Outreach | iGEM Hamburg 2025

03.04.2025 Participation at the CSSB’s Girl’s and Boy’s Day

The Team connected with science enthusiastic kids from the ages of 10 to 16 at the Girls and Boys Day 2025. This day gives all of Hamburg’s pupils the opportunity to get a look into the company or institution they are interested in. We joined the team at the Centre for Structural Systems Biology and welcomed about 20 pupils from schools around Hamburg. They were introduced into the facilities of the CSSB as well as the particle accelerator adjacent to it, heard little talks on research topics and most importantly could experience hands-on science with their own pocket microscopes and samples from mosses and shrubs around the premises. After lunch they were able to witness ice cream being made with liquid nitrogen before entering a 3D world with a virtual reality head gear. In all of this the pupils had many questions we happily answered and thus hopefully strengthened their interest and ambition in the natural sciences.

Presentation of our iGEM Team on the CSSB website

The 2025 iGEM Hamburg team is working on their synthetic biology project DeathCapTrap at CSSB. The Hamburg team will present their project at the end of October during the iGEM Grand Jamboree in Paris. The iGEM Competition is the synthetic biology industry’s largest innovation event hosted by the International Genetically Engineered Machine (iGEM) Foundation.

Amanita phalloides, commonly known as the death cap, is the most poisonous of all known mushrooms with as little as a half a mushroom capable of killing an adult human. There is currently no antidote for death cap poisoning this is a problem that this year’s iGEM team would like to tackle.

To develop an antidote for the death cap the team plans to use nanobodies. “Nanobodies are antibody fragments obtained from inoculating llamas with antigens and then extracting the antibodies produced by the llama’s immune system,” explains team member Kristina Boneß. The iGEM team will, however, not be using llamas to create their antibodies instead, they will create synthetic nanobodies in silico. The team will use an AI a pipeline recently developed by 2024 Nobel Prize winner David Baker. While Baker’s work focused on designing nanobodies against SARS-CoV-2, the group hopes to use a similar process to develop their death cap antidote.

The team will also be developing a lipid nanoparticle delivery system. “The death cap toxin mainly targets the liver,” notes team member Marius Beßler “therefore the lipid nano particles are ideal for delivery as they should be easily absorbed by the liver cells.”

The nine-member, multidisciplinary iGEM Team Hamburg holds their group meetings and conducts their research at the CSSB under the supervision of CSSB group leader Prof. Michael Kolbe (HZI, UHH) and University of Hamburg professor Mirko Himmel.

“The iGEM competition provides a great opportunity for me to do independent work that I would not typically be able to experience during my studies,” states team member Evangelos Masis “I am looking forward to sharing our DeathCapTrap at the Grand Jamboree in Paris”

DTU BioBrick Workshop 2025 – A Weekend of Synthetic Biology, Community & Collaboration

From March 28th to 30th, 2025, our iGEM Hamburg team had the incredible opportunity to participate in the DTU iGEM BioBrick Workshop in Lyngby, just outside of Copenhagen. Hosted by the Danish Technical University (DTU), this Nordic Meet-Up brought together iGEM teams from Denmark, Sweden, and Germany for an unforgettable weekend of hands-on science, collaboration, and connection.

Science in Action: USER Cloning, Primer Design & More

The workshop featured a unique combination of wet lab and dry lab sessions, offering participants a deep dive into core synthetic biology techniques:

• USER cloning sessions gave us the chance to get hands-on in the lab and strengthen our molecular biology skills.
• In parallel, bioinformatics workshops guided us through primer design, plasmid construction, and other essential dry lab workflows.

Together, these sessions gave us practical tools we can apply directly to our iGEM project – and the opportunity to learn from DTU instructors and each other in an open, friendly environment.

Beyond the Lab: Building Bridges Across Borders

But the BioBrick Workshop was about much more than just protocols and plasmids. The DTU team created a warm and welcoming atmosphere that made it easy to connect with fellow iGEMers from Uppsala, Lund, Stockholm, Copenhagen, BKEA – and beyond.

With icebreaker games, a scavenger hunt through Skylab, shared meals, and even karaoke nights, the event struck a perfect balance between scientific rigor and social fun. Every conversation, every laugh, every late-night game helped build a stronger Nordic-German iGEM community.

For us as Team Hamburg, this was also a fantastic opportunity to practice our English science communication and gain confidence presenting our project ideas in an international setting.

Grateful for the Experience

We’re incredibly thankful to the DTU iGEM team for hosting and organizing such a fantastic event – from well-structured workshops and inspiring lectures to comfortable accommodations and delicious food throughout the weekend. Your effort and hospitality did not go unnoticed, and we left Lyngby full of new ideas, skills, and friendships.

The DTU BioBrick Workshop reminded us of the power of collaboration in science – and why iGEM is so much more than just a competition. It’s a global community driven by curiosity, innovation, and mutual support.

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BFH European Meet-Up 2025

An Unforgettable Experience in Frankfurt!

Bielefeld, Frankfurt, Hamburg – three cities, one spirit! From May 23rd to 26th, we had the incredible opportunity to co-organize and attend the legendary BFH European Meet-Up in Frankfurt – and what a weekend it was!

With over 25 iGEM teams from more than 8 countries and over 250 participants, this event became one of the biggest and most dynamic meetups of the iGEM season. Together with the iGEM teams from Bielefeld and Frankfurt, we created a four-day experience full of learning, networking, pitching, and fun.

