Stony Brook University's iGEM team has secured a gold medal at the iGEM Giant Jamboree, marking their third victory in this prestigious competition. The event took place in Paris, France, from October 23-26 and showcased synthetic biology projects from 438 teams across more than 45 countries. Stony Brook was among 16 U.S. collegiate teams to achieve gold.
The team's project aimed to develop a less invasive and more cost-effective method for diagnosing B-cell lymphoma. They focused on using E.coli equipped with a genetically engineered gene circuit to detect microRNAs as biomarkers for the disease.
"Stony Brook’s participation in iGEM continues to have a profound impact on our students," stated Peter Gergen, SUNY distinguished service professor of Biochemistry and Cell Biology. He highlighted the cohesive nature of this year's team and acknowledged the support from former team members Chris Helenek, AJ Sillato, Abhishek Cherath, Michelle Yang, Bushra Islam, Zach Don, as well as Dr. Joshua Rest and Melanie Cragan.
Further details about Stony Brook's iGEM team and their project can be found at https://2024.igem.wiki/stony-brook/index.html