In Okinawa’s mango farms, farmers face a familiar but persistent challenge: thrips, tiny insects that appear early in mango growth. While some species are harmless (YT-type), others are invasive (C-type) and cause significant damage to the fruit.
Because these species are indistinguishable through the naked eye, farmers often resort to spraying chemical pesticides across the entire field as a preventive measure. This practice increases costs, labor, environmental impact, and risk of thrips becoming resistant to the pesticides.
By listening and consulting to local farmers, we realized that a more precise, environmental-friendly, and biology-based approach could make a real difference. We aim to develop smart solution using biology + engineering (syntetic biology) to solve this pest crisis in Okinawa.
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. Inspired by the problem faced by mango farmers in Onna, we’re developing a smart, biology-based pest management system that helps farmers make informed, precise decisions.
We aim to:
Monitor thrips activity by developing smart electrical device that reports thrips activity in real-time
Diagnose species using a test kit to identify whether thrips are harmful or harmless
Prevent damage using a synthetic biology-based method that targets only the invasive species
We will trial this system with thrips samples we collected from Okinawa mango farms as a proof-of-concept.
Reduce pesticide use, saving farmers time and money
Protect the environment from overexposure to chemicals
Empower precision agriculture and food security
Scale globally for pest problems in other crops and regions
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 (October 28–31, 2025) with over 5,000 attendees including researchers, investors, educators, and global innovators.
Please visit the iGEM page for more detail.
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.
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
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.
iGEM Okinawa is a student-led team consisting of 3 higher education institutions in Okinawa:
1. Okinawa National College of Technology (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 2025 in Paris. However, participation comes with significant financial challenges:
Team registration fee: $5,500 USD
Participation fee: $625 USD 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.
