Taking sequencing to the farm: Diagnosing Cassava Mosaic Virus in Africa

Join us for a special science outreach talk by Prof. Jo Stanton.

Prof. Stanton will share her groundbreaking work developing field-ready diagnostic tools to combat plant viruses in African agriculture — tools that empower communities and change lives. Prof. Jo Stanton collaborated on the ‘Tree Lab’ project, which brought portable DNA sequencing technology directly to cassava farms in sub-Saharan Africa. Using handheld devices like the Oxford Nanopore MinION and the PDQeX DNA extractor, her team enabled on-site detection of devastating plant viruses, including Cassava Mosaic Virus, within just a few hours. This innovative approach empowered farmers with rapid, actionable insights to protect their crops and livelihoods.

This event is hosted by iGEM Okinawa, the first Okinawan student team to participate in iGEM, a global biosynthetic competition. Our mission is to apply bioengineering strategies to help local mango farmers detect invasive pests early. Come learn how molecular science can drive solutions across continents, from cassava in Africa to mangoes in Okinawa!

If you would like to join remotely, connect via Zoom.