Overview
The research community is one that is rooted in the principles of community and collaboration. It's through our collective efforts and diverse perspectives that genuine progress is achieved. As CholesterLock, our goal was not only to unite teams within Canada, but also to create a space where teams from different continents could come and share ideas. Through our collaborations with The University of Alberta and our subsequent partnerships with a group of nine other iGEM teams, we were able to learn so much, share so much and enjoy the wonderful company of fellow iGEMers!
JulyGEM
For the fifth year in a row, iGEM Calgary has successfully organised JulyGEM. This international conference offers teams a platform to receive constructive feedback from various experts such as biosafety specialists, past iGEM judges, and scientists in the industry and research fields. Participants were given the opportunity to pitch their project ideas and gain valuable feedback from these experts, as well as their peers on other teams. The event also encouraged teams to reflect on their project narratives and presentation strategies, which can help make them more impactful.
In addition to the pitching, JulyGEM featured three distinguished speakers who shared their perspectives on entrepreneurship, advancing iGEM projects beyond the startup phase, and real-life success stories of iGEM members. The speakers also discussed the art of impactful storytelling. These presentations aimed to provide a holistic learning experience by offering diverse perspectives on building a successful project.
Participating Teams
- Ionis Paris
- UAlberta
- Lethbridge High School
- UBC
- McGill
- Cambridge
- UM Macau
- UBCO
- ABOA-Turku
Judges
University of Alberta
Our one-on-one meeting on 7th June 2023 involved participants from the University of Alberta (UofA) iGEM team. The meeting discussed our respective projects: an Agricultural Project focused on early detection of Fusaria in Wheat and Grain Crops by University of Alberta and CholesterLock- Development of Fc Fusion protein targeting NPC1L1 receptor by University of Calgary. We discussed various technical as well as non-technical aspects of our projects with each other and showed dedication to exploring Human Practices related to patient perspectives, safety, and cost justification. We discussed possible event themes, formats, and workshops, emphasising the need for a mix of iGEM-specific topics and broader subjects. UofA's willingness to host a synthetic biology workshop and their preference for involving nearby teams were also highlighted.
