iGEM Toronto is one of the largest interdisciplinary student research teams at the University of Toronto, bringing together over 100 undergraduate and graduate researchers from engineering, life sciences, computer science and business. Each year, they design, build and test synthetic‑biology solutions to global challenges while representing the University of Toronto on the international stage at the iGEM World Jamboree this November.
The team operates like a full research organization: wet‑lab, dry‑lab, hardware, human practices, entrepreneurship and outreach – all working in parallel. This structure allows students to gain hands‑on experience in molecular biology, computational design, machine learning, hardware prototyping and scientific communication, while contributing to high‑impact research with real‑world applications.
Recent Highlights
Tech Future Challenge – Calgary
This winter, the team competed at the Tech Future Challenge in Calgary, where they earned $2,500 in a research grant for their work on AI‑guided enzyme engineering for microplastic degradation.
Global Biohackathon Pitch Competition — March
In March, the team won the Judges’ Choice Award at the iGEM Global Biohackathon Pitch Competition. The team built the entire pitch and video in just 48 hours, competing not only against other iGEM teams but also against real startups led by other professors and biotechnology founders.
Awesome Foundation Toronto Research Grant — April
iGEM Toronto was awarded the Awesome Foundation Toronto Research Grant for $1,000 in recognition of their work advancing accessible, open‑source tools for microplastic biodegradation.
What is Next for iGEM Toronto in May?
Tech Future Challenge (TFC) — May 30
The team will return to Calgary this spring, where teams will compete for up to $10,000 in prizes.
UofT Rendezvous Pitch Competition — May 9
They will be showcasing their work at the Rendezvous Pitch Competition hosted at UofT, specifically highlighting the impact of enzyme‑based microplastic degradation to a general audience.
iGEM x UofT Trash Team Waterfront Cleanup — May 9
Led by the UofT Trash Team, iGEM Toronto members will be participating in a cleanup at the Toronto Waterfront to raise awareness about microplastic pollution and engage students in environmental action.
Web Summit Vancouver — May 11–14
Anthony Dinglasan, Purav Gupta, and Thomas Quigley have been selected to exhibit the project at Web Summit Vancouver – one of the world’s largest technology conferences, hosting over 20,000 attendees and featuring leading organizations such as Andreessen Horowitz (a16z), Forbes, The Wall Street Journal, Microsoft, Amazon, OpenAI, MIT Tech Review, and more.
Best of luck to them as they showcase UofT innovation on a global stage!
With over ten national and international competitions/conferences lined up this summer, iGEM Toronto – led by Anthony Dinglasan, Purav Gupta, and Anya Mathur – is setting its sights on becoming one of the world’s leading synthetic‑biology teams.
Please follow their journey @igemoronto on Instagram and on LinkedIn.