Description: Bladder carcinoma is a common malignancy worldwide, causing around 150,000 deaths annually. Cystoscopy, the gold standard for diagnosis, is invasive, costly and not applicable for routine surveillance. Therefore, it is urgent to develop sensitive, convenient techniques for regular monitoring. Urinary miRNAs serve as stable, accessible biomarkers for bladder cancer. They show better sensitivity and specificity than urinary cytology for early detection, and are ideal for non-invasive screening and routine surveillance. Here, we establish a cell-free synthetic biology platform for non-invasive bladder cancer detection based on urinary miRNAs. Using custom-designed toehold switch RNA biosensors, the platform targets three cancer-specific miRNAs that are abnormally expressed and highly enriched in the urine of bladder cancer patients. Binding of target miRNAs activates the toehold switch and induces EGFP expression, generating quantifiable fluorescence signals. This system allows convenient non-invasive quantification of urinary miRNAs in clinical samples.

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Description: This project presents a rapid licorice quality evaluation system. Traditional licorice assessment depends on experience, while laboratory tests are hard to apply on‑site. We build a modular microbial consortium with a two‑tier sensing‑computation framework. It converts fluorescence signals into measurable electrical data. Since licorice quality comes from multiple bioactive components, we adopt two computing methods: a machine‑learning model and a living genetic circuit. Both are tested with real licorice samples. Our system offers growers colour‑coded harvesting advice, delivering low‑cost, convenient quality detection and practical sales guidance.

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Description: Let's learn about our project, and take down plastic products!

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Description: Residents in southern China have a dietary preference for high-purine foods such as seafood, resulting in a particularly high concentration of patients with gout and hyperuricemia. This has now become a prevalent regional health issue, and traditional treatment methods have numerous limitations. This project utilizes Escherichia coli Nissle 1917 as an engineering platform, incorporating a uric acid response system along with functional modules for uricase and catalase. This system can degrade uric acid and eliminate toxic hydrogen peroxide produced during metabolism within the gut. We have focused on modifying the uric acid transporter to enhance its transport efficiency for uric acid and its precursor, xanthine, thereby inhibiting uric acid production at the source. This oral probiotic formulation holds promise as a safe and highly effective new solution for the prevention and treatment of hyperuricemia and gout.

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Description: For millions of people, axillary odor isn't just a physical condition, but a source of insecurity. Every whisper, every glance, every moment of self-consciousness can affect how people feel about themselves. For decades, science has helped us manage odor—but many existing approaches focus on covering or controlling its effects rather than changing the biological process that creates it. At GreatBay-SCIE iGEM 2026, we're rewriting the story. The source of axillary odor is 3M3SH, a volatile sulfur compound produced by Staphylococcus hominis. Instead of masking the smell with harsh chemicals or blocking the sweat glands, we take a more targeted and science driven approach: stopping the odor pathway at its exogenous source. Through three complementary strategies—binders that capture the precursor, inhibitors that block bacterial transport, and engineered enzymes that modify the precursor itself—we stop the problem before it starts. We also synthesized geranyl butyrate and borneol acetate for a natural, pleasant fragrance. Ultimately, our goal moves beyond simply managing odor, but to reduce the insecurities and social barriers it can create. Confidence should never be conditional. It is inherent, and ExpelliOdor exists to restore it. ExpelliOdor — expel the odor.

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Description: Osteoarthritis causes chronic pain and mobility loss for millions of people, while large quantities of shrimp and crab shells are discarded every year. Chitinova aims to address both challenges by developing a green bioconversion platform that transforms chitin-rich shell waste into N-acetylglucosamine (NAG), a bioactive precursor associated with cartilage matrix synthesis. We engineer Escherichia coli to produce and secrete a synergistic enzyme system combining lytic polysaccharide monooxygenases (LPMOs) and chitinases. LPMOs disrupt the crystalline structure of chitin, creating accessible cleavage sites for downstream enzymatic hydrolysis, while chitinases further convert the resulting fragments into NAG. Through enzyme engineering and chassis optimization, we aim to improve catalytic efficiency, stability, and product yield. Chitinova seeks to provide a cleaner alternative to acid hydrolysis while promoting circular use of local seafood-shell waste and supporting future joint-health applications.

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Description: Coral reef restoration often depends on cement, epoxy, or mechanical fixtures to secure coral fragments, yet these methods may be labor-intensive, difficult to apply underwater, and poorly matched to fragile coral tissues. ReefBond develops a biodegradable, cell-free underwater bioadhesive system inspired by mussel adhesive proteins and coral biomineralization. We aim to engineer microbial hosts to produce functional mussel foot protein domains for seawater-compatible adhesion, while incorporating a mineralization module that promotes calcium carbonate deposition to strengthen attachment interfaces and support reef-like substrate formation. By integrating biologically derived adhesion with biomineralization, ReefBond seeks to provide a safer and more reef-compatible tool for coral fragment attachment and marine ecosystem restoration.

