iGEM is the world’s biggest competition in synthetic biology held by a non-profit organization focused on the advancement of synthetic biology, education and collaborations. Different teams from different universities partake in this annually held competition, effectively making it a global phenomenon where ingenuity and forward-thinking solutions are presented in an open and inclusive environment. The goal of the competition is solving a problem using a genetically engineered system of one's own design with the aid of standard biological components. This year, our team representing the University of Oslo are working to increase the efficiency of the utilization of solar energy, utilizing pigments expressed in bacteria.
Solar energy has been touted as an alternative source of energy for decades and we have seen great improvements in its use. However, it is still far from being a viable replacement for current energy sources. The major problems for this sector seem to be low efficacy, and pollution created during the manufacturing process; which is expensive in its own right. For our project we are trying to use genetically engineered bacteria to synthesize chromophores capable of energy capture that will hopefully be cheaper to produce and will work in low light environments without causing pollution. Innovative use of either chromophore or the bacteria itself could increase efficiency.
Contact details for the team:
UiOslo Norway
Email:
uioslonorway@gmail.com
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/uioslonorwayigem/
Instagram: @uioslo_igem