Zebra Mussel Biosensor & Control
A smart bio-based device for monitoring and managing invasive species in Lake Winnipeg.
View the full iGEM wiki ↗Zebra mussels are among the most destructive invasive species in North American freshwater systems, and Lake Winnipeg is ground zero for the problem in Manitoba. For its first major international iGEM run, Prairie iGEM built a bio-based device aimed at both detecting and managing zebra mussel populations with a synthetic biology toolkit designed to minimize collateral ecological impact. The project earned a silver medal at iGEM 2022 and set the stage for every Prairie iGEM season that followed.
The problem
Invasive zebra mussels disrupt prairie lake ecosystems, clog water infrastructure, and are extremely hard to remove once established — and conventional controls tend to be blunt instruments.
Why it matters
Lake Winnipeg is ecologically, culturally, and economically central to Manitoba. Better monitoring and targeted control keeps pressure off ecosystems and public budgets alike.
Our approach
A two-part synthetic biology strategy: biosensing for early and sensitive detection of zebra mussels, and a targeted intervention designed to minimize off-target impact on native species.
Outcomes
- Silver Medal at the 2022 iGEM Grand Jamboree in Paris
- Prairie iGEM's first major international competition run completed end-to-end
- Established subteam structure and project pipeline still used by the team today
Other projects
H.A.L.T - UTI (LacThera)
Designing the next generation of live therapeutics to prevent recurrent UTIs.
RePLAse — Biological PLA Plastic Degradation
Engineering a compost-native bacterial chassis to break down PLA bioplastic where it actually ends up.
PLAnet Zero — Tackling the Bioplastic Crisis
The first phase of the team's work on polylactic acid — a bio-based device to improve PLA breakdown.
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