Contribution

In 2025, iGEM Toronto developed Mystiphage, an integrated, generative AI-powered platform designed to accelerate personalized phage therapy against antibiotic resistance (ABR). Our contributions combine computational innovation, experimental validation, prototype delivery, bioethical and sociopolitical assessment, targeted commercialization strategies and community-facing resources, all of which are intended to be reusable by future iGEM teams and researchers. Our key insights are below:

Dry Lab

Our dry lab team developed PHORAGER, an open-source generative phage bank that accelerates phage matching by designing optimized receptor-binding proteins (RBPs) for bacterial infections, reducing the process from months to under hours. Our generative phage bank is a curated dataset of validated RBP sequences and structures that enables iterative AI-driven optimization using ESM3-based hallucination, Boltz2 co-folding with the target bacterial receptor, and MCMC refinement. All associated datasets, modeling scripts, and validation protocols are publicly available on our GitLab, empowering future iGEM teams and researchers to rapidly generate novel phage binders and advance the development of scalable, personalized phage therapies against antimicrobial resistance.

Wet Lab

Our wet lab team implemented a rapid DBTL cycle to attempt to validate receptor-binding proteins (RBPs) generated by PHORAGER experimentally. Engineered RBPs were cloned into plasmid backbones containing homology arms to replace wild-type RBPs in prophage-containing E. coli K12. CRISPR–Cas counterselection plasmids were designed to ensure elimination of unmodified phages, which will allow precise assessment of generated RBP functionality. Engineered phages will be tested through phage spotting assays, and results will be fed back to refine the dry lab generative models. All tested assays, lab notes, and results are openly available on our Experiments page, providing future iGEM teams with a validated, reproducible framework for integrating computationally designed RBPs with experimental phage engineering.

Hardware

Our hardware team developed EVADE, a prototype electroceutical, bacteria-sensing pill designed to deliver AI-modified phages directly to the human or animal gut, a critical reservoir of resistance genes. The pill features a conditional release system triggered by bacterial biomarkers, such as hydrogen gas. Two release mechanisms, an electromagnetic cap and a nichrome-fusible thread, were iteratively tested and optimized for reliable payload deployment. All design files, including but not limited to PCB schematics, sensor calibration data, and CAD mockups, are available on our Hardware page and/or GitLab, offering future iGEM teams a modular, adaptable framework for developing targeted therapeutic delivery systems in synthetic biology applications.

Entrepreneurship

We advanced Mystiphage from concept to a venture-ready platform through a combination of market analysis, business modeling, and strategic partnerships. The team assessed the global antimicrobial resistance (AMR) market, identifying unmet needs in clinical phage labs and research hospitals, and developed a B2B business model for delivering AI-modified, lab-validated RBPs on demand. Revenue streams include personalized phage sales and royalty agreements from RBP cocktails. Participation in the University of Toronto Hatchery incubator’s NEST program enabled the team to create investor-ready pitches, cash flow projections, and a 10-year funding roadmap. All frameworks, templates, and lessons learned are openly documented to guide future iGEM teams pursuing entrepreneurial applications.

Human Practices

Our Human Practices team conducted over 60 stakeholder interviews across 5 countries and 4 hospitals, engaging patients, caregivers, microbiologists, computational biologists, and regulatory professionals. Feedback was integrated into every technical division, informing dry lab model design, wet lab workflows, and hardware development. Public engagement initiatives included surveys, educational workshops, newsletters, and accessible animations to address concerns about phage therapy safety, AI use, and data transparency. Resources, reports, and outreach materials are fully documented, providing future iGEM teams with a framework for ethical reflection, stakeholder engagement, and the assessment of social impact.

Outreach

Our outreach team focused on communications, community engagement, and mentorship. They managed the team’s social media presence, producing content that highlighted our research, progress, and educational initiatives. The team also created the promotional video and the presentation video to communicate Mystiphage’s objectives and results to both the iGEM community and the public. Additionally, they organized the iGEM Mentorship Program, connecting graduate and professional mentors with undergraduate students to provide guidance and skill development. All materials, program frameworks, and social media strategies are openly documented, offering future iGEM teams resources for effective engagement and mentorship initiatives.

Finance

In 2025, our finance team played a key role in maintaining the financial health and sustainability of our project. We managed the budget carefully, ensuring efficient resource allocation so that all divisions had the funds needed to operate while keeping a balanced budget. We also actively pursued sponsorships and developed a comprehensive sponsorship package that clearly communicated the value of our work. This package was instrumental in securing critical funding for both current and future team activities. To support future iGEM teams, we are sharing our sponsorship package as a reference and resource for effective fundraising and partnership building.

Wiki

Our wiki team designed and developed an accessible, user-friendly online platform to showcase MystiPhage’s research, methodologies, and findings. The team focused on creating a visually appealing layout, ensuring easy navigation, and integrating interactive elements to enhance user engagement. They collaborated closely with all other divisions to accurately represent their work and ensure the content was both informative and engaging.