Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, known as PFAS, are toxic chemicals that can accumulate in the body.
They can cause medical conditions like malignant cancerous tumors, cholestoral diseases, and thyroid disease.
We are excited to announce that UNC iGEM has won silver medal at the 2024 iGEM grand jamboree!

North Carolina is at the epicenter for PFAS contamination due to environmental and state factors.

Industrial contaminants in waste and drinking water have spread across the state, accumulating over time in the environment, according to a study conducted by the NIH.
At UNC-Chapel Hill, we aim to develop a therapeutic that focuses on pharmacological applications to regulate PFAS concentrations, specifically PFOA, in the body.

We focus on designing a novel approach to eliminate this contaminant from the body by engineering a chimeric protein with two domains: one with a high affinity for PFOA and the other facilitating transcytosis of the whole peptide.
Our protein is designed to bond to PFOA and removes it from the bloodstream to be excreted through the mucosal system.

The result is an injectable and fast-acting treatment that keeps PFAS levels low and provides relief effectively.
Learn more in our description page!
Description Page