The iGEM (Internationally Genetically Engineered Machine) is an independent, non-profit organisation set up around 20 years ago at the initiative of MIT in Boston to explore the potential of synthetic biology. The joint master’s programme in biotechnology at ELTE and BME was launched in 2018 partly with the support of the NRDI Office, and the vast majority of the gold medal-winning team members of the 2022 iGEM competition are students of this programme. The ELTE iGEM team was established as a student initiative, with financial support from the faculty and Ricther Plc. The process developed in the project, called NanoBlade, is based on a targeted, light-activated, genetically modified bacterium, which has shown great promise for both tumour diagnostics and cancer therapy. The Hungarian project, which won gold in the international iGEM competition, still has great potential for innovation, so the team is looking for further funding to improve the NanoBlade method and increase its international visibility.

More information about the project and the Hungarian iGEM team can be found in the article of the ELTE TTK.