From Concordia’s Applied Learning classroom to the global stage in Paris, Concordia High School iGEM team has earned a Gold Medal at the 2025 International Genetically Engineered Machine (iGEM) Competition—the world’s premier event to celebrate innovation in synthetic biology!  

The team was also nominated for the “Best Environment Award” at the Grand Jamboree (World Expo of Synthetic Biology) in Paris, held at the iconic Paris Convention Centre. 

For the past 10 months, 17 Concordia student researchers have been developing solutions to plastic waste. Their innovative project “PURPLE (Plastic Upcycling, Reducing Pollution, Looping the Economy)” provides an alternative to existing plastic recycling methods that helps avoid any toxic byproducts and greenhouse gas emissions. 

Under the guidance of Mr. David Doyle, Applied Learning Synthetic Biology teacher at Concordia International School Shanghai, students designed, built, and tested genetically engineered bacterial cells capable of converting plastic waste into valuable products, combining cutting-edge laboratory experimentation with sophisticated computational metabolic modeling.  

The team even developed a full business plan to bring their bio-based products to the world and developed an accessible, hands-on synthetic biology curriculum for high school education, while also raising awareness about climate change and plastic waste.

But the true victory lay in the journey itself. As Mr. Doyle shares, all student research was conducted entirely on Concordia’s campus, empowered by the three pillars of our Applied Learning program: authentic application, academic rigor, and a focus on process skills.

“These foundational pillars enabled our students to tackle real-world challenges with scientific excellence, develop sophisticated research methodologies, and master the iterative processes essential to cutting-edge biotechnology research,” says Mr. Doyle.

The awards earned serve as well-deserved recognition for our research team’s dedication, innovation, and scientific excellence, as well as showcasing that Concordia is one of the few schools in Asia to offer such a comprehensive biotechnology program as a STEM strand.

Join us in celebrating the amazing students—the scientists and innovators of tomorrow!