Project Summary

Despite living in an era of rapid biological advancements, the millennium-old complication of infection prevention and relevant medical intervention has yet to receive the perfect solution.

Current prevention methods consist of the application of antibiotics. Though proven to be effective in the past, the rise of antibiotic resistance of microbes, especially those in hospital environments, has showed this is not a feasible long term solution.

Research into human intestinal microbiota has led to insight in the importance of interaction between humans and their endogenous microorganisms.

Despite not being as extensively documented as gut microbiota, skin microbiota has been implied to provide protection against bacterial infection.

The iGEM team of Auckland, New Zealand, aims to translate the relevant research into practical products with applications in medicinal practices.

We will incorporate relevant biobricks of past projects along with novel biobricks to genetically engineer a bacterial based barrier/bandage with the intention of preventing of bacterial infection.