A team of students from Lambert High School, a suburban Atlanta public school, used CRISPR tools to develop a rapid diagnostic concept and a modeled treatment strategy for Lyme disease as part of their entry in iGEM, the international synthetic biology competition.
Project and approach
The students designed a diagnostic that uses CRISPR in a simulated blood‑serum setting to expose a protein produced during early infection. Their method aims to cut away surrounding genetic material so the target protein becomes detectable on a lateral flow strip test—similar in format to pregnancy or rapid COVID‑19 tests. In lab simulations the test indicated the potential to identify infection as early as two days after exposure, versus about two weeks for many current diagnostics.
For a therapeutic concept, the team explored CRISPR designs that could target Borrelia burgdorferi, the bacterium that causes Lyme disease. They developed software models to design guide sequences and considered delivery mechanisms, including lipid nanoparticles—the same basic platform used in some recent vaccines. All treatment work reported was modeling and early‑stage exploration rather than finished therapeutics.
Team, mentorship and lab environment
The project was led by student captains Sean Lee and Avani Karthik, with teammates including Claire Lee and Rohan Kaushik contributing to lab work, coding and presentations. Their biotechnology teacher, Kate Sharer, called the project high‑risk/high‑reward and said students frequently advanced beyond standard high‑school biology, sometimes teaching her new methods. The group consulted university professors and outside stakeholders to get feedback on feasibility, safety and next steps.
iGEM competition and results
Lambert’s team traveled to Paris for iGEM 2025, which hosted more than 400 teams. Lambert finished among the top high‑school entries and won an award for Best Software Tool; the overall grand prize went to Great Bay from Shenzhen, China. iGEM organizers and scientists noted rapid expansion of teams in Asia compared with a smaller U.S. high‑school presence. Stanford professor and iGEM co‑founder Drew Endy praised Lambert’s diagnostic work as potentially significant if validated, and warned that U.S. leadership in biotech depends on cultivating young talent.
Resources, access and funding context
Lambert’s program benefits from a college‑level lab purchased with district funds and donor support. The school is in an affluent, high‑achieving district; the iGEM team is selective, drawing many applicants for few spots. The roster is largely Asian‑American, with several students described as children of immigrants. Janet Standeven, who started Lambert’s iGEM program and later worked to broaden synthetic biology education across Georgia, secured federal funding to expand these programs to other high schools. That funding was later cut during the Trump administration amid political controversy, then temporarily restored by court order; its longer‑term status remained uncertain at the time of reporting, highlighting instability in support for K–12 biotech education.
Early results, limitations and next steps
The diagnostic stripe showed promising results in simulated serum in the students’ lab setting, and their software models suggested plausible CRISPR‑based approaches for targeting the pathogen. Reviewers said the work could be an important step if confirmed by further testing. However, both the students and outside scientists emphasized that these findings are preliminary. Substantial additional work—expanded laboratory validation, animal studies, safety reviews, assessment of off‑target effects and immune responses, delivery optimization, and regulatory approval—would be required before any clinical application. The team worked under tight deadlines, completing experiments, software and outreach materials in time for the competition and often staying up late to prepare.
Broader implications
Observers viewed the project as an example of how hands‑on synthetic biology education at the high‑school level can accelerate innovation and prepare future biotech leaders. If validated and developed further, the diagnostic approach might be adaptable to detecting other blood markers beyond Lyme. At the same time, the story highlighted disparities in access to advanced lab education and the fragility of funding for U.S. K–12 synthetic biology programs while other countries expand their training pipelines.
Summary
Lambert High School students used CRISPR concepts to create a prototype rapid test for early Lyme detection and to model CRISPR‑based treatment strategies. Their work earned recognition at iGEM and demonstrated the possibilities of advanced STEM education in high school, but it remains an early, proof‑of‑concept effort that will require extensive validation, safety testing and investment before any real‑world clinical use.