ULethbridge iGEM, Lethbridge, AB
Developing a targeted approach to tackle pollution caused by blue-green algae (tech focus: synthetic biology)
Team Grade Level: | Undergraduate |
Team Experience Level: | Advanced |
STEM Focus: | Synthetic Biology |
We are the 2021 University of Lethbridge Collegiate iGEM Team. iGEM is an annual synthetic biology competition involving teams from around the world. As an iGEM team we have a lot of experience in the application of synthetic biology approaches to developing solutions to real-world problems, and have focused our projects on finding solutions to local problems here in Alberta. For our project this year, we are designing a solution to the issue of blue-green algae in Southern Alberta and around the world. Our plan is to design a target-specific method of delivering a gene to cyanobacteria that codes for a protein that will cause cell death. We will also design constructs to deal with the resulting problem of microcystins released into the water following cell lysis.