News and Announcements
iDEC Results 2023
Oct 30 2023
On October 29, 2023, iDEC 2023 concluded at the University of Cambridge with a grand
awards ceremony.
Thank you all for your participation!
Congratulations to the nominees and winners!
Click here to check the results!
Free bus tickets for on-site teams
Oct 25 2023
iDEC HQ has prepared a gift for all the teams visiting Cambridge. These teams can pick up group day tickets for bus in Cambridge, which, once activated, can be used multiple times by all team members until the following day at 4 AM. We hope this gift will provide a safe and convenient journey for iDECers exploring Cambridge.
iDEC 2023 Medals Arrive in Cambridge
Oct 25 2023
The medals for iDEC 2023 have arrived at the venue! iDEC's gold, silver, and bronze medals are specially designed and cast each year, reflecting the theme of the event. These medals will be engraved with the name of each winner, making them truly unique. This year, the design of the iDEC medals pays homage to the 70th anniversary of the discovery of the DNA structure. The medals will be presented to the awardees during the awards ceremony and later sent back to the manufacturer for engraving the names of the winners.
Dr. Florian Hollfelder will deliver a lecture
Oct 25 2023
We are delighted to announce that Dr. Florian Hollfelder from Cambridge Univeristy will deliver a lecture titled "How Do We Find New Functional Proteins in Sequence Space? " at the iDEC Opening Ceremony. Dr. Florian Hollfelder is Professor in Chemical and Synthetic Biology, University of Cambridge. The group’s research centres around quantitative and mechanistic questions at the chemistry/biology interface, involving low- and high-throughput approaches. Florian is holder of an ERC Advanced Grant, Director of Studies and Graduate Mentor at Trinity Hall. He is coordinator of several EU-funded trans-national collaborative initiatives, e.g. the present H2020 research training networks MMBio ('Molecular Tools for Nucleic Acid Manipulation for Biological Intervention') and ES-Cat ('Directed Protein Evolution for Synthetic Biology and Biocatalysis'). These initiatives follow structured graduate training programmes developed in previous Marie-Curie networks on directed evolution of functional proteins (ENDIRPRO, ENEFP), on protein-protein interactions (ProSA) and on the chemical biology of phosphates (PhosChemRec).
Dr. Philipp Holliger will deliver a lecture
Oct 20 2023
We are delighted to announce that Dr. Philipp Holliger from the MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology (LMB) will deliver a lecture titled "Synthetic Genetics: Beyond DNA and RNA" at the iDEC Awards Ceremony. Dr. Philipp Holliger is a Program Leader at the MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology in Cambridge. Phil graduated with a distinction from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH) in Zürich, Switzerland, where he worked with Prof. Steven A Benner before moving to Cambridge, UK for a PhD with Sir Greg Winter (Nobel Prize for Chemistry 2018) at the Cambridge Centre for Protein Engineering (CPE), where he stayed for his postdoctoral studies. In 2000 he was appointed to an independent tenure-track group leader position at the MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology (MRC-LMB) and became a tenured program leader at MRC-LMB in 2005. His research spans the fields of chemical biology, synthetic biology and in vitro evolution. His work has been published in major journals (e.g. Nature, Science, Cell, eLife etc.) and has led to numerous patents. His work, describing a range of novel synthetic genetic polymers (XNAs) based on nucleic acids with backbone chemistries that are divergent from the canonical ribofuranose unit of DNA has featured in Scientific American’s 10 World Changing Ideas 2012. He has been elected member of EMBO in 2015 and has been a consultant to several successful biotech companies including Cambridge Antibody Technology / Medimmune / Astra Zeneca, Solexa / Illumina and Domantis / GSK.
Dr. Ella Watkins-Dulaney will deliver a lecture
Oct 20 2023
We are delighted to announce that Dr. Ella Watkins-Dulaney from Aralez Bio, a leading company in synthetic biology, will deliver a lecture titled "The Nature of Directed Evolution: Past, Present, and Future" at the iDEC Awards Ceremony. Dr. Ella Watkins-Dulaney is a Protein Engineer with over 8 years of research experience.She Earned BS in Cell and Molecular Biology from the University of Texas at Austin in 2016. and awarded the UT Austin's College of Natural Sciences highest honor (Top 1% of graduating class): Dean's Honored Graduate. In 2021, She earned PhD in Bioengineering from Caltech, via the research in the Frances Arnold Lab.
