Nazarbayev University’s team of undergraduate students has won a gold medal and a special prize for Best Entrepreneurship at the world’s largest synthetic biology competition, iGEM (International Genetically Engineered Machine), held in Paris from October 28 to 31, DKNews.kz reports.
The event brought together over 7,000 participants and 420 teams from across the globe.
“It was much more competitive when it came to winning specific project nominations. In our categories, we competed against teams from EPFL, McMaster University, Boston University, Queen’s University, the Beijing Institute of Technology, the University of Rochester, and Eindhoven University of Technology,” shared Rauan Muratuly, team leader of iGEM NU Kazakhstan.
The NU team’s winning project, titled LUCID, is an innovative medical solution for the early detection of lung cancer, one of the most prevalent and deadly forms of cancer in Kazakhstan. Developed under the supervision of NU professors Daniele Tosi and Ivan Vorobyev, the project combines two cutting-edge technologies: the OncoSense fiber-optic biosensor and the Cancerna artificial intelligence (AI) diagnostic platform.
Lung cancer remains one of the leading causes of cancer-related deaths in Kazakhstan. Students are about to design an accessible, accurate, and affordable solution for early detection. Built on single-mode fibers commonly used in telecommunications, the OncoSense biosensor offers high sensitivity at low production costs, making it suitable for a wide range of clinical settings, from laboratory research to point-of-care diagnostics. The system is currently undergoing ex vivo validation, detecting biomarkers in patients’ blood serum.
The AI-based Cancerna platform enhances diagnostic precision through advanced classification and segmentation modules that determine whether a tumor is benign or malignant and assess its risk category. It can also automate key clinical tasks such as generating radiological reports, calculating medication dosages, and checking for drug interactions.
Looking ahead, the young researchers plan to integrate PET/CT-based metastasis prediction and expand the system’s application to other types of cancer, creating a comprehensive digital tool for oncology diagnostics and decision support.
“Our measurement technique, developed in the Laboratory of Biosensors and Bioinstruments under the supervision of Dr. Daniele Tosi, was adapted to design our biosensor. We confirmed that the sensor functions effectively and demonstrates sufficient sensitivity, and we plan to continue advancing this work. The AI component was developed in collaboration with the Kazakh Institute of Oncology and Radiology (KazIOR). Further training and refinement of the AI model are planned, with potential testing in clinical settings,”- added Rauan Muratuly.
The project impressed the iGEM judges not only with its scientific rigor but also with its entrepreneurial vision. The students demonstrated that their innovation has strong commercialization potential and could make a real-world impact in global healthcare.
Team Members
Professors Daniele Tosi, Ivan Vorobyev, advisor Arman Alzhanov, students: Rauan Muratuly, Anastassiya Tyazhelova, Diana Bekeshova, Temirlan Karatay, Abylaikhan Seraliyev, Madina Pirman, Bauyrzhan Kizatov, Batyrkhan Sharipbay, Assel Akhmetali, Aiziya Paizulla, Aidyn Onggar, Adina Almakhambetova, Raniya Gaini, Altynay Arstangaliyeva, Assima Serikbay, Aruzhan Turlybek, Azhar Mukash, Aisha Dauletkyzy, Bauyrzhan Toleutay, and Yeldar Yernazarov.
