pHish and CHIPs was a synthetic biology project that aimed to improve the sustainability of semiconductor manufacturing by creating a pH‑responsive biological system that detects extreme pH in wastewater and releases buffers to neutralize it in real time. By addressing the massive water use associated with chip fabrication, the project supported cleaner water reuse and safer industrial practices.
Final Project Outcome
This research poster was presented at SUNY Oneonta’s Student Research and Creative Activity Showcase in Spring 2025.
What I did
I supported the design and development of a pH‑responsive genetic circuit aimed at detecting and responding to pH conditions in semiconductor wastewater through hands-on wet‑lab research. My work included DNA part design, genetic circuit assembly, molecular cloning, colony PCR, and sequence verification to ensure the circuit was constructed accurately. Through these experiments, I helped validate the functionality and feasibility of the team’s proposed synthetic biology solution. In addition, I helped develop and refine scientific content for the official iGEM wiki to clearly communicate our experimental work and project outcomes.
What I learned
Through this project, I learned that sustainability challenges in large-scale industries such as semiconductor manufacturing can be addressed by integrating biological solutions with engineering principles. I developed a deeper understanding of how reducing wastewater impact, for example, by stabilizing pH to enable safer reuse, can significantly decrease environmental strain and resource consumption. This experience demonstrated to me that sustainable design requires attention not only to technical functionality but also to scalability, environmental responsibility, and long-term effects. It also reinforced the importance of developing innovative, science-based approaches to advance sustainable industrial practices.
What’s next for me
A follow-up project originating from the iGEM Team Oneonta aimed to refine the genetic circuit system developed during the initial experiments in 2024. By analyzing mutations in the genetic “switch” that responds to pH, we were able to better understand how to achieve more consistent and effective responses. This work enhances the system’s overall reliability for real‑world applications and advances the project toward use as a sustainable tool for monitoring and improving industrial wastewater quality.
