Nearly 100% of Ash Trees Die Within 8-10 Years of EAB Infestations.1
Let's Change This.
Emerald ash borers are an invasive species that has killed millions of ash trees in North America.2 Considered to be extremely destructive, they are able to infect and kill almost every species of ash.2 Currently, the only solutions include cutting and burning, chemical insecticides, hybridization, and biological methods. These are not doing enough to effectively protect our ash trees. This is why, using Cry8Da, Eschericia coli, Bacillus subtilis, and Saccharomyces cerevisiae, iGEM Guelph has created a bioinsecticide to fight Emerald Ash Borer infection and protect our ash trees.
Accessible Science is the Future.
This is why iGEM Guelph fights for accessible lab work and STEM education. Our hardware project emphasizes accessible, affordable, and green science to reduce costs, headaches, and waste in the lab, ultimately improving workflow.
Our collaboration team focused on STEM education at our university, in the community, and for a global audience. We recognize that STEM education is currently an expensive privilege, which is largely inaccessible. This is why we have reached out to students at the university, members of the community, and a broad audience across the globe to create valuable, inexpensive, opportunities to learn about STEM and spark interest in innovation.
1. Tait, N. (2022). Ash Tree Update 2022 (U.S. National Park Service). Www.nps.gov. https://www.nps.gov/articles/000/ash-tree-update-2022.htm
2. Government of Canada. (2023, October 4). Emerald ash borer. Inspection.canada.ca. https://inspection.canada.ca/en/plant-health/invasive-species/insects/emerald-ash-borer