Our Project 2026

AI x Biology: Engineering phages against gastrointestinal pathogens

The AMR Crisis

Pathogens are rapidly developing Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR). This means that traditional antibiotics are no longer as effective, creating an urgent need for next-generation therapies such as phage therapy.

What is phage therapy?

Bacteriophages are viruses that infect and kill specific target bacteria while being harmless to humans and animals. They are a promising treatment against antibiotic resistant bacteria. Also, unlike antibiotics, phages can be used to target only pathogenic bacteria strains, which minimizes disruption to beneficial bacteria in the host microbiome.

We aim to focus on high-impact pathogens that affect human health and the agricultural industry in Okinawa

Salmonella (Food Safety & Swine Health): 

A highly contagious bacteria causing severe gastrointestinal disease in pigs. It degrades meat quality, causes weight loss, and is a leading cause of human foodborne illness via contaminated supply chains.

ETEC (High Piglet Mortality): 

Enterotoxigenic E. coli (ETEC) is the primary cause of neonatal scours (severe diarrhea) in piglets. It devastates breeding farm yields, leading to massive early-stage livestock mortality.

H. pylori (Stomach Cancer):

Helicobacter pylori infection causes gastritis, ulcers and stomach cancer. Although most people will not experience symptoms, about 50% of the world population is infected.

Our Solution

We are iGEM Okinawa, a student team from 3 higher education institutions in Okinawa, participating in an international competition aiming to solve real-world problems using synthetic biology. We are developing an AI platform to engineer low-pH resistant bacteriophages that can effectively eradicate pathogens in the acidic environment of the stomach.

We aim to:

• Develop an AI-based pipeline to predict protein variants with lower optimal pH
• Validate the efficacy and stability of the predicted variants in the lab

Why This Matters

• Saving lives, for infections untreatable by antibiotics

• Empower precision medicine for human health and food security

• Scale globally, using our AI platform for similar engineering problems in other industries

What is iGEM?

The International Genetically Engineered Machine (iGEM) Competition is the world’s largest synthetic biology competition. Its mission is to empower students to solve real-world problems using synthetic biology through interdisciplinary teamwork, innovation, and public engagement.

Each year, over 400 teams from 50+ countries participate, presenting their work at the Grand Jamboree, held in Paris (November 13-16, 2026) with over 5,000 attendees including researchers, investors, educators, and global innovators.

Please visit the iGEM page for more detail.

How are iGEM teams judged?

iGEM is a comprehensive, international competition evaluated across multiple categories which not only judges the research aspect of the project, but also social impact and how it is communicated to the public. These are the aspects that are judged in iGEM:

• Project Design – creativity, functionality, and engineering principles

• Real-World Relevance – how the solution addresses a practical problem

• Collaboration & Communication – teamwork, documentation, and outreach

• Ethics & Human Practices – how social and ethical aspects are considered

• Public Engagement – interaction with communities and industries

• Presentation & Website (Wiki) – clarity, visual storytelling, and accessibility

Teams earn Bronze, Silver, or Gold medals, and may also be awarded special prizes. There are 17 Special Prizes in iGEM, recognizing achievements in areas such as education, sustainability, hardware, software, measurement, and public engagement.

For more details on how iGEM is judged, please visit these pages: Medal, Special Prize.

What is Synthetic Biology?

Synthetic biology is a field that combines biology and engineering to design living cells—often called “smart cells”—that can perform useful tasks. It works by programming cells using DNA as a code, similar to how we program computers with software. Just like building with LEGO blocks, we can assemble pieces of DNA into systems that instruct cells to carry out specific functions that benefit people and the environment.

These engineered cells can act like sensors, detecting diseases or pollutants, or like tiny factories, producing valuable chemicals and raw materials that are difficult to make using traditional methods.

Here are some specific examples:

• Making bacteria that can glow when detecting pollution in water 

• Engineering yeast to produce raw materials for medicine or fragrances

• Creating diagnostic tools that identify viruses or harmful pests

Ethics and Responsibility in Synthetic Biology

At iGEM Okinawa, we follow strict biosafety guidelines and Japanese research regulations (Cartagena Act) regarding DNA recombination experiments. We also follow the international safety and ethics standards set by iGEM, and document our work clearly so that anyone can understand how and why we’re doing it.

Our goal isn’t just to innovate, but to build trust with the community and create solutions that benefit both people and the environment.

Support iGEM Okinawa 

iGEM Okinawa is a student-led team consisting of 3 higher education institutions in Okinawa:

1. National Institute of Technology, Okinawa College (KOSEN)

2. Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University (OIST)

3. University of the Ryukyus (Ryudai)

We are preparing to participate in the iGEM Grand Jamboree 2026 in Paris. However, participation comes with significant financial challenges: 

• Team registration fee: €8700 EUR

• Participation fee: €575 EUR per person

• Additional costs include travel, accommodation, lab materials, and outreach activities, which exceed what we can cover with personal and institutional support alone.

We are seeking individuals, organizations, and companies to support our project in solving real-world issues in Okinawa.

Your support will help us share Okinawa’s innovation with the world—and empower the next generation of scientists and engineers.

Learn how to support us here.