Mission
THE INTERNATIONAL GENETICALLY ENGINEERED MACHINE (IGEM) FOUNDATION IS DEDICATED TO EDUCATION AND COMPETITION, ADVANCEMENT OF SYNTHETIC BIOLOGY, AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF OPEN COMMUNITY AND COLLABORATION. THE IGEM FOUNDATION FOSTERS SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH AND EDUCATION THROUGH ORGANIZING AND OPERATING THE IGEM COMPETITION, THE PREMIER STUDENT SYNTHETIC BIOLOGY COMPETITION. IT ALSO FOSTERS SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH AND EDUCATION BY ESTABLISHING AND OPERATING THE REGISTRY OF STANDARD BIOLOGICAL PARTS, A COMMUNITY COLLECTION OF BIOLOGICAL COMPONENTS. THE ORGANIZATION PROMOTES THE ADVANCEMENT OF SCIENCE AND EDUCATION BY DEVELOPING AN OPEN COMMUNITY OF STUDENTS AND PRACTITIONERS IN SCHOOLS, LABORATORIES, RESEARCH INSTITUTES, AND INDUSTRY. THE IGEM COMMUNITY HAS A LONG HISTORY OF INVOLVING STUDENTS AND THE PUBLIC IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE NEW FIELD OF SYNTHETIC BIOLOGY.