Student story: be ready to take on new challenges

Tell us about the Oxford team this year

Roman Lorello, 1st year Biology, Lady Margaret Hall

“The 2026 team, even for Oxford University, is filled with an unexpected level of talent. Our fundraising lead, Theo, solved the issue of Czech students not having enough funds to enter the University by creating an NGO funded by the country’s entrepreneurs. He now is going to be joined by another 20 students from his country next year at the University. Aliyan, the computational and engineering powerhouse of the team, received a scholarship from the Ellison Institute - a rare and prestigious standard to achieve. He has worked extensively with microalgae solutions to climate and food security issues, and is quite likely to, in the future, take his scientific creativity and technical expertise into the startup scene. It’s also a key point to note that he has an incredibly engaging YouTube channel which features his exploits. Anreé, in 2025 co-published an immunology-focused manuscript, an exceptionally high achievement for somebody to have achieved in their first year. He also plays the sax in the University function band "Night Fury Get Down". Roman, when not growing fungal biomaterials, was a national-level rowing athlete, and ran his school’s biology society, giving over 30 talks during that time. The rest of the team have proven themselves extensively in their academic achievements, and projects that they have undertaken. It’s safe to say that the Oxford University 2026 iGEM team this year is elite and is looking to get the top results at the international competition in November.”  

What project is the team working on? What led to the creation of this project and what are the hopes for it?  

Anree Bektashi-Brown, 2nd year Biology, St Catherine’s College  

“Bees play a vital role acting as primary pollinators, enabling a third of the world's food production. However, they face many challenges, and one of the leading drivers of colony loss is the Varroa mite parasite. This year, Oxford’s iGEM team is exploring a biological mechanism to explore a treatment to reduce the mite’s reproduction.” 

What are your hopes for the iGEM team beyond the project itself?  

Sammi Buchan, 2nd year Biology, St Catherine’s College  

“Building on a collaborative foundation, our aims for the project extend far beyond producing a successful final prototype. A central focus is developing skills that are not typically emphasised within traditional academic settings, particularly in entrepreneurship. As an independent team, we are responsible for securing funding, sponsors, building partnerships, presenting complex scientific ideas in a compelling and accessible way, and effectively bridging the gap between research and real-world impact.  

Equally important is the focus on outreach, which allow us to engage more directly with our community through initiatives such as scientific workshops and incorporation of user feedback into project development. Through this, we aim not only to improve our own project, but to inspire interest in science, encourage critical thinking about its broader societal implications, and reinforce the idea that scientific research should not exist in isolation, but rather in conversation with the communities it ultimately seeks to serve.”