Difference between revisions of "Resources/Navigating iGEM"

 
(29 intermediate revisions by the same user not shown)
Line 3: Line 3:
  
 
<div class="column full_size">
 
<div class="column full_size">
−
<h2>Navigating iGEM</h2>
+
<h1>Navigating iGEM</h1>
−
 
+
<br>
 
<h3>Introduction</h3>
 
<h3>Introduction</h3>
−
<p>This page is focused on helping teams navigate through iGEM. The staff at iGEM Headquarters has created a series of pages this year with the idea of helping teams work through some of the more challenging aspects of the iGEM competition. These topics include: understanding and following the safety guidelines, troubleshooting and reporting cloning problems, working on telling your story in a clear and concise manner, and learning how to use the Registry and submit new parts. We've also kicked off a new program called the HQ Representative Program to help encourage teams to have regular contact with the staff at iGEM HQ.
+
<p>This page is focused on helping teams navigate through iGEM. Starting an iGEM team and getting a project started can be a challenge even for returning teams. Below you'll find some highlighted items that teams should be working on before and during the iGEM season.
 
<br><br>
 
<br><br>
−
It is our hope that these pages will be helpful to all iGEM teams, whether this is your first time participating in iGEM or if you are returning as a seasoned veteran. If you have any suggestions for content or questions, please send an email to us at <i> hq AT igem DOT org</i>!  
+
It is our hope that this page will be helpful to all iGEM teams, whether this is your first time participating in iGEM or if you are returning as a seasoned veteran. If you have any suggestions for content or questions, please send an email to us at <i> hq AT igem DOT org</i>!  
 
<br><br>
 
<br><br>
 
</p>
 
</p>
 +
<div class="highlight turquoise_top">
 +
</div>
 +
<h3>Preparing for the iGEM Season</h3>
 +
<p>Students and instructors who are interesting in having an iGEM team for the upcoming season often begin preparing during November through February. Below are some helpful tips to get the process started for the 2017 season.</p>
 +
</div>
 +
<div class="clear"></div>
  
−
<h3>The iGEM Cycle</h3>
+
<div class="column half_size">
−
<p>The iGEM competition cycle can be seen below. Not all teams follow this cycle (for example, you may start work earlier or later than this shows), but this is the general flow of the major tasks involved with participating in iGEM. This is based on the 2015 season, with the Jamboree taking place in September.</p>
+
−
 
+
 
<p><i><b>The "Off" Season</b></i>
 
<p><i><b>The "Off" Season</b></i>
−
<b>October through February</b>
+
<br><b>November through February</b>
 
<p>
 
<p>
 
<ul>If you competed in 2016, have an iGEM debriefing with your PI and team
 
<ul>If you competed in 2016, have an iGEM debriefing with your PI and team
 
<ul>Assess successes and failures, discuss interest in continuing next year, etc.</ul></ul>
 
<ul>Assess successes and failures, discuss interest in continuing next year, etc.</ul></ul>
−
<br>
 
 
<p><ul>Raise awareness of iGEM at your school
 
<p><ul>Raise awareness of iGEM at your school
 
<ul>Run informational sessions, post flyers, talk to Professors and fellow students</ul></ul>
 
<ul>Run informational sessions, post flyers, talk to Professors and fellow students</ul></ul>
−
<br>
 
 
<p><ul>Find a PI to mentor your team and provide lab space
 
<p><ul>Find a PI to mentor your team and provide lab space
 
<ul>This may be a challenge if you're a first-time team, but stay positive! Make sure to talk to numerous Professors in your Biology, Biomedical Engineering, and Engineering departments and gauge interest early.</ul></ul>
 
<ul>This may be a challenge if you're a first-time team, but stay positive! Make sure to talk to numerous Professors in your Biology, Biomedical Engineering, and Engineering departments and gauge interest early.</ul></ul>
−
<li>Recruit interested students</li>
+
<br><br>
−
        <li><ol>Advertise that you're looking to find interested students with flyers and/or recruit students from courses</li></ol>
+
</div>
−
<li>Start fundraising efforts (this can be an on-going effort)</li>
+
<div class="column half_size">
−
        <li><ol>Email and call local companies, talk to the head of your department or college, investigate other on-campus funding sources like undergraduate research opportunity programs (UROP)</ol></li>
+
<br><br>
−
</p>
+
<p><ul>Recruit interested students
−
</ul>
+
<ul>Advertise that you're looking to find interested students with flyers and/or recruit students from courses</ul></ul><p><ul>Start fundraising efforts (this should be an on-going effort throughout the season)
−
<br>
+
<ul>Email and call local companies, talk to the head of your department or college, investigate other on-campus funding sources like undergraduate research opportunity programs (UROP)</ul></ul>
 +
</div>
 +
<div class="clear"></div>
 +
 
