Melodia Rezadhini, who graduated in August 2023 as a 2019 Agricultural Microbiology student, joined the UGM-Indonesia Team to represent UGM and Indonesia in a prestigious international competition in Synthetic Biology. The International Genetically Engineered Machine (iGEM) competition involved more than 400 teams from various high schools to renowned universities worldwide, spanning over 66 countries. This year’s Grand Jamboree for the iGEM Competition was held in Paris, France.
The iGEM Competition originated from a summer school activity at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in 2003. Over two decades, the iGEM Competition has catalyzed the emergence of leading biotechnology research, companies, and startups such as Ginkgo Bioworks, Asimov, and Benchling.
In their second year representing Indonesia in the iGEM competition, the UGM-Indonesia Team undertook a diagnostic project titled “Novel Biodevice for Colorectal Cancer Screening using Escherichia coli Nissle 1917 (EcN) with miRNAs as Biomarker.” The project aimed to create an early diagnostic tool for detecting colorectal cancer by genetically engineering the bacterium Escherichia coli Nissle 1917 (EcN) with the miR-92a and miR-21 biomarkers, which are micro RNAs. The team also designed a novel system to enhance sensitivity through mathematical modeling and computer simulations called Loop-Initiated RNA Activator (LIRA). The detailed results of this research project can be accessed on the wiki page https://2023.igem.wiki/ugm-indonesia/.
Comprising 16 multidisciplinary students from 7 faculties at UGM, the team achieved a Gold Medal, the Inclusivity Award, and a place in the Top 5 Best Diagnostics Project category. The Inclusivity Award was granted for effectively communicating the research project’s development with various stakeholders, including researchers, government agencies such as BPOM, the Health Department, MUI, rural communities, and colorectal cancer patients. In the 20 years of the iGEM competition, this marked the first time that the UGM-Indonesia team secured a Gold Medal and other awards, following their Silver Medal win in 2021.
The achievement of the UGM-Indonesia Team was made possible through the support of Universitas Gadjah Mada, the Faculty of Agriculture, the Faculty of Pharmacy, the Faculty of Biology, the Faculty of Engineering, the Faculty of Agricultural Technology, and the guidance of Dr. Yekti Asih Purwestri (Faculty of Biology) as the main supervisor, along with Widhi Dyah Sawitri, Ph.D. (Faculty of Agriculture) and M. Saifur Rohman, Ph.D. (Faculty of Agriculture) as assistant supervisors. Setyowati Triastuti Utami, Ph.D. (Faculty of Pharmacy) served as an instructor, and the team received additional support from faculty members across various disciplines. Various donors and sponsors also played a crucial role in supporting the team’s needs.