Introduction: When Science Meets Everyday Life
Have you ever wondered what's hiding in the water you drink? PFAS, these "forever pollutants," are everywhere around us - in our non-stick pans, our waterproof clothing, and unfortunately, in our environment. In Lyon as everywhere in the world, they represent a major challenge for our health and our planet.
But here's the good news: synthetic biology offers us revolutionary tools to fight these pollutants! Our mission with the Fluorobreaker team? Transform this cutting-edge science into something everyone can understand and take ownership of.
From kindergarten classrooms to university lecture halls, we've reached out to all audiences with one conviction: science belongs to everyone. Our goal is not only to inform, but to awaken curiosity and give everyone the keys to understand and act in the face of the environmental challenges of our time.
The Little Ones: Great Explorers of Tomorrow
The PFAS Game: When Learning Rhymes with Fun
Imagine a game where children from 6 to 99 years old become depollution heroes! That's exactly what we created: a board game entirely made of wood by our team at the Fabrique de l'Innovation of the University of Lyon, with the precious support of Mickaël Bonnot's carpentry workshop. Each piece, modeled in 3D printing, tells a story: that of bacteria transformed into ecological superheroes.
Why does it work? Because children love to play, and through play, they intuitively understand complex concepts like biodegradation or bioremediation!
Work in progress...
... to the results!
Three Magical Weeks at Elementary School
In partnership with the ébulliscience association, we transformed a classroom into a real scientific exploration laboratory.
Week 1: Discovering the Invisible World
"There are little creatures everywhere!" - that's how this fascinating revelation began. Students became microscopic detectives:
- Petri dish mission: They took samples from soil, their hands, everyday objects to observe who lives in their environment
- The great immune system game: Viruses versus macrophages in an epic battle where each child embodied an actor of our natural defenses!
Results? "Wooooow!" of wonder when they discovered that we live surrounded by microscopic allies.
Week 2: Bacteria, Our New Superheroines
How do you transform a bacteria into an anti-pollution solution? That's the challenge we posed to the children! Through our PFAS game, they discovered that synthetic biology is like giving new superpowers to microorganisms.
Week 3: DNA, the Secret Code of Life
The magical moment: extracting DNA from a banana with dish soap and alcohol! Seeing this white, filamentous substance appear before their eyes was like touching the "computer program" of life.
Teacher feedback: "The bacteria, plasmid, and DNA figurines are an excellent idea to help children visualize what we're manipulating. The connection between experiments and concepts is remarkable!"
"Pilou and FAS": An Ecological Adventure
We wrote and illustrated a book for 7-10 year-olds, telling the story of two brave bacteria, Pilou and FAS, who embark on a mission to save a polluted lake. It's our way of planting the seeds of environmental awareness from a young age, showing that even the smallest can do great things!
Middle and High School: Awakening Consciousness
The Pollutants Fresco: Connecting the Dots
Inspired by the famous Climate Fresco, we created our own version focused on pollutants. With the invaluable help of Éléonore Dravet, a Climate Fresco facilitator who shared with us the mechanisms and stakes of this pedagogical approach, we adapted the concept to our mission.
The principle? Cards to connect to reveal the hidden links between our activities, pollution, and their solutions.
The "eureka" effect: When teenagers suddenly realize how their daily actions fit into a larger system, and especially, how they can become agents of change!
A Day as Real Researchers at High School
At Philibert Delorme High School in l'Isle d'Abeau, we transformed 60 senior students into apprentice biologists for an extraordinary day. Mission: make yeast glow thanks to a jellyfish gene!
Preparation: When Science Meets Education
One month before the big day, Waliya and Jérémy went to the high school for a reconnaissance mission. Objective? Fine-tune with teachers a protocol that is both scientifically rigorous and pedagogically accessible.
Their choice fell on the Jeulin yeast transgenesis kit - an economical and reproducible solution perfect for introducing high school students to the mysteries of the GFP protein (Green Fluorescent Protein). Because yes, this magical protein that makes jellyfish glow can also illuminate our laboratories!
Total Immersion: 6 Hours of Pure Science
On D-Day, three classes took turns to live the ultimate experience:
- Morning: A first class supervised by the Waliya-Jérémy duo
- Afternoon: Two parallel classes, each led by one of our experts
And then, surprise! Our two ambassadors took 100% command, transforming our teachers into admiring spectators. For 2 hours per session, they orchestrated a real scientific ballet.
