This November, a team of Ohio State students will travel to Paris, France, to compete at the international International Genetically Engineered Machine (iGEM) Grand Jamboree 2026, one of the world's premier synthetic biology competitions. Supported in part by the Infectious Diseases Institute (IDI), the student team will showcase an innovative synthetic biology project focused on HIV that reflects the creativity, interdisciplinary collaboration, and problem-solving approach at the heart of the iGEM program.
IDI-Supported Ohio State iGEM Team Takes HIV Innovation Concept to the World Stage
Image courtesy of iGEM Grand Jamboree.
The project draws upon expertise from across the university, bringing together students and mentors from biomedical engineering, biological engineering, computer science and engineering, pharmacy, microbiology, and molecular genetics. This interdisciplinary collaboration reflects the increasingly convergent nature of modern biomedical research, where breakthroughs often emerge at the intersection of multiple disciplines.
The Ohio State team's project, SprayAway, focuses on a longstanding obstacle to an HIV cure: the virus's ability to persist within long-lived cellular reservoirs. Although modern antiretroviral therapies (ART) allow people living with HIV to achieve undetectable viral levels and live long, healthy lives, HIV can remain dormant within certain cells, making complete eradication extraordinarily difficult.
To address this challenge, the team has developed a novel concept that draws upon advances in synthetic biology, gene-editing technologies, and biomedical engineering. The project explores innovative strategies for targeting latent HIV reservoirs and reflects the interdisciplinary collaboration and creative problem-solving that are hallmarks of the iGEM competition. Additional information about the team's project is available on the SprayAway project website.
When the team arrives in Paris this November, they will join hundreds of student researchers from around the world, each bringing bold ideas for addressing some of society's most significant challenges.
For Ohio State's iGEM team, SprayAway represents more than a research project. It is an opportunity to demonstrate how student-driven innovation, interdisciplinary collaboration, and a commitment to improving human health can come together to advance the future of HIV research.
"The iGEM experience is about learning to build thoughtful solutions that bridge the gap between science and people. To us, iGEM at Ohio State is more than a synthetic biology club. It empowers us to tackle meaningful challenges that translate to real careers in R&D, and we're excited for our club to continue inspiring students from all fields to pursue biotech innovation!”
With support from IDI and other university partners, these student innovators will carry Ohio State's spirit of discovery to the global stage, sharing a vision for new approaches to one of the world's most enduring infectious diseases challenges.