Tokyo Tech Triumphs: Award-Winning Bronze at BIOMOD 2023 Recognizes Team’s Outstanding Project
Team Tokyo Tech has won the Bronze Project Award at the 2023 Biomolecular Design Competition (BIOMOD). This year, the BIOMOD Jamboree, an annual conference at which all BIOMOD teams convene to present their team projects, was held from November 4 to 5 on Ookayama Campus.
BIOMOD 2023 participants
BIOMOD, often referred to as the Robocon of biomolecules, is an international inter-university competition for undergraduates in molecular robotics and molecular computing. Each team designs and builds its own molecular devices and robots using biomolecules such as DNA, RNA, lipids, and proteins. The teams compete by presenting the results of their research via webpages, YouTube videos, and live conference-style presentations at the Jamboree.
The competition, first hosted by Harvard University in 2011 and held at the University of California, San Francisco since then, resumed its international format this year. Tokyo Tech was chosen as the first institution to host the contest outside the United States. The selection of Tokyo Tech, the birthplace of the Robocon International Design Contest, as the first non-US host of BIOMOD marks a significant milestone for the Institute.
Of the sixteen teams from eight countries and regions that registered for this year’s competition, fourteen teams completed all the requirements and gave their presentations at the Jamboree held at Tokyo Tech. Team Tokyo Tech presented a “Micro Invader Game” consisting of artificial cells and DNA motors, which earned the team the Bronze Project Award. Unfazed by the fact that they were all 1st-year students, Team Tokyo Tech confidently gave their presentation and answered questions in front of participants from around the world. Their achievement speaks to the collaborative spirit of the team and the dedication of each individual member. Team Tokyo Tech is already planning its BIOMOD activities for next year, and with the support of the Institute behind it, further exciting results can be expected.
Team Tokyo Tech members
- Tsuyoshi Ijima, 1st year, School of Life Science and Technology
- Fuske Kodama, 1st year, School of Life Science and Technology
- Shinkai Ryusei, 1st year, School of Life Science and Technology
- Yumi Nakamura, 1st year, School of Life Science and Technology
- Ayaka Banno, 1st year, School of Life Science and Technology
- Kakeru Matsuzaki, 1st year, School of Life Science and Technology
- Rio Muramatsu, 1st year, School of Life Science and Technology
Mentors
- Masahiro Takinoue, Professor, School of Computing
- Masayuki Yamamura, Professor, School of Computing
- Shogo Hamada, Assistant Professor, School of Computing
Team Tokyo Tech’s presentation in full swing
Team Tokyo Tech
Comments from Team Tokyo Tech leader
Shinkai Ryusei
I joined BIOMOD 2023 as the leader of Team Tokyo Tech. Although I did not have any expertise in molecular robotics, or knowledge of wikis or YouTube, I was able to complete this project with the help of my teammates and the guidance of our faculty mentors, while building on my studies at Tokyo Tech.
The BIOMOD was my first international conference, and although I was nervous at first, this valuable experience opened up new opportunities to broaden my own horizons.
We hope to participate again next year and achieve even better results.
Quick facts about BIOMOD 2023
- Co-organized by BIOMOD Foundation (USA) and the Molecular Robotics Research Group, CBI Society (Japan)
- Sponsored by Molecular Cybernetics, MEXT Grant-in-Aid for Transformative Research Areas (A) and Springer Nature
- Steering Committee chaired by Shogo Hamada, Assistant Professor, School of Computing, Tokyo Tech