The Protocol of the Future: Every Gesture Counts
Our apprentice researchers discovered the rigor of experimental protocol:
Phase 1 - Solution Preparation:
- 4 μL of plasmid mixture + 4 μL of vector solution + 100 μL of transformation solution
- A control tube with 100 μL of water (because a good scientist always tests!)
Phase 2 - Yeast Manipulation:
- Sampling under sterile conditions with a loop (first lesson in asepsis!)
- Delicate addition to prepared tubes
- Vortex homogenization (students' favorite moment!)
Phase 3 - The Art of Patience:
- 30 minutes of incubation in water bath
- Meticulous seeding on YPD-URA and YPD media
- Each step explained, questioned, understood
Beyond the Protocol: Opening Horizons
Between manipulations, Waliya and Jérémy transformed each break into a moment of discovery:
- What is synthetic biology? Passionate explanations about this revolutionary discipline
- The iGEM project unveiled: How students can change the world
- Personal journeys: Which masters to choose? How do you become a researcher?
- Open questions: From pure curiosity to career concerns
The Moment of Truth: When Science Becomes Visible
Three days of waiting... Excitement is at its peak! Then, spectacular REVELATION: the transformed microorganisms begin to glow with a dazzling green fluorescence!
This magical moment when the invisible becomes visible, when theory takes shape before students' amazed eyes, that's it, the power of synthetic biology! Seeing a living organism express a totally new trait thanks to a simple genetic addition is to concretely understand that we can really "program" life.
Impact: Much More Than a Lab Session
This experience planted seeds far beyond the simple biology class:
- Tangible understanding of genetic transformation mechanisms
- Discovery of the infinite possibilities of modern research
- Opening to scientific careers and international research
- Revelation that cutting-edge science is accessible and exciting
The heartwarming testimony: "We didn't know we could do this! It's like magic, but it's real science!" - Senior Student
This day proved that with the right tools and the right approach, you can transform any classroom into a discovery laboratory and any student into a future researcher!
University: Dialoguing with Future Experts
Conference at Lyon 1: Scientific Exchange
On September 9th, we presented our work to the scientific community at the UFR Biosciences of University Claude Bernard Lyon 1. More than a simple presentation, it was a real dialogue: pointed questions, constructive criticism, passionate exchanges about the future of PFAS bioremediation.
Project INTERFACE – ENS de Lyon × iGEM Lyon 2025 : A Meeting of Experts
Journées Interfaces – December 4th, 2025
École Normale Supérieure de Lyon (ENS de Lyon) is more than a school: it is one of France’s most prestigious institutions of higher education, a place where knowledge is created, transmitted, and made to serve society. Its alumni include a Nobel Prize laureate, Fields Medalists, distinguished scientists, renowned writers, and former ministers. Every year, ENS de Lyon welcomes new cohorts of students with the mission to prepare them to become future leaders in research, education, public administration, and policy.
At ENS de Lyon, knowledge is never confined within walls. It is designed to radiate, to cascade into society, and to shape the world’s future. This conviction lies at the heart of the Journées Interfaces, a flagship event where 450 new students – spanning physics, biology, philosophy, and literature – gather to reflect together on one critical issue. The ambition is simple yet ambitious: to build bridges between disciplines, to create dialogue across perspectives, and to train a generation of scientists and thinkers capable of addressing the greatest challenges of our time.
In 2025, at the request of the school’s administration, the organization of this event was entrusted to iGEM Lyon 2025. Our team chose to dedicate this half-day conference to one of the most urgent environmental and health crises of our century: PFAS pollution. By placing students at the center of this initiative, ENS de Lyon affirms its mission: to let knowledge flow, from research to policy, from classrooms to society.
The half-day will open with the presentation of our iGEM project, FLUOROBREAKER, a bacterial biosensor designed to detect PFAS contamination and, ultimately, to pave the way toward bioremediation. For us, beginning with our project is symbolic: it shows how students, with limited means but strong conviction, can bring innovation to life and provide concrete tools for society.
From there, voices from different domains will take the stage. Stéphane Horel, investigative journalist at Le Monde and coordinator of the Forever Pollution Project and the Forever Lobbying Project, will recount how her international investigations revealed the scale of Europe’s PFAS contamination. By adapting U.S. methodologies, combining OSINT and Freedom of Information requests, and collaborating with scientists for peer-reviewed journalism, she mapped presumptive contamination sites across the continent and delivered the results to institutions like the CNRS. She will also present her more recent work on lobbying, exposing the hidden costs, strategies, and documents that reveal how industry attempts to delay regulation.
