This year’s team of student innovators, members of the UCSC International Genetically Engineering Machine (iGEM) program, is addressing a local yet widespread environmental issue: harmful algal blooms in Watsonville’s Pinto Lake.

The team’s bioengineering approach targets the toxic genes of the specific bacteria responsible for the algal blooms, creating a non-invasive, long-term solution to preserve biodiversity, ecosystem balance, and public health. 

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[University of California, Santa Cruz, 2023.10.4, https://news.ucsc.edu/2023/10/igem-2023-team.html]