BovEco and iGEM Grand Jamboree

From October 23rd to 26th, Michael Saunders, Vice President of the Science and Business Ambassador Team (SBAT), represented the University of Waterloo at the iGEM Grand Jamboree in Paris, France. The iGEM Foundation, an independent nonprofit, advances synthetic biology through education, competition, and fostering an open, collaborative community, preparing future industry leaders. This year’s Grand Jamboree hosted over 4,000 attendees and 400 teams from more than 50 regions. The Waterloo iGEM team presented BovEco, a project focused on reducing methane emissions from cattle—a major contributor to climate change. Their innovative two-stage solution involves microalgae as a methane-reducing feed additive, followed by genetically modified corn, designed to integrate seamlessly into existing farming practices. This scalable, sustainable approach is adaptable and cost-effective, aligning with regulatory standards worldwide.

Competing in the Climate Crisis category, Michael shared, “Climate Crisis is extremely important to me. Being from the Turks and Caicos Islands, a nation deeply vulnerable to climate change, mitigating global warming effects is essential to conserving our unique ecosystems and livelihoods. This project allowed me to explore methane’s role in accelerating climate change on a global scale and understand how even small islands like Turks and Caicos can be impacted by agricultural emissions from across the world. Developing BovEco emphasized the urgent need for global solutions that address climate change’s ripple effects, no matter where they originate.”