 +
<div class="highlight turquoise_top">
 +
</div>
 +
 
 +
<div class="column full_size">
 +
<h3>The iGEM Cycle</h3>
 +
<p>The iGEM competition cycle can be seen below. Not all teams follow this cycle (for example, you may start work earlier or later than this shows), but this is the general flow of the major tasks involved with participating in iGEM. This is based on the 2017 season, with the Giant Jamboree taking place in November.</p>
 +
</div>
 +
<div class="clear"></div>
 +
 
 +
<div class="column half_size">
 +
<img src="https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2017/2/26/IGEM_Cycle_2017.jpg">
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
 
<div class="column half_size">
 
<div class="column half_size">
 
<p><b>February, March, April, and May</b>
 
<p><b>February, March, April, and May</b>
−
         <li>Start a Team</li>
+
         <p><ul>Start a Team
−
         <li><ol>Decide the final team from the group of interested students</li></ol>
+
         <ul>Decide the final team from the group of interested students</ul></ul>
−
<li>Brainstorm Project Ideas</li>
+
<p><ul>Brainstorm Project Ideas
−
         <li><ol>Many teams will have multiple brainstorming sessions, with and without the team instructors</li></ol>
+
         <ul>Many teams will have multiple brainstorming sessions, with and without the team instructors</ul></ul>
−
<li>Determine Team Goals and Tasks</li>
+
<p><ul>Determine Team Goals and Tasks
−
         <li><ol>This can be challenging, but well worth the effort in the end. A list of high level goals and a detailed list of tasks needed to reach those goals will help your team stay focused on the project</li></ol>
+
         <ul>This can be challenging, but well worth the effort in the end. A list of high level goals and a detailed list of tasks needed to reach those goals will help your team stay focused on the project</ul></ul>
 
<br></p>
 
<br></p>
 +
</div>
 +
 +
<div class="clear"></div>
 +
 +
<div class="column half_size">
 
<p><b>June, July, August, and September</b>
 
<p><b>June, July, August, and September</b>
−
         <li>Start Wet Lab Work on Project</li>
+
         <p><ul>Start Wet Lab Work on Project
−
         <li><ol>You should get trained in protocols and follow your school's safety regulations, and start working on your project</li></ol>
+
         <ul>You should get trained in protocols and follow your school's safety regulations, and start working on your project</ul></ul>
−
<li>Run Functional Experiments</li>
+
<p><ul>Run Functional Experiments
−
         <li><ol>This can be done throughout the cloning process once you have a functional device. Test your device and collect your data.</li></ol>
+
         <ul>This can be done throughout the cloning process once you have a functional device. Test your device and collect your data.</ul></ul>
−
<li>Process and Plot Results</li>
+
<p><ul>Process and Plot Results
−
         <li><ol>Determine which software you need to use to process your data, determine the units you want to display, and make sure you include your controls during data analysis and show them on your graphs/plots</li></ol>
+
         <ul>Determine which software you need to use to process your data, determine the units you want to display, and make sure you include your controls during data analysis and show them on your graphs/plots</ul></ul>
−
         <li>Work on your Team Wiki (not shown on cycle)</li>
+
         <p><ul>Work on your Team Wiki (not shown on cycle)
−
         <li><ol>You should be continually working on your Team Wiki throughout the project. Don't wait to the last minute!</li></ol>
+
         <ul>You should be continually working on your Team Wiki throughout the project. Don't wait to the last minute!</ul></ul>
 
<br>
 
<br>
 
</p>
 
</p>
Line 58: Line 79:
  
 
<div class="column half_size">
 
<div class="column half_size">
−
<img src="https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2017/2/26/IGEM_Cycle_2017.jpg">
 
