Young Pakistani Scientists Bag Silver Award at iGEM Competition

Young students from Pakistan won silver medal in the International Genetically Engineered Machines (iGEM) competition. The competition took place in Boston between November 9 and November 13. The team, known as iGEM Peshawar 2017, was also nominated for the Best Biosafety Award at the competition. The team comprised of 10 boys and two girls. Young Pakistani Scientists Bag Silver Award at iGEM Competition.

The Young Pakistani Scientists built a DNA circuit to develop a Reporter Fish. This Reported Fish will be able to detect filthy water by changing its color. The system also warns fishermen if the water is contaminated.

Young Pakistani Scientists Bag Silver Award at iGEM Competition

The young Pakistani team also developed a digital sensor through which people in the fishing industry will receive alarming text message if arsenic is detected in water. The head of CECOS’s Bioscience lab, Dr Faisal Khan was the supervisor of this team.

While congratulating team, Dr Faisal Khan said:

“The project will have a direct impact on fish farmers and will also help to keep the fish with good health for consumption by human beings,”

The team of young students were from engineering and computer science department. The team from Pakistan comprised of a diverse group of young scientists from Lahore, Attock, Islamabad, Multan, Faisalabad, Khyber Agency, Nowshera, Charsadda, Peshawar, Swabi and Mardan.

The iGEM Peshawar team was trained by Dr. Khan at the Institute of Integrative Biosciences, CECOS University in Peshawar and supported by the Directorate of Science and Technology, Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Pakistan is full of talent. Last year a Pakistani team of 12 students had won bronze medal in iGEM competition.

iGEM organize this competition every year in synthetic biology for students and encourages them to come up with real world problems.

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