proRWTH also supported a particularly successful student initiative in 2024: The iGEM Team 2024 at RWTH Aachen.

iGEM ​​(international Genetically Engineered Machines competition) is an international synthetic biology competition. Every year, over 400 teams from around the world compete to win the Grand Prize at the Grand Jamboree, the final celebration in Paris. Since 2014, a RWTH team has successfully taken part in this competition every year. The common goal of all teams is to develop solutions for current problems, for example in medicine, industry or the environment, using synthetic biology.

In 2024, the iGEM team consisted of 20 students from a wide range of subjects and disciplines. The aim of the “OncoBiotica” project was to develop a new approach to cancer therapy that targeted the specific microorganisms in the tumor environment. This novel strategy should enable more people to benefit from targeted treatment with localized effectiveness. Similar to established prodrug therapies, OncoBiotica uses a two-phase mechanism of action. First, a fusion protein is introduced into the body, which binds to a tumor-associated microbe and accumulates in the tumor tissue. In the second phase, a prodrug is administered systemically. This prodrug is then converted into a chemotherapeutic agent in the tumor tissue by the fusion protein, where it becomes locally effective. As part of the iGEM competition, colorectal cancer (CRC) and the associated Fusobacterium nucleatum were used as a model system. If you would like to find out more about the project, visit the website: https://2024.gem.wiki/aachen/. Part of the project evaluation also included the creation of a promotion and presentation video. A link to both videos is at the end.

At the award ceremony on October 26th, 2024, the iGEM team Aachen was awarded a gold medal for OncoBiotica and was one of the top ten teams. This year’s team also achieved second place in the overall “Overgrad” rankings (First Runner Up). This means that the iGEM team has made it to the Grand Prix for the second time in 2024 as an Aachen team among the seven competition finalists. The team also received the Village Prize “Best Oncology Project” and the special prizes “Best Education (Overgrad)” for their education project “Alphafold Decoded” and “Best Hardware (Overgrad)” for their hardware project “MAIK – Microfluidic Absorption Intensity Kit”. iGEM ​​Aachen 2024 was also nominated for the special prizes “Best New Basic Part (Overgrad)”, “Best Presentation (Overgrad)” and “Best Wiki (Overgrad)”. The generous support from proRWTH has contributed significantly to the success of this year’s iGEM team. Thanks to the funding, all 20 team members were able to travel to the Grand Jamboree and receive the prizes in person.

  • Promotion video: https://video.igem.org/w/ehXcpZfeSbREzeZ9TfFKJb
  • Presentation video: https://video.igem.org/w/xAvJtxZSxAdeHHXmLKSgKX

Text: iGEM-Team Aachen
Image: iGEM Foundation und Justin Knight