The Charter School of Wilmington’s iGEM team is heading to Paris this fall to compete in the prestigious International Genetically Engineered Machine (iGEM) Competition, where student teams from over 65 countries use synthetic biology to tackle global challenges. This year, the CSW team is focused on improving how naturally occurring Alcanivorax bacteria break down oil from spills, an issue that devastates marine life, killing tens of thousands of birds, sea turtles, and sea mammals each year. By enhancing the bacteria’s natural oil-degrading proteins, the students hope to make oil spill cleanup faster and more effective.
To help bring their project to completion and represent CSW on the world stage, the team has launched a fundraising campaign. Donations will support travel to Paris and continued collaboration with experts in biology, synthetic biology, and genetic engineering. This hands-on experience gives students the opportunity to apply classroom learning to real-world environmental challenges and contribute to meaningful scientific innovation.
Donate here: https://www.givecampus.com/schools/CharterSchoolofWilmington/igem-paris-2025?a=11184135#donors