The BioGENEius Challenge is a national competition where high schoolers present biotechnology research. Hosted by the Biotechnology Institute, it draws top students from state and regional science competitions to present at the BIO International Convention.
What is the BioGENEius Challenge?
It’s the Biotechnology Institute’s flagship program, recognizing outstanding high school research in biotechnology. Participants come from the top tier at state and regional science competitions (roughly the upper 5%) and present at the BIO International Convention, where they face judges from industry and academia. There are three categories:
- Global Healthcare Challenge: medical biotechnology aimed at improving healthcare.
- Global Sustainability Challenge: agricultural biotechnology that supports sustainability.
- Global Environment Challenge: industrial and environmental biotechnology that tackles environmental problems.
Why do it?
BioGENEius lets you present your research at an international event and connect with industry leaders, academics, and peers who share your interest. It’s a real boost to your skills (critical thinking, problem-solving, and communication) and a strong addition to college and scholarship applications, since it marks you as one of the leading young biotechnologists in the country.
Eligibility
The contest is open to high school students in the US or Canada. You apply through one of the Institute’s state partners, or via the At-Large BioGENEius Challenge if your region doesn’t host one. The application asks for personal info, a detailed project description, and a PDF poster covering your research question, methods, results, and conclusions, plus authorization forms from you, a parent or guardian, and your mentor.
Choosing your category
Pick Healthcare, Sustainability, or Environment based on your project’s end goal, not the methods you used. A project on recycling plastic waste might look environmental at first, but if its real aim is sustainable packaging that reduces food waste, it could fit Sustainability better.
Likewise, engineering bacteria to clean up oil spills sounds environmental, but if the same tech could produce clean energy, it might fit Sustainability. So look past the immediate application to your project’s wider implications.
How to do well
First, check out Rishab Jain’s YouTube guide on making winning science fair presentations.
1. Study past winners
Look at previous BioGENEius winners to see what stands out: the kinds of topics judges respond to, the depth of analysis expected, and how findings are communicated. It’s a good way to calibrate your own project.
2. Choose a relevant topic
Pick something that addresses a current biotech problem and brings a fresh angle, whether that’s a new technology, an unconventional approach, or applying biotech somewhere it hasn’t been used much. Originality is what sets you apart in a strong field.
3. Find a mentor
A mentor in your area gives you expert feedback and helps you refine your hypothesis, design experiments, and analyze data, plus a sense of what the scientific community expects when you present.
4. Plan it out
Set clear goals and map the steps with timelines for each phase, from literature review to write-up. Anticipate setbacks, keep backup plans, and adjust as you go.
5. Design a good poster
The visual presentation matters. A clear poster, a balanced mix of text, graphics, and data, makes your project more memorable. Learn the basics of graphic design or use a tool built for non-designers.
6. Tell a story
Walk the audience through your research: the problem, your approach, and why your findings matter. Build to a strong conclusion, and practice delivering it clearly and confidently.
7. Prepare for questions
The Q&A is your chance to show depth. Anticipate what judges might ask, and know not just your own work but related studies and where your research could go next.
8. Stay current
Biotech moves fast. Follow relevant journals, attend conferences (even virtually), and join online science communities. Staying current sharpens your project and shows real commitment to the field.
The bottom line
The BioGENEius Challenge is more than a contest: it’s exposure to industry leaders, networking, and a real chance to contribute to important problems in biotechnology. With a solid project and a clear presentation, you can make a strong showing.
If you want to push your project further, consider Rishab Jain’s A-Z Science Fair Masterclass, with detailed tips on every part of a science fair project and presentation, from a past ISEF grand award winner and current Harvard student.
“I can’t lie, I was skeptical of the course at first because I haven’t seen anything like this before. But it is for good reason. These guides are incredible: most courses are made by people that haven’t reached the highest level, but Rishab has. Winning JSHS two years in a row isn’t a fluke, nor is getting one of the top awards at ISEF out of 30 million students around the world. [..]”
Dhruv Ramu (11th grader)
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