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During our project we gained valuable knowledge from experts in the field. Click here to read more about our interview with Dr Surridge-Talbot, our stall at the Women in Energy Business Summit, and our interview with Ms Dikeledi from the Lesedi Power Project.

The iGEM team at the University of Pretoria together with the African Centre for Gene Technologies (ACGT) and the Forest Molecular Genetics (FMG) research group hosted a synthetic biology workshop and symposium. The synthetic biology workshop was hosted at the University of Pretoria’s main campus on the 5th of September and facilitated by Professor Fernan Federici from the University of Cambridge. Prof. Fernan gave an introduction to synthetic biology to the workshop attendees and went on to discuss the engineering of multicellular organisms and DNA fabrication, as well as TechnoX and the social impact and effect on collaborations.

The workshop was followed by the symposium the next day held at Irene Country Lodge. The keynote address was delivered by Dr Geoff Baldwin from Imperial College London. Presentations from the Pretoria_UP iGEM team, Amanda Dodd and Tumi Chale from the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits) Industrial Microbiology and Biotechnology group as well as Lazarus Takawira from the University of Pretoria then followed.

The workshop and symposium were both a success and the Pretoria_UP iGEM team met their objective of educating, informing and making people aware of synthetic biology and its applications.

UP with Science is a science enrichment programme for high school learners presented by the University of Pretoria, and hosted by the Junior Tukkie Society and the Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences. We presented to 40 high school learners from the larger Tshwane area, educating them about synthetic biology and its applications. The learners were shown interesting 3D biology videos.

iGEM Pretoria_UP - Project Description

GoPro: Generate electricity using plant materials

We had the great opportunity to be interviewed on Tuks FM - The University of Pretoria's radio station and one of South Africa's most respected community broadcasters.

You can listen to the full interview here.