University
Why them?
Why did we focus on university students?
University students represent a unique audience in our educational strategy because they are our direct peers—individuals already committed to higher education who can benefit from experiential learning, interdisciplinary collaboration, and exposure to cutting-edge research like synthetic biology. Engaging with university students allows us to strengthen the academic community, promote active learning methodologies, foster teamwork and leadership skills, and create networks of scientifically literate individuals who can become future collaborators, researchers, or science communicators. These activities also serve to showcase iGEM and synthetic biology to students who may be considering research opportunities or graduate studies, while simultaneously strengthening the bonds within our own academic division and university.
Biological Engineering Rally
Why did we participate in the Biological Engineering Rally?
We participated in organizing the Biological Engineering Rally because we believe in active learning and the importance of connecting the student community with experiences that strengthen both knowledge and collaboration skills. The Rally IB was an opportunity to show that biology and engineering can also be experienced in a playful and approachable way, reinforcing the idea that learning doesn't have to be confined to traditional classroom settings. As part of the organizing committee for the DCNI Symposium, we wanted to create a memorable closing activity that would integrate students across different cohorts while celebrating their chosen field of study.
What were our key learning points?
We discovered that team integration fosters creative problem-solving and that science can be enjoyed while applying theoretical concepts in practical contexts. The balance between purely playful activities (team building) and knowledge-based challenges (the Bacteria and Doctors game) created an ideal learning environment where students remained engaged throughout the three-hour event. Additionally, sharing this experience with students and faculty members reinforced the idea that innovation arises when fun is combined with knowledge. We learned that the rotation system ensures all participants experience all activities, preventing monotony and maintaining high energy levels.
What did we discover by interacting with the students?
Students demonstrated remarkable enthusiasm and competitive spirit, which drove them to think strategically and work collaboratively. During the team-building activities, we observed how initial shyness dissolved as students from different cohorts bonded through shared challenges. In the Bacteria and Doctors phase, students showed their knowledge while also helping each other learn, creating a collaborative rather than purely competitive atmosphere. Faculty members' participation as "Doctors" strengthened student-professor relationships in an informal, enjoyable setting. The Cuaji-lunch closing demonstrated the importance of fellowship moments in building community and celebrating collective achievement.
What lessons and challenges do we take forward?
We want to continue promoting activities where learning is built through practice and interaction. These spaces strengthen the bonds within the academic community and foster a more comprehensive vision of synthetic biology and its applications. Moving forward, we aim to institutionalize the Rally IB as an annual tradition, potentially expanding it to include other degree programs within DCNI. The challenge is maintaining the balance between fun and educational content while scaling the activity to accommodate larger numbers of participants. We also learned the importance of clear logistics and timing—ensuring smooth rotations between activities requires careful planning and coordination.
Description of the activity
From July 2 to 4, the third generation of iGEM UAM had the opportunity to join the Organizing Committee of the VI DCNI Symposium, a space where science, creativity, and community came together to create unique experiences. On this occasion, we presented the first edition of the Rally IB, an activity designed to combine learning, fun, and teamwork in a dynamic and energetic format, leaving a significant impact on both participants and organizers.
The Rally IB was conceived as a closing activity for students in the Biological Engineering degree, aiming to integrate participants through collaborative and playful dynamics. The structure of the rally was carefully planned to balance fun and learning, taking place over approximately three hours and divided into two main blocks.
First Block: Integration Activities (Team Building)
This block involved forming three rotating groups that participated in classic yet adapted dynamics to encourage collaboration and strategy. These included sack races, the accordion game, and musical chairs. Each group was subdivided into teams that competed against each other, rotating every 30 minutes for activity explanation, gameplay, and transition to the next exercise. These activities not only created moments of fun but also strengthened communication, coordination, and team spirit among participants.
Second Block: Bacteria and Doctors
This block presented a more interactive and strategic challenge. Teams had to visit different stations and complete stamps to advance. A special dynamic allowed the "Bacteria" to "infect" teams that were free, forcing the affected teams to go to the "Doctors" (professors of the degree program) to solve questions or challenges before continuing. This activity encouraged quick thinking, collaboration, and practical application of knowledge, while maintaining a constant atmosphere of play and excitement. The first team to complete all stamps was declared the winner, consolidating a sense of achievement and motivation among participants.
Closing
The Rally IB concluded with a moment of fellowship called Cuaji-lunch, where students and professors shared experiences, celebrated achievements, and strengthened the bonds created during the activities. To finish on a high note, a raffle was held, and prizes were awarded to the winning teams, recognizing their effort, creativity, and teamwork.
This experience demonstrated that by combining science, fun, and collaboration, learning can be transformed into a memorable and formative experience, setting a precedent for future generations of Biological Engineering students at UAM.
Molecular biology Rally
Why did we participate in the Molecular Biology Rally?
We participated in the rally to foster collaboration, teamwork, and leadership among members of the molecular biology community. The event provided an opportunity to engage in hands-on, playful, and strategic activities that strengthened communication, problem-solving skills, and creativity. It also served as a platform to build stronger connections across different research groups and faculties, promoting a sense of community and shared purpose within the department. Given that molecular biology students and researchers often work in specialized, sometimes isolated groups, creating opportunities for cross-group interaction strengthens the overall academic environment.