−
</div>
 
−
<div class="clear"></div>
 
−
 
−
<div class="column full_size">
 
 
<p><b>October and November</b>
 
<p><b>October and November</b>
−
         <li>Prepare and Practice Oral Presentation</li>
+
         <p><ul>Prepare and Practice Oral Presentation
−
         <li><ol>Similar to your Team Wiki, you should try to work on the presentation throughout the project. Final touches should be done in September.</li></ol>
+
         <ul>Similar to your Team Wiki, you should try to work on the presentation throughout the project. Final touches should be done in September.</ul></ul>
−
<li>Prepare Poster</li>
+
<p><ul>Prepare Poster
−
         <li><ol>Once you have your final data plotted and ready to show, you should make your poster and practice presenting it.</li></ol>
+
         <ul>Once you have your final data plotted and ready to show, you should make your poster and practice presenting it.</ul></ul>
−
<li>Attend the Giant Jamboree</li>
+
<p><ul>Send Your New DNA Samples
−
         <li><ol>Come to Boston, meet other iGEM teams, celebrate your work, and have fun!!</li></ol>
+
        <ul>Prepare your DNA samples for shipment and mail them to iGEM HQ.</ul></ul>
 +
         <p><ul>Attend the Giant Jamboree
 +
        <ul>Come to Boston, meet other iGEM teams, celebrate your work, and have fun!!</ul></ul>
  
 
</p>
 
</p>

Latest revision as of 19:41, 7 February 2017

MENU
Loading...

Navigating iGEM


Introduction

This page is focused on helping teams navigate through iGEM. Starting an iGEM team and getting a project started can be a challenge even for returning teams. Below you'll find some highlighted items that teams should be working on before and during the iGEM season.

It is our hope that this page will be helpful to all iGEM teams, whether this is your first time participating in iGEM or if you are returning as a seasoned veteran. If you have any suggestions for content or questions, please send an email to us at hq AT igem DOT org!

Preparing for the iGEM Season

Students and instructors who are interesting in having an iGEM team for the upcoming season often begin preparing during November through February. Below are some helpful tips to get the process started for the 2017 season.

The "Off" Season
November through February

    If you competed in 2016, have an iGEM debriefing with your PI and team
      Assess successes and failures, discuss interest in continuing next year, etc.

    Raise awareness of iGEM at your school
      Run informational sessions, post flyers, talk to Professors and fellow students

    Find a PI to mentor your team and provide lab space
      This may be a challenge if you're a first-time team, but stay positive! Make sure to talk to numerous Professors in your Biology, Biomedical Engineering, and Engineering departments and gauge interest early.




    Recruit interested students
      Advertise that you're looking to find interested students with flyers and/or recruit students from courses

    Start fundraising efforts (this should be an on-going effort throughout the season)
      Email and call local companies, talk to the head of your department or college, investigate other on-campus funding sources like undergraduate research opportunity programs (UROP)

The iGEM Cycle

The iGEM competition cycle can be seen below. Not all teams follow this cycle (for example, you may start work earlier or later than this shows), but this is the general flow of the major tasks involved with participating in iGEM. This is based on the 2017 season, with the Giant Jamboree taking place in November.

February, March, April, and May

    Start a Team
      Decide the final team from the group of interested students

    Brainstorm Project Ideas
      Many teams will have multiple brainstorming sessions, with and without the team instructors

    Determine Team Goals and Tasks
      This can be challenging, but well worth the effort in the end. A list of high level goals and a detailed list of tasks needed to reach those goals will help your team stay focused on the project

June, July, August, and September

    Start Wet Lab Work on Project
      You should get trained in protocols and follow your school's safety regulations, and start working on your project

    Run Functional Experiments
      This can be done throughout the cloning process once you have a functional device. Test your device and collect your data.

    Process and Plot Results
      Determine which software you need to use to process your data, determine the units you want to display, and make sure you include your controls during data analysis and show them on your graphs/plots

    Work on your Team Wiki (not shown on cycle)
      You should be continually working on your Team Wiki throughout the project. Don't wait to the last minute!

October and November

    Prepare and Practice Oral Presentation
      Similar to your Team Wiki, you should try to work on the presentation throughout the project. Final touches should be done in September.

    Prepare Poster
      Once you have your final data plotted and ready to show, you should make your poster and practice presenting it.

    Send Your New DNA Samples
      Prepare your DNA samples for shipment and mail them to iGEM HQ.

    Attend the Giant Jamboree
      Come to Boston, meet other iGEM teams, celebrate your work, and have fun!!