Dr. Thomas Gorochowski will deliver a lecture
Oct 20 2023
We are delighted to announce that Dr. Thomas Gorochowski from the University of Bristol will deliver a lecture titled "Engineering is Evolution: Perspectives on the Role of Evolution in Biological Design" at the iDEC Awards Ceremony. Dr. Thomas Gorochowski is Royal Society University Research Fellow, Turing Fellow and an Associate Professor of Biological Engineering based in the School of Biological Sciences at the University of Bristol, UK. His lab focuses on better understanding the computational architecture of living systems to enable their effective reprogramming as a basis for diverse applications spanning adaptive living materials to cellular computers.Since returning to Bristol he has rapidly established a group pioneering the application of novel sequencing methods for the rational engineering of biological systems. His research has been published in leading peer-reviewed journals and he provides leadership as Co-Director of the University of Bristol’s BioDesign Specialist Research Institute and as a Core Member of the UKRI-BBSRC ‘Transformative Technologies Strategy Advisory Panel’. He also has established innovative public engagement activities such as the ‘Become a Biological Engineer’ to bring bioengineering into the classroom.
Bluepha supports iDEC
Oct 20 2023
We are delighted to share the exciting news that Bluepha has become a sponsor of iDEC 2023! We are incredibly grateful for the generous support extended by Bluepha, which enables us to expand the reach and impact of iDEC's efforts among students across the globe. Having been a committed sponsor for three consecutive years, Bluepha truly demonstrates its steadfast dedication to nurturing young talent and cultivating the iDEC community. We are excitedly looking forward to working in partnership with our esteemed sponsor to create a dynamic platform for aspiring individuals in the realm of directional evolution. Together, we will persist in empowering and motivating the upcoming generation of innovators.
iDEC Festival is coming!
Oct 20 2023
The iDEC Festival is scheduled to take place in Cambridge on October 28th and 29th. Download Handbook
iDEC Webinar 2023 is coming
Aug 12 2023
iDEC Webinar 2023! Join us for an exciting session with Dr.
Porebski and Dr. Tian, as they introduce two new powerful Directed Evolution techniques!
Don't miss out on the captivating talks! Registration:
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/idec-webinar-2023-tickets-678372639827?aff=oddtdtcreator
New England Biolabs supports iDEC
June 23 2023
We are delighted to share the exciting news that New England Biolabs has officially become a sponsor of iDEC 2023! We are incredibly grateful for the generous support extended by New England Biolabs, which enables us to expand the reach and impact of iDEC's efforts among students across the globe. As a dedicated sponsor for three consecutive years, New England Biolabs exemplifies its unwavering support to nurturing young talent and fostering the iDEC community. We eagerly anticipate collaborating with our esteemed sponsor to provide a vibrant platform for young individuals in the field of directional evolution. Together, we will continue to empower and inspire the next generation of innovators.
Accommodation
June 21 2023
To assist iDEC teams in finding suitable accommodation options in close proximity to
the venue, we have partnered with Møller Institute, University of Cambridge,
which has reserved 30 double occupancy rooms exclusively for iDEC participants. These rooms can be booked
at a discounted rate until July 31st, but while supplies last.
The rates offered are £110 per night for single occupancy and £130 per night for double occupancy,
including breakfast, Wi-Fi, Parking, and VAT. The iDEC teams can also choose and book hotels in Cambridge.
If you would like to book a room at Møller Institute, please contact iDEC HQ for the reservation method
and discount code.
Take a virtual tour of the Møller Institute.
Welcome to Cambridge!
June 21 2023
We are excited to announce the iDEC Festival 2023 & Awards Ceremony,
will be held on-site at Fitzwilliam College, University of Cambridge. In addition to the teams
participating in iDEC this year, iDEC Festival 2023 will also be open to past participants who were unable
to experience the on-site event due to the pandemic. We believe this will provide a unique opportunity for
all contestants to come together and celebrate the spirit of innovation and achievement. We eagerly
anticipate the participation of teams from around the world, as they bring their innovations and
accomplishments to this ancient town, rich with scientific history.
Registration opens now!
March 20 2023
We are pleased to announce that the registration for iDEC 2023 is now open. This competition welcomes the participation of high school, undergraduate, and postgraduate students. We cordially invite you to download this year's competition handbook by clicking on the provided link: Handbook for iDEC 2023
iDEC challenge recruitment
March 16 2023
This year, iDEC will be opening the challenge track and we are currently seeking iDEC challenge themes from global scholars and business companies. The challenge creator may propose a directed evolution research topic that is suitable for students to explore during summer research. Additionally, they may provide actionable judging criteria and set specific rewards such as bonuses, free products, testimonials for winners, or internship positions. To set up a challenge theme, please contact us directly: support@idechq.org!
Our ambassador for iDEC 2023
March 16 2023
Dr. Ella Watkins-Dulaney, who is from Aralez Bio and had previously served as a judge for iDEC in 2021 and 2022, was involved in the creation of iDEC. It is with great pleasure that we announce her appointment as the ambassador for iDEC 2023!
Registeration fee for iDEC 2023
March 19 2023
Team registration fees for iDEC 2023: Early-bird Registration: £ 400 (Available for the first 20 registered teams), Regular Registration: £ 800 (Applicable after the first 20 registered teams)
iDEC 2023 is coming!
March 19 2023
We are happy to announce iDEC 2023, the registration channel will open on 20 March, stay tuned!