What were our key learning points?
Key learning points included the importance of teamwork and collaboration in successfully completing tasks, which required coordination and trust among team members. Strategic thinking emerged as participants rotated through stations and managed limited resources, encouraging planning and problem-solving. We observed how leadership and initiative developed naturally, with participants learning to take leadership roles while also supporting others. Adaptability and resilience were tested as unexpected challenges at different stations taught flexibility and creative thinking. Finally, the community-building aspect proved invaluable—engaging with peers from other groups fostered connections and strengthened the sense of belonging within the molecular biology community.
What did we discover by interacting with the participants?
Participants demonstrated remarkable capacity for cooperation when faced with challenges requiring collective solutions. The evolution game served as an effective icebreaker, quickly dissolving barriers between researchers from different groups who might not normally interact. During the station rotations, we observed that the competitive element motivated participants while the collaborative requirements ensured that competition remained friendly and constructive. The picnic closing allowed for informal conversations that often led to discussions about research, potential collaborations, and shared interests beyond the rally itself.
What lessons and challenges do we take forward?
Moving forward, it is important to continue organizing experiential and collaborative activities that integrate learning, creativity, and teamwork. We need to evaluate which activities best supported skill development, identify ways to increase participation and engagement, and incorporate feedback from participants to improve future rallies. Follow-up actions include hosting additional team-building events or workshops to reinforce skills, encouraging interdisciplinary collaboration across research groups, documenting outcomes and best practices to create a framework for future rallies within the department, and promoting reflection sessions post-activity to help participants internalize lessons learned. The challenge is maintaining momentum beyond the event itself and translating the connections made during the rally into lasting collaborations.
Description of the activity
This rally was designed to foster cooperation, leadership, creativity, communication, and teamwork among participants in the molecular biology community. The day combined playful dynamics, strategic challenges, and moments of reflection, promoting interaction and strengthening bonds among members of different groups or faculties.
Evolution Game
The first activity was an evolution game that blended movement, strategy, and competition. Participants advanced through different stages by resolving encounters using rock-paper-scissors. This dynamic served as an icebreaker, encouraged interaction among participants, and established a fun and friendly atmosphere before starting the team-based competitive activities. After this activity, participants were organized into teams to continue with the rally.
Registration and Team Organization
After registering their names and team name in a form, each group was assigned a number based on an alphabetical list. This numbering system (from 1 to 20) facilitated coordination and rotation through the different stations, ensuring that all teams could participate in an orderly and efficient manner.
Station Rotations
The rally was organized into circular stations, where teams completed various activities and received stamps for each station finished. Each round had a winner who completed all stations first. The stations allowed simultaneous participation of multiple teams (one performing the activity while another waited in line), promoting planning, strategy, and group collaboration.
Teams were divided into subgroups that rotated every 20 minutes through different integration activities, each subdivided into internal competing teams. These dynamics aimed to strengthen soft skills such as communication, coordination, problem-solving, and cooperation, allowing participants to get to know each other better and build trust.
Closing Ceremony
At the end of the activities, a picnic was held for all participants. During the lunch, a prize ceremony was conducted to recognize the winning teams of each round. This reinforced motivation, celebrated achievements, and fostered a sense of community within the university group.
General Public
Why did we focus on the general public?
The general public represents the broadest and most diverse audience in our educational strategy, encompassing individuals of all ages, educational backgrounds, and levels of scientific literacy. Engaging with the general public is crucial because scientific research—particularly when funded by public institutions—has a responsibility to communicate its findings, methods, and implications to society at large. By reaching general audiences, we aim to demystify synthetic biology, demonstrate its practical applications in addressing real-world problems like scorpionism, and foster a scientifically literate citizenry capable of making informed decisions about biotechnology. These activities also help build public support for scientific research and create bridges between academic institutions and the communities they serve.
Conference Biotechnology Without Borders
Why did we participate in organizing this conference?
We organized the conference "Biologizing the Future" as part of our academic and outreach activities in the iGEM 2025 competition because we wanted to provide a platform for expert voices to communicate the transformative potential of synthetic biology to diverse audiences. Inviting Dr. Daniel Domínguez Gómez, an established researcher in the field, allowed us to present authoritative, comprehensive perspectives on how biology is integrating with technology to address contemporary challenges. The hybrid format (in-person and livestreamed) enabled us to reach beyond the immediate university community to engage viewers across Mexico and potentially internationally.
What were our key learning points?
We learned that hybrid events significantly expand reach—while approximately 17 people attended in person, the livestream format allowed broader participation. The conference format proved effective for presenting complex, forward-looking topics that require deeper exploration than workshop or game-based activities can provide. We also discovered the importance of moderation and clear presentation structure in maintaining audience engagement throughout theoretical discussions. The integration of this conference within the broader iGEM competition context helped position our team's specific project within the larger landscape of synthetic biology applications.
What did we discover by interacting with the audience?