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Description: Since the first homo sapiens looking up to the sky, space exploration became the ultimate goal for humankind. Through countless of hardwork done by multiple generations, we are moving steadily toward success. However, it seems to be easy at first glance, but without the sustainability of food, it will never be accomplished. To address this challenge, our team, Astro Flora, aims to support plant growth in outer space by introducing engineered E.coli to help plant growth. Through synthetic biology, we’ve engineered E. coli that can modulate the plant hormones by degrading excess ABA and IAA at the plant roots. As a result, plants could survive in microgravity environment, bringing humanity one step closer to its dream of space exploration.

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Description: Acne has never been just about the skin. The looking away, the sighs in front of the mirror, the instinct to turn your face aside — we know this sense of inferiority all too well. That's why we, AIS‑China, decided to take a different approach. Instead of trying to eliminate the bacteria on the skin, we repurposed non-pathogenic Cutibacterium acnes as a living therapeutic platform. Our engineered C.L.E.A.R. strain improves colonization fitness to outcompete acne-causing strains in the follicle, and releases anti-inflammatory SOD upon sensing excess fatty acids — a key trigger in the acne microenvironment. Once its task is complete, it safely self-destructs via a controlled triple-layer kill-switch system. That's how we C.L.E.A.R. acne and restore self-confidence. Engineered Balance, Healthier Skin

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Description: Biomanufacturing has transformed living cells into powerful production platforms. However, many complex proteins remain challenging to produce in prokaryotes due to limitations in translation dynamics. This video introduces dogmaOS, a platform that engineers cotranslational folding through elongation dynamics to improve protein production in prokaryotic systems. By optimizing ribosome pausing and cellular pathways, dogmaOS aims to reduce protein misfolding, enhance soluble protein yield, and unlock new possibilities for prokaryotic protein production.

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Description: Uric acid is a typical high-risk nitrogenous pollutant in livestock and aquaculture wastewater. When discharged into water bodies, it can easily cause environmental problems such as water acidification and eutrophication. Current traditional physical, chemical, and single-microorganism degradation methods suffer from limitations including low efficiency, incomplete substrate coverage, and a tendency to cause secondary pollution. This project aims to construct a dual-functional cascade system for both uric acid detection and degradation, converting uric acid in poultry manure wastewater into allantoin. Directly used for crop irrigation, the harmful effects on crop root growth are mitigated, as allantoin actually benefits plant growth. When discharged into water bodies, this approach avoids causing water acidification and eutrophication. The engineered bacteria will ultimately be prepared into sodium alginate-immobilized beads suitable for fluidized bed reactors, providing a green, non-polluting, low-cost, and recyclable remediation solution for the bioremediation of contaminated water from aquaculture.

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Description: Most drugs that enter cells have a hard time reaching the nucleus, especially in various non-dividing cells that are key targets for diseases, making nuclear drug delivery very inefficient. NucleArk takes a different path. It’s based on the CORdensate system developed at Tsinghua University and leverages a natural process in cells: phase separation. Using a light-sensitive module, zinc finger proteins that grab nucleic acid cargo, and a nuclear localization sequence called NLS, just a single pulse of blue light can cluster proteins into tiny droplets that cross the nuclear membrane on their own—no need to wait for cell division. Whether it’s basic research, gene therapy, or cancer treatment: When molecules condense, they form something new. When people coalesce around a shared vision—they can change the world.

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Description: Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is rapidly emerging as one of the greatest threats to global health. Resistance genes such as MCR-1, NDM-1, and KPC-2, which undermine last-resort antibiotics including colistin and carbapenems, are increasingly spreading through environmental pathways such as agricultural water systems. However, current detection methods rely on expensive instruments and specialized laboratories, making large-scale field surveillance difficult. To tackle this challenge, we developed a portable, low-cost diagnostic platform based on synthetic biology. Our system employs computationally designed RNA Toehold Switches to specifically recognize multiple antimicrobial resistance genes and generate distinct colorimetric outputs in a cell-free expression system. Coupled with RPA isothermal amplification and paper-based detection, the platform enables rapid, user-friendly, and equipment-free testing. By bringing AMR monitoring out of the laboratory and into the field, our project aims to support early warning, environmental surveillance, and more accessible public health protection.

