The Biotechnology Institute announced in ceremonies at Cure, the healthcare innovation campus, on Oct. 30, 2024, the winner of the 2024 BioGENEius Challenge, an esteemed competition showcasing the finest young talent in biotechnology from across the United States.
After rigorous competition among five state finalists and evaluation by industry and academic leaders serving as judges, high school student Yifan Ding from Boston Latin School in Boston, MA, emerged as the overall winner. His groundbreaking research on "Engineering of a Compact Gene Switch for Temporal Control of CRISPR Gene Editing" impressed judges with its innovation and commercial potential.
As finalists, the students presented posters about their projects to the judges during BioFuture, an annual biotechnology summit, which Cure hosted and co-sponsored. In addition to Ding, the BioGENEius finalists included Anagha Iyer of American Heritage School, Plantation, FL; Sanan Khairabadi of Statesboro High School, Statesboro, GA; Porter Mikesel Bangor High School, Bangor, ME; and Dean Wang of Century High School, Rochester, MN.
“At Cure, we are convinced that the next generation holds the key to how healthcare innovation will evolve,” said Seema Kumar, CEO of Cure. "The BioGENEius Challenge provides elite young innovators an unparalleled opportunity to witness how science transforms lives and how their passion can shape the future. By fostering curiosity and honoring their accomplishments through our sponsorship of the competition, Cure aims to inspire these bright minds to pursue careers in life sciences and continue pushing the boundaries of what’s possible to advance health.”
As the overall winner, Ding received a $2,500 prize from Cure. Cure awarded the four finalists $500 each. The students also toured labs at CURE and met with biopharma executives to discuss careers in the field of biotechnology.
“Early exposure to biotechnology industry innovation, and connecting these young innovators to leaders in those efforts, is what sets the BioGENEius competition apart from other science competitions,” said Quinta Jackson, President of the Biotechnology Institute. “We are grateful to CURE and BioFuture for providing this amazing opportunity.”
In addition to Kumar, the 2024 panel of judges included Jeremy Abbate, Publisher, Scientifc American; Patrik Frei, CEO, Venture Valuation; Walter Greenleaf, PhD, Neuroscientist and Product Developer, Stanford University; Andrew W. Lam, PharmD, Managing Director, Head of Biotech Private Equity, Ally Bridge Group; Susanna Ling, Senior Vice President, Programs, Partnerships, Sponsorships, Cure; and Viq Pervaaz, Senior Vice President, Life Sciences and Healthcare, New York City Economic Development Corporation.
Since its inception, the BioGENEius Challenge has seen its alumni go on to impactful careers as entrepreneurs, physicians, healthcare leaders, and champions for sustainable health and environmental solutions. The Biotechnology Institute, which founded the competition more than two decades ago, remains committed to educating and inspiring the next generation of biotech pioneers.
Jackson shared with Cure the organization's mission and 5 things to know about its activities.
1. What is the BioGENEius Challenge?
The BioGENEius Challenge Series provides high school age students with expanded opportunity to compete and be recognized for outstanding research in biotechnology. Drawn from state and regional science competitions across the United States and through our State Partners, the very top finalists showcase their research to judges comprised of industry and academic subject matter experts.
The BioGENEius Challenge series includes three award programs based on the subject matter and excellence of the finalists' projects:
The Global Healthcare Challenge in medical biotechnology
The Global Sustainability Challenge in agricultural biotechnology
The Global Environment Challenge in industrial and environmental biotechnology
2. What's the history behind the creation of the BioGENEius Challenge? What is its mission?
The Biotechnology Institute is an independent, leading science-based national education organization. We were created in 1998 as a 501(c)(3) organization by a group of leading biotechnology companies and centers in collaboration with the Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO).
In addition to its premier national science competition, the BioGENEius Challenge, the Institute also offers annual Leadership Awards, educational programs like BioDiversity, and career mentoring opportunities.
Beyond fostering innovative research in our next-gen scientists' biotechnology, we strive to reach a broad spectrum of audiences to bridge the intellectual gap in life sciences between the general public and the biotechnology community.
3. BioGENEius has three Challenge Categories. Tell us about them and why these are the choices, given how broad the many innovation areas within the biotech sector.
For the Global Healthcare Challenge, projects for consideration should focus on the intended or anticipated outcomes of novel work in healthcare-related sciences, not the process or processes used to achieve them.
For example, projects might include basic and translational systems knowledge like mapping genome elements; characterizing druggable targets; developing or producing novel proteins or small molecule therapeutics, vaccines, medical devices or diagnostics; or data analytics related to human health.
For the Global Sustainability Challenge, projects for consideration should focus on the intended or anticipated outcomes of agricultural applications' work, not the process or processes used to achieve them.
For example, projects could include genetic or other manipulations to crop plants for optimal growth under adverse conditions; beneficial symbiotic relationships to enhance yield; soil improvements; disease control; improvements in animal health and reproduction; food security; or data analytics related to agricultural biotechnology.
For the Global Environment Challenge, projects for consideration should focus on the intended or anticipated outcomes of the work impacting industrial and environmental issues, not the process or processes used to achieve them.
For example, projects could include bio-based degradable materials; bioremediation and other waste reduction/conversion efficiencies; new or improved biofuels production; reducing toxic emissions and greenhouse gases; or data analytics related to industrial and environmental biotechnology.
4. How does BioGENEius build community?How you work with partner organizations?
We build community through our state affiliates. Additionally, we conduct outreach to individual school districts to recruit students from under-resourced neighborhoods for our afterschool programming.
5. How can students or their teachers participate in BioGENEius or get more information?
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