Next, Professor Jacob de Boer, world-leading chemist and United Nations advisor, will highlight the health risks of PFAS. He will present results from studies in Lyon, near Arkema and Daikin Chemical plants, and from Antwerp, where more than 8,000 people gave blood samples around a 3M factory. His talk will connect molecules to health outcomes – from immune suppression to cancer – and stress the need for urgent public health policies.
The political dimension will be embodied by Marie-Charlotte Garin, Member of Parliament for the Rhône and co-author of the French bill to ban PFAS. She will reveal the behind-the-scenes process of writing the law, the resistance faced from industry, and the civic and scientific engagement required to carry such legislation forward.
On the industrial side, Stanislas Pouradier Duteil, Technical Director at Veolia Eau France, will present today’s technologies for PFAS water treatment, such as activated carbon adsorption, ion exchange resins, and membrane filtration. He will also share their limitations – high costs, energy intensity, and waste management – and outline Veolia’s research and innovation strategies toward more sustainable and circular solutions.
Finally, a representative of the City of Lyon will explain how local authorities are addressing PFAS pollution in a region heavily impacted by industrial activity. From water monitoring to risk communication and preventative measures, this intervention will show the importance of local action, while also recognizing its limits in the face of a global issue.
At the end of the talks, all speakers will gather for an interdisciplinary round table. This exchange, with questions from the audience, will bring science, politics, industry, and media together, and give ENS students the rare opportunity to interact directly with key actors shaping this issue.
The event will not remain confined to the ENS auditorium. ENS de Lyon will lead a communication campaign to highlight the conference, and the entire program will be recorded and livestreamed, ensuring the knowledge generated flows far beyond campus walls.
The day will close with the projection of Dark Waters, the film narrating Robert Bilott’s battle against DuPont. This powerful story will echo the themes of the day, reminding us that perseverance and courage are as vital as science in the fight against environmental injustice. As a prelude to the film, we had the immense honor of welcoming Robert Bilott via videoconference, the lawyer who exposed the DuPont de Nemours PFAS scandal to the world. Reluctantly turned whistleblower, he gave us the privilege of hearing his extraordinary story.
By leading this event, iGEM Lyon 2025 embodies the mission of ENS de Lyon: to make excellence in research and education flow into society, where it becomes a lever for awareness and action. In bringing together journalists, scientists, policymakers, industry leaders, and citizens, our team demonstrates that even as students, we can spark the dialogues the world needs.
At ENS de Lyon, knowledge is not a privilege. It is a responsibility. And as iGEM Lyon 2025, we are proud to carry it forward.
At the University Library: Daily Awareness
On June 10th, in partnership with Student Health Relays, we opened students' eyes to the pollutants surrounding them. Because becoming aware is already starting to act!
The "Free PFAS" Label: When Students Take Action
What if the fight against PFAS started on our campuses?That's the bold bet we launched with the "Free PFAS" label, designed for student associations at ENS Lyon.
The Challenge: Eliminate PFAS from Student Daily Life
Student parties, cooking workshops, association events... So many occasions where PFAS hide insidiously in:
- Food packaging
- Non-stick kitchen utensils
- Disposable containers
- Waterproofed textiles
Our label aims to certify associations that actively commit to banning these forever pollutants from their activities.
An Ambitious Deployment Strategy
Phase 1 - Year 2025-2026: The Experimentation Lab ENS Lyon becomes our testing ground. Pioneer associations experiment with the label, identify obstacles, share their solutions. It's the year of fine-tuning, adjustments, proof of concept.
Phase 2 - Year 2026-2027: Academic Expansion Building on the success of the pilot phase, the label extends to other Lyon schools and universities. The goal? Create a network of "Free PFAS" institutions and prove that collective action works.
Phase 3 - Year 2027-2028: National Revolution The label radiates across several French cities. From Lyon to Paris, from Marseille to Lille, campuses become sanctuary zones, freed from forever pollutants.
Impact Beyond the Label
This project is much more than a simple certification:
- Massive awareness: Each student becomes an anti-PFAS ambassador
- Habit change: Healthy alternatives become the norm
- Pressure on suppliers: Student demand forces industry to adapt
- Reproducible model: Other countries can be inspired by our approach
Our vision: Transform campuses into living laboratories of ecological transition, where every party, every meal, every event proves that a world without PFAS is possible!
