Suffolk Reporter

Stony Brook University's International Genetically Engineered Machine (iGEM) team has secured a gold medal at the iGEM Giant Jamboree for the third time. The event took place in Paris, France, from October 23 to 26 and showcased synthetic biology projects from 438 teams representing over 45 countries. Stony Brook was among 16 U.S. collegiate teams that earned a gold medal.

The university's project aimed to develop a less invasive and more cost-effective method for diagnosing B-cell lymphoma. The team worked on equipping E.coli with a genetically engineered gene circuit to detect microRNAs as biomarkers for the disease.

"Stony Brook’s participation in iGEM continues to have a profound impact on our students," stated Peter Gergen, SUNY distinguished service professor of the Department of Biochemistry and Cell Biology in the College of Arts and Sciences. He noted that this year's team benefited significantly from former iGEM members Chris Helenek, AJ Sillato, Abhishek Cherath, Michelle Yang, Bushra Islam, Zach Don, as well as contributions from Dr. Joshua Rest (Ecology and Evolution) and Melanie Cragan (Biochemistry and Cell Biology).

Further details about Stony Brook’s iGEM team and their project can be found at https://2024.igem.wiki/stony-brook/index.html