Peking University, November 22, 2023: The International Genetically Engineered Machine (iGEM) Competition was recently concluded in Paris, France. The team representing Peking University School of Pharmaceutical Sciences (PKUSPS) won a gold medal in their first participation in the competition.

As the most influential international academic competition in the field of synthetic biology, the iGEM Competition, which marked its 20th anniversary and was held at the Paris Expo Porte de Versailles between Nov. 2 and 5 this year, had attracted over 75,000 participants representing 400 teams from 66 countries and regions around the world. 

 
The 2023 project goal of the PKUSPS iGEM team, which comprised ten students from PKUSPS, PKU School of Basic Medical Sciences, and Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications, was to develop new oncolytic viruses (viruses that are capable of absorbing or destroying tumors) based on influenza viruses. 

The team conducted in-depth research into the surface protein of the influenza viruses and modified the viruses, with an aim to boost the influenza viruses to target tumor tissues by changing the display state of the virus surface protein. 

The iGEM 2023 saw some 400 multidisciplinary teams showcase their synthetic biology innovations, ideas, and initiatives for humanity's most pressing problems, including the climate crisis, agriculture, human health, foundational advances, biomanufacturing, and more. An international panel of over 417 judges cast their votes to select the winning teams, and the results were impressive – with 190 teams earning gold medals, 142 teams earning silver, and 38 teams earning bronze, according to the iGEM Foundation, the organizer of the competition.

Written by: Lang Lang
Edited by: Dennis Meng
Source: PKUSPS