Competition/Distribution Kit

Distribution Kits

2021 Updates on Distribution Kits

We’re excited to announce that we will be able so ship out Distribution Kits this year! While all of our staff is continuing to work remotely due to the impact of COVID-19, our staff in Boston is in the process of getting vaccinated so that they may work together to prepare the Distribution Kit shipments to our teams!

This year’s Distribution Kit will be different than past years due to manufacturing limitations, but here is what is included:

  • Six (6) 384-well kit plates
  • Welcome material
  • 2021 pins & stickers
  • 2020 pins and stickers for teams that also participated in 2020

Distribution Kits have begun shipping out to teams! We ask for your patience as we navigate both COVID safety concerns for our personnel and shipping logistics.

We strongly encourage teams to use the synthesis offers through our Partner Sponsors (URL: https://2021.igem.org/Sponsors/Special_Offers). We will send out updates on this process through our Newsletters and will post updates on this page.

Lastly, we know that many of you will also not have lab access, or your lab schedules and lab mentorship will be greatly reduced. Just as last year, we've ensured that this iGEM year is flexible and open, and this includes ensuring that lab work and samples from the Distribution Kit will not be a barrier to any medal criteria.

Kits have started shipping!

We have started shipping Distribution Kits out to iGEM 2021 teams. For help with using the kit, please visit the iGEM 2021 Distribution Handbook on the Registry.

iGEM Distribution Beyond 2022

For 2022 and beyond we will be making a second-generation iGEM Distribution, designed anew and completely rebuilt using synthesis! Doing so will enable us to make iGEM parts freely available for use and reuse, including beyond the competition itself*.

Doing so will ALSO enable the iGEM community to make a world-best biotechnology toolkit supporting distributed education and innovation, so that everyone everywhere has a chance to learn to solve problems locally, contributing and participating as citizens of a 21st biocentury.

However, to do a good job we need your help!

We are asking you, our iGEM teams and community, to tell us what you really think about the existing or previous Distributions, and what you wish to be true about the iGEM Distribution 2.0. To help us, please complete the survey linked below!

* iGEM is partnering with the BioBricks Foundation’s Free Genes project to coordinate the design and construction of all materials going into the iGEM Distribution 2.0. Doing so will ensure that all parts will be newly synthesized and provided free-and-clear of property-rights encumbrances. The entire distribution will be made available via the Unilateral OpenMTA, a materials transfer agreement that enables free use and sharing of so-provided samples.