A Program Full of Highlights

From the very first moment at the Onboarding Zone with welcome drinks and goodie bags, the event brought iGEMers together in the best way possible. During the Campus Quest, we explored the university grounds in a playful scavenger hunt, setting the tone for a weekend full of energy and discovery.

The official Launch Ceremony set the stage for what was to come: inspiring PEP Talks, legendary LabOlympics, innovation showcases, and deep discussions on the role of synthetic biology and iGEM in shaping the future. The session "Inside iGEM: Beyond the BioBricks" offered rare insights into the future direction of the competition, while talks like Paths of the Legends gave us inspiration straight from former award-winning teams.

iGEM Hamburg in Action

We proudly represented Team Hamburg during multiple sessions:

• In the "Pitch it like it’s hot" workshop, we secured 2nd place with our team pitch.
• We won 1st place at the LabOlympics, teaming up with members from iGEM HUU, Bielefeld, and UCLouvain!
• During the Poster Exhibition, we presented our project to attendees, judges, and industry professionals, receiving valuable feedback and forming new connections.

Wherever we went – the Poster Spotlight, the Project Presentation Sessions, or the Networking Lunch – we felt the excitement and support of the global iGEM community.

Science Meets Community

The BFH European Meet-Up wasn’t just about research – it was about people. Whether at the BBQ & Cookout, during the late-night party at KoZ, or while sharing a hotel room as a team, we bonded like never before. These shared experiences helped us grow not just as scientists, but as a team.

A personal highlight was the Scientific Fireside on the final day, where a lively panel discussion explored the controversial and powerful role of AI in science – a perfect mix of critical thinking and future-facing dialogue.

A Spirit to Carry Forward

This meetup embodied the core values of iGEM: collaboration, innovation, and inspiration. We are incredibly grateful to have been part of this unforgettable event – not just as attendees, but as co-organizers. We’ve returned to Hamburg energized, inspired, and more connected than ever to the global iGEM network.

And yes – it really was legendary.

To get a grasp of the action, watch the official aftermovie

25.07.2025 Exchange and dialogue with the iGEM Team Taiwan

The iGEM Team Hamburg was welcomed by Team Taiwan, despite it being quite late in the evening for the Taiwanese team.
Both teams delivered brief pitch presentations and exchanged questions about each other's approaches. Interestingly, both projects share many similarities, primarily focusing on the expression of recombinant antibody fragments in bacteria. Although their goals align, the challenges they face and the solutions they have developed differ significantly.
Given the Taiwanese team's limited access to wet-lab materials and certain methods, they have sought out solutions that incorporate collaboration with various facilities and universities across Taiwan.
Our positive experiences working with experts on similar issues prompted us to recommend they reach out to relevant contacts from academia or private corporations.
We also discussed strategies for acquiring sponsors, and after sharing these insights, we concluded the meeting. We look forward to the possibility of reconnecting with them in Paris.

19.06.2025 Exchange and dialogue with the iGEM Team Mumbai

The iGEM Team Hamburg connected with their colleagues from India during an online meetup to exchange short presentations and provide mutual feedback on their projects.
A lively question-and-answer session ensued from both sides, enriching their understanding due to the diverse academic backgrounds and different approaches each team employed.
The Mumbai team offered a biotechnical perspective on our therapeutics-focused project, helping us craft a clear and concise pitch tailored for scientists unfamiliar with concepts such as mushroom toxins, cyclic peptides, and diffusion-based protein design.
In return, we posed practical questions about their space-oriented project, seeking insights into its implementation, the underlying life science aspects, and strategies for validating their concept. Towards the end of the session, both teams discussed their respective funding situations—not only for the wet-lab components of iGEM but also concerning travel expenses and registration fees.
Encouraged by the fruitful exchange and the many topics for future discussion, the teams bid farewell with a promise to reunite in Paris.

Participation in the hybrid-meetup organized by iGEM 2025 TAU

We took part in the hybrid event organized by TAU (Tel Aviv University). It started with a very interesting talk by Prof. Tamir Tuller, the president of the Israeli Synthetic Biology Society, about insights into the future of synthetic biology and its potential. Several teams, beginning with the hosts, presented their iGEM projects, followed by our own 10-minute presentation. Everyone had the chance to evaluate the presentations of other teams. At the end, the top three teams were announced. Unfortunately, we did not win, but we congratulate iGEM IOANNINA, Greece, on their project AMADRYADS, in the “Conservation” category. Overall, we are glad that we participated in this event and gained insights into projects from other teams around the world.

03.06.2025 Joining the annual CSSB Retreat

As our iGEM lab is hosted at the Center for Structural Systems Biology (CSSB) in Hamburg, we were invited to join the annual CSSB retreat for all research groups and members. At the Schulauer Fährhaus with a direct view on the river Elbe, we spent a day well balanced with science and fun. Starting with a bingo game to collect interesting facts and getting to know each other, we then joined in on a poster session and had helpful discussions with fellow CSSB researchers about our project and possible challenges. We also enjoyed three science slams about topics, including topics such as animal-free alternatives for FBS medium.

After a tasty lunch with even more science discussions, we joined the infamous Highland Games where mixed groups from all research teams dressed up in kilts and fought each other in creative games. Whether it was about carrying a bowl filled with water attached to strings together through a parcour, designing a team flag or letting a ball roll through pipes that had to be assembled on the run, team spirit was in the air all around! The games were rounded up with a delicious dinner on the terrasse outside, and much more socializing.

We are very honored to have been invited to this highly entertaining retreat, where we got the opportunity to reach out to fellow scientists and others and present iGEM and our project idea.