Human Practices

Our Mission

Our Mission Statement: Montgomery iGEM’s fundamental goal is to inspire the next generation of synthetic biologists, doctors, biomedical engineers and STEM professionals through immersion in a challenging and innovative program that allows students of MHS to explore concepts of applied biology.

In Montgomery iGEM, students will be exposed to real life laboratory experiences beyond the classroom. Students learn the fundamentals of synthetic biology through experiments, community networking and sharing products at the international competitions at the conclusion of every season. By working directly with cells, genes, plasmids and bacteria, students can become inspired to work in scientific and applied science such as medicine, biochemistry and engineering. The goal of Montgomery iGEM is not only to inspire students’ futures, but also to give them opportunities to contribute to the scientific community now. We hope that this program will positively impact STEM education within the community. Through working with the other STEM clubs, teams and activities within the Montgomery co-curricular system, Montgomery iGEM hopes to become fully integrated into STEM within our school. We, however, hope to provide a different side of STEM education than Robotics teams and other STEM clubs do. Instead of working with gears, wheels and drill presses, students will be able to work with DNA to program bacteria and cells, potentially drawing the blueprints for the next radiation detector, synthetic circuit, or even a cure for cancer.

Our Impact

One of the most prevalent problems plaguing adolescents around the world is acne. Acne is understood as skin blemishes caused by clogged pores as a result of dead skin cells and oil. With our project, we aim to reduce the occurrence of acne by targeting one step in the way acne is produced. Through this goal, we plan on creating a product that is more effective and safer than leading commercial acne reducing creams.

In addition to our project, we hope to provide research that helps others understand the causes of acne and how it develops. As the only molecular biology-related extracurricular activity in Montgomery High School, we have the opportunity to spread awareness on not only acne, but also on synthetic biology as a whole. Through these efforts, we aim to expand students' interests in biological studies.

Our Outreach

Montgomery iGEM was founded on the premises of inspiring the next generation of STEM professionals. One way we seek to do this is through community service. We currently do a biannual Shoprite of Fundraiser to raise awareness for the organization and earn money for our club. In the future, we plan on doing presentations at our Montgomery Board of Education meetings and freshman orientation to broaden our spectrum. We also plan on doing presentations throughout our school and participating in the district wide STEM board to increase the curriculum in our entire district.

Leadership

Community Outreach

In our school, we are able to promote our team through the school newspaper by writing articles on our mission and our project for the year. This allows us to reach out to a large audience within our high school. In addition to this, we have a close tie with the local supermarket and this gives us the opportunity to promote our team in the local community. Through promoting iGEM, we have developed into a sustainable team with over 20 avid members that are eager to take part in synthetic biology.

Ankit Shah Class of 2016 UC Representative	Kevin Shen Class of 2015 (Operations)
Sarah Oh Class of 2015 Librarian	Mr. Resch and Bhargav Vemulapalli Class of 2015 (R&D)
<center>Emily Ma Class of 2015 Secretary