Maranas lab from Chemical Engineering in collaboration with Wash U's iGEM (International Genetically Engineered Machines) team is recruiting self-motivated undergraduate students from all backgrounds to participate in the research this summer! iGEM is the world's premier synthetic biology competition and involves designing and engineering microbes to solve real world problems. Participating in iGEM is a fantastic way to learn about all of the different sides of research, from the actual research to administrative aspects that go on behind the scenes.
"$3.9 million NSF research grant seeks to reduce crops' fertilizer dependence"
Previous projects have involved engineering a nitrogen-fixing strain of E. coli and engineering the production of the spice saffron in E. coli and cyanobacteria. This year, the iGEM team will have the opportunity to interact directly with the lab's of Professors Maranas (from Penn State), Pakrasi, Zhang, and Moon (from Wash U) in designing and executing a new project.
maranas.che.psu.edu
pages.wustl.edu/photo.synth.bio
zhang.eece.wustl.edu
moon.eece.wustl.edu
The competition will require a commitment of a few hours a week in the Spring semester, as well as a few hours a week in the Fall semester to prepare for the competition. Team members are compensated with a stipend for the summer, and the project wraps up with the regional and international competitions in the fall.
There is no previous research experience required, just an interest in synthetic biology and a desire to learn. If you are interested, you can learn more about iGEM below, and contact Professor Costas Maranas at costas[at]psu.edu or Rajib Saha at rus184[at]psu.edu or Thomas Mueller at tmueller5293[at]gmail.com or Margaret Simons at msimons725[at]gmail.com for more information regarding the application.