Waterloo iGEM
Solving today's problems using synthetic biology.
What is iGEM?
iGEM is a non-profit organization that hosts the international Giant Jamboree competition each year. High school, undergraduate, and graduate students share how they build, model, and study the applications and effects of engineered biological systems to solve the world’s biggest problems.
Visit the official website →Who is Waterloo iGEM?
We are an undergraduate student design team who has competed in the iGEM competition since 2005. Our team is unique in Waterloo for our student-led research, interdisciplinary collaboration between students from all faculties, and bioengineering focus.
Learn more →What have we worked on?
We genetically engineered microalgae, Chlorella Vulgaris, to deliver and stabilize a phage-derived lytic enzyme called PeiR which specifically targets and lyses the pseudomurein cell walls of methanogens.
We engineered a bmRNAi vaccine delivery mechanism to combat TSWV infections in plants as a means of providing a sustainable solution for farmers, advancing biotechnology in agriculture, and ensuring food security by safeguarding crops.
We utilized bioengineered yeast to generate the primary cannabinoids and select terpenes present in the cannabis plant, extracting pure compounds from the yeast and distributing them to different manufacturers for customizable compound mixing, effectively replicating cannabis plant extract without requiring cultivation or post-processing.