PanoPOLY: Innovating Cancer Treatment

Title

Creator

Au, Hiu Yeung

Chan, Yin Yan

Hu, Xinrui

Sun, Jiayan

Zhu, Siya

Chapagain, Swastika

Li, Xiangyi

Liu, Chenyi

Shaikh, Muhammad Waris

Li, Pinxuan

Advisor

Lee, Kin-wah Terence

Wong, Tsun-ting Clarence

Mu, Quanhua

Cheung, Ching Mei Chartia

Wong, Waiting

Lee, Alan

Yan, Clare

Faculty

Faculty of Science

Department

Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology

Description

PanoPOLY is a student-led initiative dedicated to advancing pancreatic cancer treatment, one of the most challenging and deadly cancers. Through the iGEM competition, their team developed a novel dual-targeting nanobody designed to overcome gemcitabine resistance in pancreatic cancer. By combining synthetic biology, innovative protein engineering, and community outreach, They aim to improve patient survival rates and bring new hope to affected families. Their project earned a Gold Medal, ranked among the Top 10 undergraduate teams worldwide, and was nominated for Best Oncology Project and Best New Composite Part at iGEM 2024, recognizing both their scientific and societal impact.

Learning outcome/goal

Critical Thinking and Problem-solving

Project Management and Teamwork

Communication and Presentation Skills

Adaptability and Flexibility

Continuous Improvement and Learning from Mistakes

Award

Gold medal, iGEM 2024 [International competition]

Top 10 Undergraduate Team, iGEM 2024 [International competition]

Best Oncology Project Nomination, iGEM 2024 [International competition]

Best New Composite Part Nomination, iGEM 2024 [International competition]

Date

2025-06

Programme

BSc (Hons) Applied Biology with Biotechnology

BEng (Hons) Electrical Engineering

Degree Level

Undergraduate

Keywords

Cancer Biology; Synthetic Biology; Protein Engineering and Biotechnology; Pharmacology and Drug Resistance; Translational Medicine and Human Practices

Subject

Pancreas -- Cancer -- Research

Drug Resistance, Neoplasm

Rights

Relation

Feature Story on "PanoPOLY: Innovating Cancer Treatment"

Language

English

Type

Feature Story

Access Rights

open access