We are recruiting students for a team project in Synthetic Biology over the summer at the University of Cambridge as part of the international Genetically Engineered Machine competition, iGEM2009. An assembled team of undergraduates will face the challenge of conceiving and designing a simple biological system using standard, interchangeable parts and operating it in living cells. As well as spending the summer weeks designing the system and synthesising and testing the parts, there will be the opportunity to attend an end-of-competition jamboree at MIT with other international teams. This year, the competition will run with teams from 106 universities worldwide including Cambridge. The teams have constructed systems with functions that ranged from biological sensors, artificial navigation, multicellular patterning to a bacterial blood substitute. The competition is an opportunity for biology students to learn about practical engineering approaches to the design and modelling of non-linear systems; and for engineering students to gain hands-on experience with molecular biology techniques and biological systems at the frontier of this exciting research area. The project will be based in teaching labs in the University over the summer, with access to a budget, and advanced research equipment.

The Cambridge organisers are: Jim Ajioka, Department of Pathology; Jorge Goncalves & Alexandre Kabla, Department of Engineering; Jim Haseloff, Department of Plant Sciences & Gos Micklem, Department of Genetics and CCBI. 

If you are interested in participating, contact the iGEM2009 organisers 
c/o Dr. Jim Haseloff, ( This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ), 
Department of Plant Sciences, 
University of Cambridge 
and forward your cv and name of intended Part II course.