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Description: Team you Nailed it! develops fully bioengineered manicure products to replace harmful conventional nail supplies. Our degradable sodium alginate nail tips cut plastic pollution to soil and water. Colorants are biosynthetic fluorescent proteins and chromoproteins produced by E.coli without toxic chemical dyes or irritating fumes. The hybrid glue combining mussel adhesive and spider silk proteins boasts great adhesion and ductility, and can be degraded by proteases for gentle removal. Free of corrosive chemicals and allergens, our bio-based nail series lets all people enjoy beauty safely.

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Description: TermiTox is Peking iGEM’s proposed engineered-yeast bait concept for termite control in heritage conservation contexts. As climate change and human connectivity reshape the potential distribution of invasive termites, wooden cultural heritage may face emerging risks. TermiTox explores whether termite biology itself can become part of a more precise and contained intervention strategy. Our design uses two complementary engineered yeast strains. Strain A is designed to target cellulose-digesting gut protists in lower termites through a pH-dependent LLO module. Strain B carries a dual-hairpin RNAi payload targeting genes involved in digestion and development, with a lysis module supporting payload release. We also consider trophallaxis, modelling, stakeholder feedback, and safety assessment to define responsible deployment boundaries. Our goal is not to eliminate termites from nature, but to protect crops and irreplaceable heritage when pest colonies pose a threat.

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Description: PyrLac Glow is a synthetic‑biology biosensor project for dual‑target detection of pyruvate and lactate. Based on engineered transcriptional regulatory proteins, it realizes simultaneous sensing of pyruvate and lactate and outputs readable fluorescence signals. This work aims to develop a low‑cost, portable in‑vitro metabolic‑biomarker detection tool for rapid screening of cell culture supernatants and biological fluid samples, providing new molecular‑testing support for metabolic research and preliminary disease screening. Pyruvate and lactate are core upstream‑downstream metabolites in the glycolysis pathway. Their concentration ratio directly reflects glycolytic activity, hypoxic status and metabolic disorders. Conventional detection methods rely on bulky biochemical analyzers or HPLC, which are expensive and labor‑intensive for on‑site and high‑throughput assays. Commercial test kits also suffer from high costs for large‑batch sample screening. To address these limitations, the PyrLac dual‑analyte biosensor is constructed. By protein‑fluorescent‑protein fusion engineering, metabolite‑binding events are converted into measurable fluorescence readouts, reducing dependence on large laboratory instruments.

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Description: Plant-parasitic nematodes are microscopic soil worms that attack crop roots and cause major yield losses worldwide. They are difficult to detect early, because they are invisible to the naked eye and current detection methods rely on specialized labs and trained experts that most farmers cannot easily access. Our project, Field Detective, aims to develop a simpler way to screen for these nematodes using engineered yeast. We are designing yeast that carries fungal receptors able to recognize ascarosides — chemical signals that nematodes naturally release — and to respond by producing a visible color change. The goal is a readout that is easy to interpret without specialized equipment, making early nematode screening more accessible.

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Description: Saffron — the world's most expensive spice — yields crocetin, a powerful natural antioxidant and bioactive compound with tremendous therapeutic potential. But extracting it from saffron is costly, labor-intensive, and limited by harvest yields—each gram of saffron demands the hand-picking of approximately 150,000 Crocus sativus flowers. Our project, Croteen, asks what if a few bottles of bacteria could do the work of 150,000 flowers. By engineering E. coli with an eight-enzyme pathway, we turn the microbe into a crocetin micro-factory, producing this invaluable compound through scalable fermentation instead of labor-intensive cultivation. With large-scale production confirmed, we launched crocetin essential oil and crocetin capsules, both built around its potential to relieve anxiety. And when our process drives costs down a hundredfold or even a thousandfold, what was once “Red Gold” will become accessible to all.

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Description: Odor control is a critical challenge in crowded public spaces. Conventional methods, such as fragrance masking or chemical sprays, are often irritating and only temporary. To solve this, we engineered a bacterial system to produce a mix of natural enzymes that destroy bad smells at the molecular level. These enzymes break down foul-smelling compounds into completely odorless, non-volatile substances. Applied as a textile spray, the product remains on surfaces and is activated by ambient humidity to lock in and continuously degrade odors. This provides a safe, long-lasting, and sustainable biopurification solution for transit systems and shared indoor spaces.

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Description: As global aging deepens, sarcopenia has emerged as an overlooked crisis that strips the elderly of their independence through progressive muscle loss, while sustainable access to supportive nutrients remains limited. We plan to engineers E. coli as a green cell factory for L-carnosine production. By optimizing metabolic pathways, we aim to improve substrate uptake, product export, and biosynthetic yield. Our project seeks to provide a low-cost, sustainable L-carnosine supply for future nutritional strategies supporting sarcopenia intervention and healthy aging.

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