The audience, both in-person and online, demonstrated genuine interest in understanding the practical applications of synthetic biology in medicine, agriculture, and environmental protection. Questions and discussions revealed that many attendees were previously unfamiliar with the breadth of synthetic biology's potential applications. The conference successfully sparked curiosity about how biology can be "programmed" similarly to computers, and how interdisciplinary collaboration drives innovation. We observed that providing concrete examples of current applications helped ground abstract concepts and made the future-oriented discussion more tangible and credible.
What lessons and challenges do we take forward?
The event contributed successfully to the dissemination of synthetic biology, reinforcing iGEM UAM's commitment to education and society. The quote "Without biology, there is no future" resonated strongly with attendees and encapsulated the conference's core message. Moving forward, we want to organize more expert-led conferences while ensuring stronger promotion to increase in-person attendance. The challenge is balancing accessibility (making content understandable to non-specialists) with depth (providing sufficient detail for scientifically literate audiences). We also learned the importance of archiving these events—making recordings available extends their educational impact indefinitely.
Description of the activity
As part of the conference cycle and within the academic and outreach activities of the iGEM UAM team in the international synthetic biology competition iGEM 2025, the conference "Biologizing the Future" was held.
The session began with the welcome and introduction by Leilani Aguilar and Luis Jonás Carmona Zequeida. Afterward, Dr. Daniel Domínguez Gómez delivered the lecture "Biologizing the Future," addressing topics such as:
- The role of synthetic biology in solving environmental and health challenges
- The technological and scientific potential of this discipline in the near future
- The importance of interdisciplinarity and collaboration
- Current examples of synthetic biology applications
The lecture focused on the applications of biology in technology, illustrating how this discipline has evolved over time. Dr. Daniel Domínguez Gómez discussed how biology is already making an impact in areas such as medicine, agriculture, and environmental protection, and how in the coming years its applications are expected to extend to most fields of science and engineering.
The conference highlighted the importance of integrating biology with technology as a driving force for innovation, capable of transforming the way we address current and future challenges of humanity. The central message, encapsulated in the phrase "Without biology, there is no future," emphasized the fundamental role of biological sciences in shaping sustainable, innovative solutions for global problems.
Results
The conference was attended by approximately 17 people at Aula Magna, and was broadcast live, allowing additional participants to follow remotely. The event contributed to the dissemination of synthetic biology, reinforcing iGEM UAM's commitment to education and society. The conference "Biologizing the Future" was a successful outreach activity, linking synthetic biology to contemporary challenges and consolidating iGEM UAM's commitment in iGEM 2025.
Webinar: “Synthetic biology for the production of antivenoms”
Why did we participate in creating this webinar?
We learned that online presentations can achieve remarkable reach—approximately 2,133 live viewers represented a scale impossible to achieve through in-person events alone. The recorded format provides lasting educational value, with hundreds more viewers accessing the content after the live event. We discovered that balancing technical content (molecular docking, genetic circuit design, mathematical modeling) with social context (costs of scorpionism in Mexico) creates a more compelling and relevant narrative. The webinar format allowed us to present complex information systematically while using visual aids to clarify difficult concepts.
What did we discover by interacting with the audience?
The high viewership numbers and engagement during the live stream demonstrated significant public interest in both synthetic biology and scorpionism—topics that directly affect many Mexican communities. The ability to reach diverse audiences simultaneously, from students and researchers to healthcare professionals and concerned citizens, validated our approach of creating accessible yet substantive scientific content. The availability of the recording on YouTube ensures continued impact, serving as an educational resource that can be referenced, shared, and used in educational contexts long after the initial presentation.
What lessons and challenges do we take forward?
The webinar format proved highly effective for science communication at scale. Moving forward, we want to create more online educational content that bridges technical research and social relevance, always in Spanish to serve our linguistic community. The challenge is maintaining audience engagement in online formats without the interactive elements of in-person activities. We also learned the importance of promoting archived content—the recording becomes a permanent educational resource whose impact can continue growing. Future webinars should incorporate interactive elements like Q&A sessions, polls, or chat discussions to enhance engagement while maintaining the accessibility advantages of the online format.
Description of the activity
We created an online presentation about synthetic biology for the production of antivenoms. The presentation was streamed online and is available for free on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Vq8mAccts
The webinar was performed in Spanish and directed to the general public. We covered several technical topics essential to understanding our project and the field:
- Molecular docking techniques and their application in antibody design
- Genetic circuit design principles for synthetic biology applications
- Mathematical modeling of biological systems
- The social and economic costs of scorpionism in Mexico
The presentation aimed to make complex scientific concepts accessible to non-specialist audiences while maintaining technical accuracy. By connecting the technical aspects of synthetic biology to the real-world problem of scorpionism, we demonstrated the practical relevance and social value of our research.
Results
The webinar was viewed by approximately 2,133 people live, with hundreds more accessing the recording afterward. This exceptional reach demonstrated the effectiveness of online platforms for science communication and the significant public interest in both synthetic biology and scorpionism as a public health issue. The permanent availability of the recording on YouTube ensures that this educational resource continues to serve audiences indefinitely, potentially reaching thousands more viewers and serving as a reference for students, educators, and community members interested in understanding the intersection of synthetic biology and antivenom production.