International Youth Day - Transforming Food Systems: iGEM and SDG 2
“Food is the moral right of all who are born into this world.”
Tomorrow (August 12) is International Youth Day, a day designated by the United Nations to celebrate youth as active partners in the global society. This year’s theme “Transforming Food Systems: Youth Innovation for Human and Planetary Health” aims to highlight the meaningful participation of young people in transforming food systems – from the infrastructure needed for feeding a population, to nutrition related chronic disease and unsustainable farming practices.
Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 2 aims to end hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition, and promote sustainable agriculture. Together with other SDGs that target poverty, inclusion, health care, biodiversity and climate change, SDG 2 will help feed the world’s growing population and ensure human and planetary well-being.
In honor of International Youth Day 2021, we’d like to highlight some of the 2020 iGEM teams that have focused on food systems and SDG 2.
BITSPilani-Goa_India (India) engineered a biological system to prevent post-harvest sucrose deterioration and improve the yield from sugarcane. Gold Medalist, Winner Best New Composite Part, Winner Best Software Tool, Undergrad Division.
CU-Boulder (United States) created a protein engineering solution that may allow plants to become self-fertilizing. Undergrad Division.
Groningen (Netherlands) developed a solution for protecting potato and other crops from parasitic nematodes. Gold Medalist, Nominated for Best Food & Nutrition Project, Best Wiki, Overgrad Division.
Hamburg (Germany) designed a biological system to guard against crop loss caused by plant pathogens. Bronze Medalist, Overgrad Division.
Lethbridge (Canada) engineered a system for producing antimicrobial peptides that could prevent dry rot and improve the nutritional value of potatoes. Bronze Medalist, Undergrad Division.
Lund (Sweden) designed a biopesticide based on antimicrobial peptides to prevent outbreaks of late blight in potatoes. Gold Medalist, Overgrad Division.
Stony_Brook (United States) developed an optogenetic approach for preventing gene flow from genetically modified plants and preserve agrobiodiversity. Silver Medalist, Undergrad Division.
Thessaly (Greece) developed a platform for diagnosis and treatment of Inflammatory Bowel Disease that could help alleviate malnutrition. Gold Medalist, Overgrad Division.
UPCH_Peru (Peru) sought to reduce crop loss and improve food security by developing anti-freezing proteins that could protect frost-susceptible crops. Gold Medalist, Undergrad Division.
XMU-China (China) engineered a rapid detect-and-degrade system to remove excess glyphosate herbicide from tea. Winner Best Food & Nutrition Project, Winner Best Parts Collection, Winner Best Wiki, Winner Best Presentation, Nominee and 2nd Runner-up Grand Prize, Nominee Best New Basic Part, Gold Medalist, Undergrad Division.
These teams focused on preventing toxins and improving the yield and nutritional value of rice:
Korea-SIS (Republic of Korea) Gold Medalist, High School Division
ROADS_SY (China) High School Division.
SJTU-software (China) Gold Medalist, Undergrad Division
These teams sought to enhance milk and protect cattle from parasites:
NYC_Earthians (United States) High School Division
SUNY_Oneonta (United States) Silver Medalist, Overgrad Division
These teams aimed to improve aquaculture and fishing practices:
FDR-HB_Peru (Peru) Silver Medalist, High School Division.
UiOslo_Norway (Norway) Gold Medalist, Nominated for Best Software Tool, Overgrad Division.
Vilnius-Lithuania (Lithuania) Gold Medalist, Grand Prize Winner, Nominated for Best Wiki, Best Poster and Best Presentation, Undergrad Division.
These teams devised biological systems to combat locust swarms that destroy crops and threaten food security:
CAU_China (China) Gold Medalist, Undergrad Division.
SHSBNU_China (China) Gold Medalist, Nominated for Best Model and Best Poster, High School Division.
SZ-SHD (China) Gold Medalist, Nominated for Best New Composite Part, High School Division.
TPR_China (China) Gold Medalist, High School Division.
TUDelft (Netherlands) Gold Medalist; Winner Best Food and Nutrition Project, Best Presentation, Best Poster, Best Integrated Human Practices, Best New Basic Part, Best New Composite Part, iGEMers' Prize, Safety Commendation; Nominated for Best Wiki, Best Education, Best Part Collection, Best Supporting Entrepreneurship, Best Sustainable Development Impact, Overgrad Division.
We are proud of all iGEM teams for their work on the frontiers of synthetic biology to improve food security and ensure human and planetary well-being!
If you would like to join iGEM in addressing the UN Sustainable Development Goals, we invite you become an iGEM partner or sponsor, or join us in celebrating the accomplishments of the teams at the 2021 Giant Jamboree. We look forward to welcoming you to the iGEM community!
