As rising sea levels threaten Ghana’s coastal communities, a team of Ashesi University students turned to synthetic biology for solutions. Competing under the name “PentaVib” at the 2025 International Genetically Engineered Machine (iGEM) Competition in Paris, the team presented a biology-based approach to coastal erosion, earning a silver medal. They also received nominations in four categories: Best Project in Bioremediation, Best Measurement, Best Wiki, and Best Education.
PentaVib’s project tackles coastal erosion in Ghana by using synthetic biology to engineer Vibrio natriegens, a fast-growing bacterium modified to trigger bio-cementation. Their design enables the bacteria to initiate calcium carbonate precipitation within sand, creating a hardened, concrete-like material, which can be molded into pentacone structures for coastal defense.
These bio-cemented ‘pentacones’, five-sided blocks designed for shoreline reinforcement, are engineered to be both protective and informative. Each pentacone embeds a layer of biosensing bacteria engineered to detect environmental signals such as pollutants or toxins, enabling real-time ocean health monitoring through biological indicators. These sensors glow, change color, or produce detectable signals when they encounter pollutants, offering a natural, low-cost way to assess ocean health.
This multifunctional system merges synthetic biology, environmental sensing, and circular design, presenting a regenerative and community-friendly strategy for protecting Ghana’s coastlines. Beyond shoreline protection, the team explored how bio-cement could be used commercially to create sustainable, low-carbon building materials that help protect the environment.
