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Bioinformatics Summer Internship 2024 With Hands-On-Training + Project / Dissertation - 30 Days, 3 Months & 6 Months Duration

Scientists have since the age of rock n roll been trying to get phototrophic bacteria to produce biofuel. Although a common knowledge among the scientific community on how algae is a potential sustainable fuel option, researchers had not been able to merge two key criterion essential for the production of sustainable biofuel- a strain of the organism that is capable of both rapid growth and high oil production in the past. Slow growth was found to be a major hindrance to the harnessing of high volumes of oils produced by the algae.

Now, a partnership between ExxonMobil and Synthetic Genomics Inc. has seemingly yielded a solution to this problem. In the course of this research, the team used the renowned editing system, CRISPR-Cas9 among others, and identified 20 transition factors that regulated lipid production. The scientists experimented knocking out 18 of these which resulted in the production of double the amount of lipid in comparison to the non-modified algae. The laudable aspect of which is the fact that they were able to do so without stunting the alga’s growth rate in any way.

The modified Algae produces approximately 5 grams of lipid per meter per day which is a little

over 2x times of amount that they produce in the wild.

“The research represents a significant milestone in establishing the foundation for a path that leads to eventual commercialization of algal biofuels” says Imad Ajjawi, one of the researchers.

This study is yet another instance of how gene editing has time and again come to the rescue in case of great scientific challenges.

In search of the perfect burger. Serial eater. In her spare time, practises her "Vader Voice". Passionate about dance. Real Weird.