Lychee Guardians
HKUST(GZ) iGEM 2025 Team Wiki
Solving Refreshing of Litchi with Synthetic Biology
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Whispers speak of an ancient tale...
During Tang dynasty, Emperor Xuanzong's beloved concubine Yang Guifei adored lychees. To satisfy her craving, the emperor ordered fresh lychees transported from Lingnan region (including Guangzhou at the south of China) to the capital Chang'an, covering over 2,500 kilometers. Lychee, a distinctive fruit of China's Lingnan region, possesses exquisite flavor. It changes color in one day, fragrance in two days, and taste in three days. Using the empire's relay courier system, riders raced day and night through multiple stations to provide the freshest fruit. This romantic gesture became legendary, immortalized in Du Mu's famous poem about "a steed raising red dust won the fair mistress' smiles".
From Ancient Legend to Modern Challenge
Today, thanks to advanced technology, lychees enter cold chain transportation immediately after harvest, eliminating the desperate rush transport of the Tang dynasty. Fresh lychees can now be enjoyed nationwide. However, once lychees leave the cold chain and are placed on retail shelves, they can only maintain freshness for one to two days. Our mission is to extend the shelf life of lychees through innovative synthetic biology solutions.
The Lychee Guardians Mission
Bridging the gap between cold storage and consumers, we develop biotechnological innovations to preserve lychee quality, reduce food waste, and ensure everyone can enjoy fresh lychees regardless of distance or time.
Our Project
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