Explore how our Fundamental Research Team fueled our project development and research.

Explore how we have made biobricks that can detect lung cancer in a simple, inexpensive, and noninvasive way.

Educating our community and gathering public opinion on modern biotechnology.

Watch the video explaining our project in detail as well as numerous informative tutorials.

Our safety precautions.

Meet the faculty members who played an instrumental role to our success.

Our project in the real world.

Meet the corporations that played an instrumental role in our success.

The first iGEM high school team from the state of Texas, the St. Mark’s iGEM Team was established as part of a Biotechnology Initiative begun in September of 2013 by our school’s Biology Club. This Initiative, spurred on by iGEM, revitalized our Club and helped generate significant interest in synthetic biology from the student body, faculty, and school administration. In our first year we achieved regular access to a radiation oncology lab at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, $1500 in funding from the school to cover the registration fee for the iGEM Competition, exlcusive laboratory space at the school, and a more than four-fold increase in membership of the Biology Club to twenty-two members.

Our iGEM Team blends the setup of a traditional club with the highly efficient structure of a professional research laboratory. The Team is divided into four Committees: Fundamental Research, Applied Research, Outreach, and Web Development. This allows us to work more efficiently and cohesively. We have had to lay the foundation of our iGEM Team this year by informing the school community on synthetic biology, seeking financial support, and establishing laboratory resources for our project. But it was our infectious enthusiasm and indefatigable determination for synthetic biology that allowed us to overcome administrative hurdles and a steep learning curve. Through our journey this year, we have proven that a school with limited resources in biotechnology can make significant strides, effectively pioneer investigations in the field, and shown our community the tremendous potential we have in the future.

Our Mission Statement: To improve the community by pioneering investigations into bio-technology by solving real-world problems in order to promote scientific inquiry and educate the future leaders of biological engineering.

About St. Mark's: St. Mark's School of Texas is a non-sectarian, college-preparatory, independent day school for boys in grades one through twelve. The School's charter states that it is "designed to afford its students well-rounded physical, intellectual, moral, and religious training and instruction." The School is intended to be a diverse community of teachers and students who share a love of learning and who strive for high achievement in whatever they undertake.