Peking University, November 5, 2024: In the recent 21st International Genetically Engineered Machine Competition (iGEM) that was held in Paris on October 27, the undergraduate team from Peking University’s School of Pharmaceutical Sciences achieved remarkable success. The team won a gold medal and received a nomination for the Best Oncology Project. This accomplishment marked the group's best performance since its inception.

PKU School of Pharmaceutical Sciences Undergraduate Team (PekingHSC 2024)

Founded in 2003, iGEM has evolved into a premier global competition in synthetic biology. The competition integrates knowledge from various disciplines such as life sciences, engineering, and computer science, and has garnered attention from leading academic journals and media outlets.

The PekingHSC 2024 team comprised of 22 undergraduate students from various faculties. They were led by Liu Tao, together with secondary persons in charge Wang Yong and Xie Zhengwei. The team undertook a year-long project that involved brainstorming, designing, constructing, testing, and obtaining community feedback to refine their approach.

Presenting the team’s project to judges

Their innovative project, the Curmino platform, utilizes Genetic Code Expansion (GCE) technology to incorporate unnatural amino acids into bacterial proteins. This strategy aims to enhance the efficacy of cancer treatments by enabling probiotics to release a prodrug specifically in the tumor microenvironment, thereby targeting cancer cells while minimizing side effects. The team's collaborative efforts not only focused on scientific research but also emphasized the social implications and potential industrial applications of their work.

As part of PKU's commitment to enhance academic quality and nurture high-level research talent, the School of Pharmaceutical Sciences continues to foster innovative educational experiences, preparing students to contribute significantly to the biopharmaceutical industry and public health.

Written by: Yang Yimeng
Edited by: Rachel Lee
Source: PKU News (Chinese)