What is NU iGEM?

Nazarbayev University iGEM (International Genetic Engineered Machine) represents students that are interested in synthetic biology and are ready to dedicate themselves studying and popularizing it. Starting from 2013 team of students gathers to develop and design a new research project to share it with other teams and present it on annual iGEM Giant Jamboree conference-style event in Boston, Massachusetts, USA in November.

What is iGEM

Promotinal video

iGEM is the community

What Do we do?

What Do We Do?

Our main activity is research inside and outside of competition frame. We try to develop projects that will solve local issues or that will bring benefit to society. Other than that we also reach out to business companies in our field and try to establish cooperative relationships that will be fruitful for us and for them.

Since in our country synthetic biology and genetic engineering are not popular and are somewhat stigmatized we try to engage with the public and elucidate that GMO and synthetic drugs are not something to be afraid of.

Past Projects

2018

FROM A DANGEROUS WASTE TO FUNCTIONAL NANOMATERIALS

We genetically modified Synechococcus Elongatus to reduce H2S into elemental Sulfur using Sulfide Quinone Reductase (SQR) in anaerobic conditions. The produced elemental sulfur can be used in the production of catalytic graphitic material.

Bioremediation of Sour Crude Oil Waste using Cyanobacteria

Best Environmental Project Nominee

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2017

BIOREMEDIATION OF Cr(VI) FROM WASTEWATER USING MICROALGAE

We use natural ability of C. reinhardtii to upregulate sulfate channels and introduce chromate reductase and oligopeptide chromodulin to collect Cr(VI) from wastewater, reduce it to trivalent form and store inside the microalgae C. reinhardtii. .

Bioremediation of Cr(VI) from Wastewater Using Microalgae

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2015

PREVENTION OF DENTAL CARIES WITH STREPTOCOCCUS MUTANTS

We overexpressed XrpA in order to cease the production of ComX protein that regulates biofilm formation. The implementation of CRISPR-dCas9 system blocked the transcription of VicK gene, which is responsible for signal transduction system for acidity tolerance in bacteria.

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Dental Caries Prevention by Targeting Lactic Acid Production mechanisms of Streptococcus

2014

The aim of this project is to design an antibody-based biosensor to detect p53 in saliva samples for Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) diagnosis. The biosensor similar to ELISA, but instead of antibodies, dimerized VL single-chain variable regions (scFv) were used.

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E.COLI DERIVED CAMELID ANTIBODIES AS A SENSOR FOR P53 IN SALIVA

E.Coli Derived Camelid Antibodies As a Sensor For p53 in Saliva

2013

We planned to develop a biosensor which will be used to detect the presence of CEA. The streptavidin has a strong affinity to biotin and the strong affinity of biotinylated ssDNA aptamers for CEA will be used to the sandwich biosensor.

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