minute turnover time to the next team
You will need access to Zoom for judging sessions. More details about how to access your judging session will be emailed to you closer to the event.
Important Notes:
- Teams and judges will be able to share their screens during the Question & Answer time.
- Only student team members can answer questions.
- You may have as many student team members involved in answering questions as you would like. There is no limit.
- Team PIs, advisors, and instructors should NOT join the Zoom meetings for the Judging Sessions.
- Team PIs, instructors, and advisors can observe their team's Judging Sessions through the My iGEM platform.
Spectating
Unlike any Jamboree before, you can start watching team presentation videos on the iGEM video universe!
For judging sessions, the Zoom rooms will be reserved for judges and teams being evaluated, but we will be streaming judging sessions to the My iGEM app. You can catch the judging session for a team you’ve collaborated with, or maybe you found an exciting team presentation video and you want to learn more. On the My iGEM app you will be able to chat with fellow viewers, and moderators will forward questions to the team in the judging session.
Don't have access to My iGEM app? Register for your free event pass!.
Poster Sessions
The virtual poster sessions are an opportunity for teams to showcase their poster, network with other teams and attendees, learn about other projects, engage with sponsors, have fun, and enjoy a little bit of chaos! This year, poster sessions are not about judging, but about teams connecting with each other, general attendees, and iGEM committee members.
Poster sessions are split into six sessions over the 3 Competition Days (Nov 14-16). Teams are assigned to one session based on their region and presentation day, but they are also invited to attend and participate in any other session(s) they want!
You can click on the time zone UTC selector below to see the poster session times on your time zone, default times shown in EST/UTC-05:
Session A:Session B:
Session C:
Session D:
Session E:
Session F:
Click on your team name to see the details of your Poster Session assignment.
Watch the Poster Session and Remo Platform Walk-Through Video!
Click to expandHow to locate your poster space in Remo
- Check that you have entered the correct Poster Building [Building 1 | Building 2 | Building 3]
- Select your assigned floor
- Look for your assigned poster number and team name. Double click the area to join the poster.
Click to expandHow to present your poster
- Click on the "... More" button on the bottom panel
- Select Whiteboard. This will start a whiteboard session with the other attendees who are at your poster area.
- Your poster should be pre-loaded on the whiteboard! You and your visitors should click the poster URL link to interact with the poster.
In whiteboard, you can add annotations, leave notes on other teams' posters if they're not there, upload additional screenshots of your poster, add links, or use any of the other features in the whiteboard. You can also try using the share screen function to show your poster. Don't forget to take some time during poster sessions to visit other teams (in the middle of the floorplan), exhibitor booths (on the left hand side), and you can also make use of the free chat tables to have private conversations with new contacts (on the right hand side)!
The iGEMers' Prize
Over the last few months, you have worked in teams to produce an iGEM project contributing to the development of synthetic biology, and so, above everyone else, you know what goes into accomplishing such a project. The iGEMers’ Prize is a chance for you, the participants, to have a say in which collegiate and high school projects you consider to be the BEST at this year’s competition.
The results of the vote and the awarding of the collegiate iGEMers’ Prize and high school iGEMers’ Prize will be made alongside the other awards at the Closing Ceremony on Sunday November 22!
Take some time over the Competition weekend to see what your fellow teams have accomplished this year, then submit your team's vote by Monday, November 16 at 11:59PM EST
Judging Sessions and Poster Session Assignments are Now Available!
Explore the program:
COMPETITION
November 14-16
COMMUNITY
November 17-20
CONTRIBUTION
November 21
CELEBRATION
November 22
iGEM 2020 Sponsors
iGEM Foundation
The International Genetically Engineered Machine (iGEM) Foundation is an independent, non-profit organization dedicated to the advancement of synthetic biology, education and competition, and the development of an open community and collaboration. Visit us at igem.org
Contact
hq AT igem DOT org
45 Prospect Street
Cambridge, MA 02139
Due to COVID-19, iGEM staff are working remotely and cannot receive phone calls.
Please contact us by email.
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