CSU_CHINA, a team from Central South University (CSU) won the gold medal at the 2020 International Genetically Engineered Machine Competition (iGEM) rounding off on November 22.
This competition was participated in by a total of 256 teams, including those from world-renowned universities like Stanford University, Harvard University, and Massachusetts Institute of Technology, as well as those from famous Chinese universities like Peking University, Tsinghua University, and Zhejiang University. CSU_CHINA is composed of 30 undergraduates from the School of Life Sciences, Xiangya School of Medicine, the School of Architecture and Art, the School of Automation, School of Basic Medical Science, the School of Literature and Journalism, and the School of Civil Engineering, with Zhou Hao, an undergraduate from the Excellent Class of life sciences major enrolled in 2018, as the team leader.
Live streaming of 2020 iGEM Virtual Giant Jamboree
In the competition, with Synechocystis PCC6803 as the biological chassis and through the synthetic biology method, CSU_CHINA constructed a new-type biological cadmium-removal system to safely and efficiently purify cadmium-contaminated water; the team also built a mathematical model corresponding to the experiment. These results were highly affirmed by the competition committee.
According to reports,iGEM is an international authoritativemultidisciplinary academic competition with synthetic biology as its core, involving biology, computer science, social sciences and other disciplines. Its concept is to encourage students to change the world through active innovation. iGEM is a top international synthetic biology competition and one of the most influential world-class academic competitions for college students. CSU undergraduates started participating in the competition from 2018 and have won two gold awards and one silver award so far. This year’s project for iGEM has relied on the scientific research platform of the Medical Genetics Research Center of the School of Life Sciences and received guidance from Li Shanni, Li Jiada, Li Jie, Li Chiyu and other teachers as well as support from the Undergraduate School and the School of Life Sciences.
