Are You Smarter Than a 15-Year-Old?

The Bioinformatics and Systems Engineering division of RIKEN is beginning to accept submissions for the International Rational Genome Design Contest — or GenoCon — today. GeoCon marks the "first-ever contest in rational genome design based on semantic Web technology," according to RIKEN. The contest, open to scientists of all ages — it includes a category for high school students, 15 and older to be judged separately from the "researchers" category — aims to collect and share the genome-design theories and methods from around the world. "To succeed, contestants must make effective use of genomic and protein data contained in SciNeS [Scientists' Networking System] database clusters to design DNA sequences that improve plant physiology," the RIKEN statement reads. "In the first GenoCon, contestants are asked to design a DNA sequence conferring to the model organism Arabidopsis thaliana the functionality to effectively eliminate and detoxify airborne formaldehyde." The contest entry deadline is September 30.