The FluoroBreaker project, developed by students from the iGEM Lyon 2025 team, won a gold medal at the Grand Jamboree, the final event of this prestigious international synthetic biology competition.
From October 28 to 31, the iGEM Lyon 2025 team, made up of students from ENS de Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1 (UFR Biosciences), and INSA Lyon, took part in the international final of the competition, the Grand Jamboree, in Paris. This international event, dedicated to finding innovative ideas in synthetic biology to address environmental and health challenges, brought together more than 4,500 participants this year, representing 446 teams from 40 countries. The members of the Lyon team presented their FluoroBreaker project, the result of scientific, technical, and human effort.
Innovative solutions to persistent pollutants
The FluoroBreaker project aimed to detect and degrade PFAS, persistent pollutants nicknamed “forever chemicals” due to their very long lifespan in the environment and their worrying toxicity. Using synthetic biology, the iGEM Lyon 2025 team designed modified bacteria capable of glowing in the presence of PFAS, providing a detection tool, as well as other bacteria that produce enzymes capable of degrading them, representing a promising step forward in addressing a global environmental challenge.
With their supervisors and using a bunch of skills in biology, modeling, bioinformatics, and engineering, the young researchers presented their project to teams from all over the world, each working on a synthetic biology innovation challenge. The team got help from researchers at a bunch of labs: MAP, CIRI, LBTI, ICBMS, IBCP, and IGFL.
The hard work carried out over several months has paid off! At the final ceremony, the team was honored with three nominations in the following categories:
- Best New Composite Part (overgrad)
- Best Entrepreneurship (overgrad)
- Best Bioremediation Village (collegiate)
Above all, they were awarded a gold medal, certifying that they had met all of the competition's criteria for excellence. Thanks to this distinction, the iGEM Lyon 2025 team ranked among the top 20 teams worldwide and earned the title of best French team.
A human and formative adventure
Over the months, beyond deadlines and experiments, a real team was formed, united by the desire to contribute to a more sustainable world. The iGEM 2025 adventure was an intense learning experience for them: new skills, scientific requirements, organizational challenges, and above all, the discovery of the power of teamwork.
Driven by a desire to innovate, they were able to turn an ambitious idea into a concrete and meaningful result.
Coming soon: a conference at ENS de Lyon
On December 4, 2025, the iGEM Lyon 2025 team will present its FluoroBreaker project to first-year students at a conference organized at ENS de Lyon.
On the agenda:
- A presentation of the FluoroBreaker project, covering both its scientific and educational aspects;
- Presentations by specialists in public health, environmental pollution, and the legislative framework related to PFAS;
- A round table discussion providing an opportunity to exchange ideas directly with these experts;
- The participation of the deputy mayor of Lyon and the representative of the third district of the Rhône, to address local and regional environmental issues.
Further details will be announced shortly.
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- Instagram (@igem_lyon2025)
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Contact: igemlyon [at] gmail.com