We are thrilled to share that iGEM IISc UG Team has won a Gold Medal and received a Nomination for Best Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Impact at the prestigious iGEM Grand Jamboree 2025!
The four student-team team tackled the critical issue of nitrate leaching – the loss of nitrogen from soil due to rainfall or irrigation, leading to water contamination and ecosystem harm.
Their project, titled ARGUS-2440 (Ammonium Rhizospheric Generation Using Soil Bacteria), leveraged the soil bacterium Pseudomonas putida KT2440. They engineered this bacterium to convert nitrate ions into ammonium ions, which are more stable and readily absorbed by plants and form biofilms around plant roots. This can improve resistance to disease and drought, and enhance fertiliser efficiency, leading to more sustainable agricultural outcomes.
In the next phase, the team plans to characterise the conversion pathway and study the efficiency of the engineered strain through wet-lab experiments and computational modeling.
The Best SDG Impact Award recognises teams whose work advances the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals through thoughtful, responsible innovation.
This year, the IISc team engaged with farmers, academics, and policymakers to understand the real-world implications of their idea and ensure alignment with the SDG framework. Through this dialogue, they developed both scientific and logistical solutions aimed at maximising positive environmental and societal impact.
