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Galaxea
preserving the ocean one coral at a time.
The Problem
Coral reefs are known for being vibrant and attracting tourists from all over the world, especially in the Great Barrier Reef, located in Australia. However, they also play other roles within our world. Around 25% of all aquatic ocean species live within coral reefs around the world, they provide coastal defence, and they’re also being used to help in healthcare research (specifically with cancer and arthritis); yet, over 50% of the world's coral reefs have died in the last 30 years, and up to 90% may die within the next century.
Now, imagine a world where coral reefs have nearly ceased to exist. The cause of death? Warming oceans. The oceans absorb not only the heat from the sun but also greenhouse gases, which continue to increase throughout the years. This causes the ocean temperatures to increase, and therefore, coral reefs go through a tragic phenomenon known as coral bleaching. Coral bleaching is essentially where corals lose their colourful appearance and become white, due to a number of factors, including rising ocean temperatures. In the case of warming oceans, the corals expel the algae in their tissues, which causes the coral to turn completely white.
Our Solution
Our solution is to implement the use of gene-editing technology into coral zygotes and target the HSF1 gene, which stands for Heat Shock Factor 1. With this gene being edited by using CRISPR/Cas9, the coral zygotes can become more resistant to these changing temperatures, and can, therefore, spawn more zygotes that hold this same trait. Corals spawn zygotes once a year, but hundreds are spawned within this timeframe. Zygotes are optimal for collection, because it’s simply not feasible, nor ethical, to rip developed corals out of their aquatic habitat.
1) Coral Zygote Extraction
Once or twice a year, fully developed corals produce an abundance of zygotes. We would collect these zygotes by using specially designed nets. The zygotes are trapped inside the net as they detached and make their way up to the water surface, and concentrate inside a bottle located at the top of the net.
2) Editing the HSF1 Gene
The HSF1 gene protein is activated when cells are exposed to temperatures above their normal growth temperature. Our goal is to disrupt an important region of the protein by creating 2 sgRNAs.
3) Releasing the Coral Zygotes
The final step is to release the coral zygotes back into the ocean. Once reintroduced, they’re referred to as planulae and they begin to grow into a new colony.
Our Vision
Here at Galaxia, we are committed to protecting our ocean ecosystems because of their importance in our future. Through the use of our gene editing solution, we envision a future where corals are able to thrive and co-exist with humans. Innovation is at the forefront of our mission because it is through unconventional ideas that we can gain success. We hope that Galaxea has demonstrated our passion for climate action - because at the end of the day that is what we are striving for.
Meet the Co-Founders
Aneeva Murray
Ontario, CA
Hey! I'm Aneeva - A 16-year old that's fascinated by the study of genomics and super passionate about climate change! With that, I'm currently working on how genomics + gene editing could be used to help with climate-driven issues! My portfolio: https://tks.life/profile/aneeva.murray#portfolio