The 2024 International Genetically Engineered Machine Competition (iGEM) concluded in Paris, France on October 26. HainanU-China, the team representing HNU, clinched a Gold Medal for the third consecutive year, scaling new heights. Their innovative project, titled “Using Copper Peptides to Repair Hair Follicles to Achieve Anti-Hair Loss Effect”, introduced a groundbreaking treatment for hair loss and baldness.

HainanU-China winning gold at 2024 iGEM

Focusing on the high prevalence of hair loss, the team leveraged synthetic biology to explore the therapeutic potential of GHK-Cu, a newly discovered tripeptide known as “copper peptide”. To maximize the efficacy of this compound, they developed a series of pioneering techniques, including the identification of an optimal strength constitutive promoter for efficient expression of copper peptide in engineered bacteria.

Poster of HainanU-China’s Project

The iGEM, initiated by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in 2003, has evolved into a premier global event for university students majoring in synthetic biology. It is also an interdisciplinary competition involving mathematics, computer science, statistics and so on. Each year the competition’s cutting-edge research and innovative projects garner attention from the leading academic journals like Nature and Science. The annual iGEM Grand Jamboree has become a significant gathering for the synthetic biology community worldwide.

Source from HNU

Translated by Han Yunsheng

Proofread by Kuang Xiaowen, Yang Jie