Kavli Oxford-supported student team recognised for
antimicrobial resistance project
An interdisciplinary University of Oxford iGEM team supported by the Kavli Institute for Nanoscience Discovery has won an international innovation award for its proof-of-concept CRISPR platform addressing antimicrobial resistance (AMR).
The team's project, CASPER, was developed as part of the 2025 International Genetically Engineered Machine (iGEM) competition, one of the world's leading undergraduate synthetic biology programmes. Following the competition, the team was invited to exhibit at Prototypes for Humanity in Dubai, where CASPER won the ‘Healthcare: Therapeutic and Diagnostic’ category and received a US$20,000 award to support further development. The recognition builds on the Oxford team's success at the 2024 iGEM competition, where they were awarded a Gold Medal and nominated for the ‘Best Infectious Diseases Project’ award.
Kavli Oxford supported the project by providing laboratory space, scientific mentoring and financial support. The project was led by Dr Hafez El Sayyed, with researchers from across Kavli Oxford contributing expertise in molecular biology, diagnostics, microscopy, and ethics, which they provided through scientific supervision, laboratory mentoring and specialist advice. Professor Achillefs Kapanidis' lab group hosted the team in laboratory space for several months and provided access to equipment and reagents. Kavli Oxford also funded the team's iGEM competition entry and supported six students to attend the Grand Jamboree in Paris, where they presented their work alongside teams from around the world.
CASPER set out to explore a combined approach to diagnosing and treating antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections using CRISPR technology. As a proof of concept, the team generated preliminary data for a CRISPR-based diagnostic workflow capable of rapidly identifying bacterial DNA with a simple visual readout. In parallel, they developed and optimised three potential delivery systems for CRISPR-based antimicrobial therapeutics using live bacterial cells, minicells and extracellular vesicles.
The project brought together students from a range of disciplines, including biochemistry, engineering and computer science, reflecting Kavli Oxford's emphasis on interdisciplinary research and collaboration. Alongside laboratory research, the team completed computational modelling, engineering design and public engagement activities to develop the project as an integrated research programme.
Public engagement formed an important part of the project. The team consulted researchers, clinicians, industry representatives and patients to better understand the challenges posed by antimicrobial resistance and incorporated these perspectives into the development of CASPER. They also created educational resources for audiences ranging from young children to university students and organised BioXChange, an international conference that brought together more than 70 secondary school students from 12 countries to discuss antimicrobial resistance, synthetic biology and science policy.
Looking ahead, the team plans to use the Prototypes for Humanity award to strengthen the project's experimental evidence, further develop both the diagnostic and therapeutic elements of CASPER, and continue work towards translating the research into practical applications.
