Collaboration

MIT-MAHE participated in the All India iGEM Meet (AIIM) 2025, a nationwide premier gathering of iGEM teams. The event brought together numerous students, researchers, and innovators passionate about synthetic biology, providing a vibrant platform for sharing ideas, exchanging feedback, and exploring potential collaborations.

AIIM is designed to foster collaboration and strengthen the iGEM community in India by hosting team presentations, workshops, and expert-led sessions on synthetic biology and its applications. Beyond technical learning, it serves as a space to build connections, enhance networking skills, and gain perspectives on the broader impact of synthetic biology.

At AIIM 2025, we had the opportunity to present our project and engage in discussions with fellow iGEM teams, experts, and mentors. The constructive feedback and insights we received were invaluable, helping us refine our approach and shape our project more effectively.

The iGEM teams from MIT-MAHE, Imperial College London, and Yale University hosted a joint webinar to share ideas and promote global engagement in synthetic biology. With MIT-MAHE helping to build the bridge between Imperial and Yale, the event expanded into a unique three-country dialogue.

The session began with each team introducing their project. The team members explained their goals and the methods and solutions they used to address the significant challenges they faced.

In the later parts, the webinar focused on a survey created and conducted by the three teams. This survey targeted the general public, measuring people's knowledge of synthetic biology and their opinions on its uses and effects. The survey revealed differences in responses from audiences in India, the UK, and the USA. It compared public awareness and attitudes toward synthetic biology in different regions. The results were presented through infographics, followed by a lively discussion about the importance of science communication.

This event highlighted the value of collaborations between culturally different groups in iGEM. Bringing together diverse viewpoints helped improve our understanding of how the global public engages with synthetic biology.

The MIT-MAHE iGEM team joined in on the Digital Postcard Initiative, an international event organized by the Imperial College London iGEM. An initiative of this kind connects iGEM teams across the globe with the ideals of creativity, culture, and synthetic biology. The objective was for the teams to create and share a digital postcard.

For this project, MIT-MAHE created a postcard showcasing the team's iGEM project alongside India's vibrant culture. This encouraged an international exchange of ideas and viewpoints. Through this initiative, iGEM teams celebrated diversity and were able to lay stronger international ties within the synthetic biology community.

The iGEM teams from VIT Vellore and MIT-MAHE collaborated to organize a webinar designed to help students, parents, and young professionals explore the diverse opportunities in the field of biotechnology. Four eminent speakers were present to speak about their journeys, experiences, and advice regarding the career paths in research, industry, and innovation:

• Dr. Aniket Naha - Scientist, Pushpagiri Medical College Hospital; works in medical biotechnology and computational drug design against antimicrobial resistance.
• Mr. Soumyadip Ghosh - Junior Assistant Professor at VIT Vellore; pursuing a PhD on in-silico approaches to addressing nosocomial infections.
• Dr. Gurunath Ramanathan - Professor and Head of Chemistry at IIT Kanpur; research interests in biodegradation, biochemistry, and molecular biology.
• Mr. Sabyasachi Banerjee - PhD Scholar, BITS Pilani; researcher in synthetic biology, enzyme engineering, and bioprocessing; is an experienced iGEM mentor.

This interactive and engaging discussion illuminated career pathways and opportunities in biotechnology and guided how students and parents can lay the groundwork for success in this exciting field.

The iGEM MIT-MAHE team and the Biomedical Engineering Society of India (BMESI), Manipal Chapter, organized Lab & Order, a court-like debate in which science collided with ethics in a thrilling blend of reason, humor, and rhetoric. The event challenged participants to critically address significant bioethical problems by transporting them into a world of trials and true crime, but with a scientific twist.

Participants assumed the roles of investigators and lawyers in various cases, including medical crimes, corporate mishaps, and even cases involving serial perpetrators. Each round aimed to test their ability to respond to scientific issues, substantiate their arguments, and navigate the complex relationships between biotechnology, law, and ethics.

The event was centered on how far science ought to venture, who is responsible when errors occur, and how society can balance innovation with accountability. It was far more than merely solving enigmas.

As part of our iGEM collaborations, we partnered with REC Chennai iGEM, a team working on the project SaltEnPep, for a fun and insightful joint Instagram post built around the theme of "Salt and Pepper."

The idea stemmed from the fact that salt and pepper are inseparable in our daily lives and food. We extended this analogy into the lab and research perspective, comparing how salt and pepper are not just staples on our plates, but also play essential roles in scientific studies and biological processes.

The collaboration highlighted how food, culture, and science intersect, making synthetic biology more relatable to everyday life.

Instagram Post: https://www.instagram.com/p/DPA5bIij5A8/?igsh=bDdkdjY0YzBzcGlo

Food has always been a beautiful way to connect people, cultures, and traditions. As part of our journey, we collaborated with Mukta Nanda, a student at the Welcomgroup Graduate School of Hotel Administration (WGSHA), to celebrate the story of pepper beyond the lab.

Mukta helped us curate recipes where pepper shines as the hero ingredient. From age-old traditional dishes to creative modern twists, these recipes highlight how pepper is not just a spice, but an integral part of our shared culture and everyday life.

Together, we ‘cooked up’ a recipe book that brings communities closer by blending culinary heritage, showcasing how something as simple as pepper can unite people across tables and traditions.

MIT-MAHE collaborated with BLANK 101, the public speaking club of MIT-MAHE, to host a themed talk featuring speakers who shared engaging insights on the human mind, delving into abstract ideas and historical perspectives. The talks highlighted inclusivity and mental health awareness themes, encouraging reflection on how diverse perspectives and open dialogue shape our understanding of ourselves and society.

By blending scientific curiosity with mindful dialogue, the session underscored the importance of conversations in cultivating resilience, promoting inclusivity, and supporting mental well-being.

It was an enriching exchange highlighting the value of interdisciplinary conversations in shaping perspectives and broadening horizons.

MIT-MAHE collaborated with the VIT Vellore iGEM team on an Instagram post as part of a series highlighting the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). We centered our discussion on SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure.

The post highlighted:
• What SDG 9 means, which is promoting sustainable industry, innovation, and resilient infrastructure.
• Connections to our project, showing how synthetic biology can create innovative solutions in plant protection and agriculture.
• Connections to VIT Vellore’s project, illustrating our complementary approaches and shared goals in tackling global challenges.

This collaboration provided an opportunity to demonstrate how synthetic biology can contribute to global sustainability. It also helped strengthen connections and encouraged knowledge exchange between iGEM teams.

Instagram post: https://www.instagram.com/p/DPO0KUSkq6W/?igsh=MWUzdG1kYzQ0NGh2OQ==

MIT-MAHE and KU Leuven iGEM teams collaborated to raise awareness of Phytophthora, a major plant pathogen causing annual global agricultural losses. We worked together to create an impactful post on social media to raise awareness of the threats Phytophthora poses, and to share the synthetic biology solutions our teams had developed.

This was followed by a campaign across Instagram and other social media platforms to engage a broad audience. It continues to provide greater cross-team connections and raise awareness globally about using synthetic biology to address plant health challenges.