GCSP research stipend | Summer 2021

Genetically Engineering the Microalgae Chlamydomonas reinhardtii to Sequester Arsenic from Contaminated Groundwater: ASU International Genetically Engineered Machine Competition Project

Arsenic contamination in groundwater is a serious problem in local rural communities: ~20.7% of wells in Arizona exceed the safe concentration of 10ppb. Prolonged exposure to this contamination can cause cancer, vascular damage, and liver failure. As part of a larger effort for the iGEM summer competition to introduce bioremediation genes into the chloroplast of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, this project will focus on proteins that sequester arsenic and other metals, producing cleaner, safer groundwater.