The Mini-Jamboree France: When Lyon Unites French Excellence
On September 13th, Lyon transformed into the French capital of synthetic biology! We had the honor of hosting the Mini-Jamboree France, bringing together iGEM teams from Aix-Marseille, Grenoble, Sorbonne University, Évry-Paris-Saclay, IONIS, and of course Lyon.
An Exceptional Jury
To evaluate this competition among the best French teams, we were fortunate to welcome:
- Yasmine Amrani, former iGEM judge and European iGEM ambassador
- Youssef El-Sherif, renowned iGEM judge
More Than a Competition: An Ideas Laboratory
This day was much more than a simple project presentation. Each team had the opportunity to present their project before the assembly, creating a real giant brainstorming session where all shared:
- Their innovative solutions to contemporary challenges
- Their methods to overcome technical obstacles
- Their creative approaches to raise public awareness
The network effect: When the best French teams meet, present their work and exchange, ideas spark and collaborations are born!
Research in Action
Marc Santolini took advantage of this unique meeting to conduct several interviews. His objective? Feed his research on the impact of the iGEM competition: how does this competition transform our way of thinking about science? What new approaches emerge from this collective emulation?
The Moment of Glory
And the long-awaited verdict? Lyon wins the jury prize while Grenoble conquers the public's heart with the audience award! Recognition that validates months of hard work and confirms the excellence of our Fluorobreaker approach.
Our pride: Having organized an event celebrating French innovation in synthetic biology while winning recognition from our peers!
General Public: Science For All
The 24 Hours of INSA: Discovery Festival
Imagine: France's largest student festival becomes our life-sized laboratory! For two days, we had young and old play our PFAS game. The result? Laughter, passionate questions, and above all proof that science can bring all ages together around the same wonder.
The Municipal Library: Science on Free Access
On September 27th, we took over the Lyon municipal library for a special mission: transform a reading space into a playful experimentation laboratory! For 2 hours, our PFAS game and pollutants fresco found an unexpected and curious audience.
The challenge? Capture the attention of visitors who came for something other than synthetic biology. The result? Surprising discoveries! Library regulars got caught up in the game, families extended their visit to understand these mysterious PFAS, and passionate discussions emerged around our materials.
This experience proved to us that science can invite itself anywhere - even where it's not expected. When curiosity meets accessibility, magic happens!
Our over Creations
Our Comic Book: A Scientific Adventure in Images
The Fluorobreaker epic comes to life under the brushes of the l'Épicerie Séquentielle team! This comic traces our adventure from the first pipette strokes to the iGEM competition spotlight.
Between the pages, readers discover not only our student-researcher adventures, but also the secrets of PFAS and the wonders of synthetic biology. The bet? Make accessible through art what science has that's most fascinating. An original way to show that behind every discovery, there's a team, challenges, failures... and victories!
The Video Game: Anti-PFAS Mission
"Europe under the threat of forever pollutants..."
Imagine yourself in the shoes of a whistleblower facing unscrupulous industrialists who continue to pollute the continent. Your mission? Save Europe from environmental catastrophe!
In this action and strategy game, you will have to:
- Investigate industrial pollution sources
- Trigger demonstrations to raise public awareness
- Pressure politicians to ban PFAS
- Develop biological solutions to eliminate these pollutants
But beware: every decision counts! Between economic pressures, health issues, and ecological urgency, can you navigate to avoid cancers, serious diseases, and ecosystem destruction?
A huge thank you to our video game dream team from Lyon 2 University: Anna Sarbiewski, Reyane Redjem, Ivan Rocque, and Renaud Machecourt-Bourgeois, who transformed our scientific fight into an interactive adventure!
What We Learned
This educational adventure taught us a precious lesson: science is never too complex when it's well told. From banana DNA extractions to yeast genetic transformations, each experience confirmed that the natural curiosity of human beings only waits to be nourished.
Our tools - games, books, experiments, frescos - are only bridges between the fascinating world of synthetic biology and the thirst for understanding that sleeps in everyone. Through each amazed child's smile, each intrigued teenager's question, each passionate exchange with a researcher, we're building a future where science will be everyone's business.
Our conviction? That each informed citizen becomes an agent of change. And that facing challenges like PFAS, we need all intelligences, all perspectives, all energies.
Synthetic biology is not only the future of science - it's the future we're building together, one discovery at a time!
