University of Lethbridge Team Wins Silver at 2025 iGEM Competition

The University of Lethbridge (U of L) has achieved a significant milestone by winning a silver medal at the 2025 Grand Jamboree held in Paris. A team of students participated in the prestigious International Genetically Engineered Machine (iGEM) competition, initially focusing on developing an innovative and ethical method for producing hyaluronic acid, a substance widely used in the cosmetics industry.

As the project progressed, the team identified a critical need for a cost-effective solution to create the hyaluronic acid. Abby Giacchetta, a third-year neuroscience student and a key member of the team, explained their innovative approach. “We needed a way to make the hyaluronic acid, and we wanted to use E. coli by mixing genes into its plasmid to spur the production of a hyaluronic acid biofilm,” Giacchetta stated. The challenge was that the required multiplex automated genome engineering (MAGE) machine, typically priced around $90,000, was beyond their budget.

To address this financial hurdle, the team developed OSAGE (open-source automated genome engineering), designed with affordable and readily available components sourced online, along with 3D-printed parts. This innovative machine can be constructed for less than $1,000. The students made a strategic choice to prioritize refining the OSAGE machine over pursuing multiple projects simultaneously.

Collaboration and knowledge-sharing are central to the iGEM ethos. The U of L team, consisting of 16 members and supervised by Dr. Laura Keffer-Wilkes, built upon previous work from the iGEM community to create their prototype. “One of the great things about iGEM is that it is open source, meaning everyone has access to all the great work that’s been done in previous years,” Dr. Keffer-Wilkes remarked. “They chose to build off of previous work to create a system that could then be utilized by future generations of iGEM students for their projects, as it basically allows you to create any kind of bacterial strain you want to engineer.”

The judges at the World Jamboree praised the U of L team’s concept, particularly their commitment to expanding on existing projects and advancing the field of synthetic biology. Their efforts culminated in the team receiving a silver medal, marking an impressive achievement and recognition of their innovative work.

Looking ahead, the U of L team aims to broaden its membership to include students from various academic disciplines. Applications are currently being accepted for the 2026 iGEM cycle. Interested students are encouraged to visit the iGEM website and contact Dr. Keffer-Wilkes at [email protected] for more information.

This achievement highlights the potential of collaborative student research and the impact of open-source technology on scientific advancements. As the field of synthetic biology continues to evolve, the U of L team’s work may pave the way for future innovations that benefit both academia and industry.