Synthetic biology research project supported
m2p-labs sponsors the RTWH Aachen team in the international iGEM competition
For the first time, a team from the RWTH Aachen University (Rhine-Westphalia Technical University of Aachen) will participate in the annual iGEM (International Genetically Engineered Machine) competition. Among other supported from m2p-labs, the 15-member interdisciplinary team now submitted its project to the iGEM foundation.
For the first time, a team from the RWTH Aachen University (Rhine-Westphalia Technical University of Aachen) will participate in the annual iGEM (International Genetically Engineered Machine) competition. The 15-member interdisciplinary team will be represented with a submission in the measurement methods category. Their product, developed entirely on their own, is designed to detect pathogens quickly, reliably and economically using a camera equipped to measure fluorescence. The hardware and software developed specifically for this purpose allows for efficient and mobile use, for example in hospitals, where the bacteria Pseudomonas aeruginosa frequently causes pneumonia. The unique advantage brought by this product is that measurements can be carried out selectively and without the high investment costs of other technologies.
To participate in the iGEM competition, the RWTH Aachen team successfully met several challenges. First, supervising professors needed to be convinced about this new project and an adequate number of team members had to be recruited. Once the team was officially registered in February 2014, the research project was elaborated and the search for sponsors started. In addition to the support from m2p-labs, the team sought the backing of other companies, associations and institutes. Thanks to generous contributions from all sources, financial support is available not only for complete product development, but travel of all team members to the competition is also guaranteed. Following a good half year of intensive work, the team now submitted its project by the October 17 deadline to the iGEM foundation.
iGEM is the leading competition in the field of synthetic biology; international student teams are challenged to build innovative biological systems from standardized biological components. The competition was initiated at the MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) and is celebrating its tenth anniversary this year. To mark the occasion, a Giant 2014 Jamboree is planned for October 30 to November 3 in Boston, MA. Along with almost 200 international research teams with a wide range of projects in synthetic biology, the Aachen iGEM team will present its unique measuring device to the independent jury. m2p-labs wishes the Aachen iGEM team much success.