iGEM Competition 2018
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We strongly believes that the current approach of producing synthetic dyes is unsustainable. The world urgently needs a more sustainable and eco-friendly solution. We think that synthetic biology has the potential to increase the viability of natural dyes as an alternative to synthetic dyes. We want our dyes to be biodegradable and non-toxic, and for the manufacturing process to be cost-effective, involve less chemicals and be more environmentally-friendly. Ultimately, our product must also remain appealing to fashion designers and consumers.
To address the challenges, our team developed a computer-mediated optogenetic regulation system as a technological platform for future biomanufacturing. The expression of enzymes involved in the biosynthetic pathway can be rapidly regulated by light. Burden-based cellular stress is monitored and regulated using custom hardware.
Out of 350+ teams, NUS team won gold medal, and was shortlisted for several awards. Their achievements are also highlighted by NUS Engineering. Details of the design, theoretical validation, and experimental results can be found at the follow website.
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