A team of five undergraduate researchers from the University of Notre Dame’s College of Science and College of Engineering earned a gold medal at the iGEM Grand Jamboree in Paris, France.
iGEM—the International Genetically Engineered Machine competition—is an annual global event that challenges undergraduate and high school teams to apply synthetic biology to real-world problems. The inaugural Notre Dame team was recognized for its experimental rigor, innovative design, and strong presentation, as well as for excellence in entrepreneurship, mathematical modeling and engineering.
Notre Dame’s chapter, iGEM@ND, worked with faculty and graduate student advisors to develop its project, Fleur—an engineered probiotic that assists with weight control.
“The journey to Paris for the Grand Jamboree was a proof of concept for not just our probiotic yogurt, but for what Notre Dame students can achieve when given access to the infrastructure of biotech innovation,” said senior computer science major Swindar (Keyang) Zhou. Zhou served as the inaugural club president, recruiting members, driving the project from idea to execution, and facilitating the administrative work necessary for international travel.
The project required interdisciplinary cooperation across colleges and majors. Mckenna Douglas, a sophomore majoring in chemical engineering, participated as a member of the team’s dry lab, where she helped use software-based tools to assess GLP-1 peptide structure. “This experience expanded my knowledge of what synthetic biology is,” she said. “Visiting different teams and seeing the variety of their work demonstrated the breadth of synthetic biology’s applications. The event allowed me to explore exactly what I was interested in and speak with several industry representatives about what careers in synthetic biology entail.”
Canta Litanto, a sophomore majoring in mechanical engineering, worked in the team’s wet lab. “iGEM@ND was a great way to get involved in research and see a project through,” she said. “Engaging with members of other teams and the competition judges has given me the ability to practice communicating my research to others. It’s exciting to receive that live feedback from members of the synthetic biology community.”
Both Litanto and Douglas plan to participate in iGEM@ND next year. “My goal is to see this team continue to grow and develop. With more members, we can make more significant research contributions, and hopefully secure one of the grand prizes,” said Litanto.
Zhou plans to move to an advisory role, as she finishes up her undergraduate career. “Securing a gold medal in our first year showed me that students need iGEM@ND to solve critical problems. I think it’s important to create the infrastructure that makes biotech innovation accessible, so we can make the breakthroughs to help serve humanity.”
—Christopher Turlo, Notre Dame Science
Hero photo: The iGEM@ND team representing Notre Dame in Paris. Left to right: Grace Cusumano (Biology ’28), Swindar Zhou (Computer Science and Engineering ’26), Mckenna Douglas (Chemical Engineering ’28), Canta Litanto (Mechanical Engineering ’28), Oliver Wardhana (Biology and ACMS ’27).