Team:Humboldt Berlin

Fighting Cancer with Minicells

Salmonella-derived minicells as an adaptable synthetic system to combat cancer

TargetTaxi in Nuce

According to the Robert Koch Institute, the biomedical lead research institution of the German government, an estimated half a million people develop cancer in Germany alone every year, and the trend is rising. This disease is also one of the leading causes of death worldwide. However, many therapy options are limited, which is why the development of new treatment approaches remains essential.

We aim to construct a synthetic system within the iGEM competition with the potential to become an alternative treatment method in the fight against cancer. To do so, we want to utilize minicells derived from attenuated Salmonella Typhimurium as a vehicle for anti-cancer peptide agents. In addition, every component of the system will remain modular allowing researchers to utilize our tool easily. We wish for our system to be continuously adapted and improved based on new research findings, which means that the range of applications can grow as well.

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