With their “Nanobuddy” project, students from the University of Groningen in the Netherlands won the gold prize in the 2017 International Genetically Engineered Machine (iGEM) competition. Their goal was to use genetic engineering to prevent the spread of the H5N1 avian influenza virus among chickens.
The team employed VIAFLO electronic pipettes, which were given to them by INTEGRA Biosciences, to increase the project’s productivity and precision. The iGEM Groningen 2022 team sought to create an innovative replacement for ineffective vaccination strategies for H5N1 protection in birds.
The research team found a naturally occurring bacteria in chicken lungs and genetically altered it to make nanobodies, which are tiny, single-domain antibodies that can target and inactivate viruses. An aerosol might then be used to introduce the bacteria that produce nanobody into the birds’ lungs for immunization.
Lab Manager for iGEM Groningen 2022 described how the VIAFLO pipettes aided the group:
“Various pipetting activities were required for our genetic engineering workflow, and working with the VIAFLO pipettes streamlined several steps, including serial dilutions, PCR, ELISAs, and western blotting. The pipettes are lightweight, with a well-balanced design that is both fun and ergonomic to work with.
Our success at iGEM 2022 was largely thanks to the efficiency and accuracy provided by the VIAFLO pipettes in combination with GRIPTIP pipette tips, which helped to maximize productivity by ensuring the tips stayed securely in place. The team really enjoyed using the pipettes – particularly the serial dilution feature, which saved us a lot of time and reduced our plastic waste – ultimately enabling us to achieve our goals for the competition.”
