Designer Blood from iGEM Tübingen
As the first iGEM project to receive a FutureLab travel grant from GIP AG, the project "Designer Blood" of the iGEM team Tübingen was selected.
The award was made because of the great innovation potential and especially the use of AI technologies such as AlphaFold (https://alphafold.com/) and other analysis and simulation software tools. The photo shows Wiktoria Palka, research assistant of the Futurelab of the GIP AG at the handover of the travel grant to the iGEM team Tübingen.
The team focuses on converting blood groups. They aim to change type B blood into type A by modifying specific glycoproteins on red blood cells.
The team identifies and simulates potential enzymes in a "dry lab" using bioinformatics, then tests promising candidates in a "wet lab." Predicting enzyme specificity and selectivity remains challenging, with only a 60% correlation between simulations and lab results. Advances like AI-based protein structure resolution with Alphafold have improved feasibility, though practical challenges persist.
Collaborating with the Tübingen Blood Donation Center, the team addresses blood donation shortages and emphasizes science communication. Despite negative perceptions of engineering-biological fields in Germany, they aim to foster dialogue and innovation, showcasing the potential of young scientists to drive scientific communication and progress.