On July 11th, the Centre for Living Technologies welcomed over 60 students from 7 Dutch and 1 Belgian iGEM teams for the Dutch iGEM Meet 2025 – a full-day event focused on exchanging ideas, receiving feedback, and building a stronger synthetic biology community across the region.
This annual gathering serves as a valuable mid-season moment for iGEM teams to reflect on their progress, connect with others, and gain fresh insights to take their projects further.
Program Highlights
The morning kicked off with project pitches from all participating teams. Each team had the opportunity to present their iGEM project, outlining the challenges they aim to solve, their technical strategies, and the progress they have made so far. These presentations sparked engaging discussions, offered helpful feedback, and set the tone for a day of open exchange.
In the afternoon, the program shifted toward broader reflection and practical tools with two engaging keynote talks:
- Dr. Julia Rijssenbeek (Wageningen University & FreedomLab) presented “How Synthetic Biology and Philosophy Inspire Each Other.” Drawing on her background in philosophy and ethics, Julia challenged participants to reflect on the values embedded in synthetic biology and how philosophical thinking can help shape more responsible innovation.
- Dr. Britte Helwig, Intellectual Property Advisor at the Netherlands Patent Office, followed with a highly practical talk: “iGEM & Intellectual Property: What’s in it for you?!” She demystified the topic of IP, helping teams understand how to protect their work and make informed choices about publishing, collaboration, and future applications.
After a short break, teams regrouped for a hands-on brainstorming and networking session, where they exchanged ideas, discussed challenges, and explored possibilities for collaboration. The event concluded with a joint wrap-up, leaving participants inspired and better connected for the road ahead.
A Stronger iGEM Community
Throughout the day, the Dutch iGEM Meet 2025 fostered an atmosphere of openness, curiosity, and shared purpose. It was a powerful reminder of the value of coming together – not only to improve individual projects, but to build a stronger, more connected synthetic biology community.
A big thank you to all participating teams, speakers and co-organizers for making the event such a success. We are excited to see your projects evolve – and we will be cheering you on at the Giant Jamboree!
👉 You can find more information about iGEM at igem.org.