Team:Athens/Human Practices
HUMAN PRACTICES
Vision put into Words
Exploring the nature of structural colour and brainstorming ways to adapt it in a real-world environment has been an eye-opening experience, as it has revealed many more aspects than we could initially imagine.
CLICK THE COLOURED BOXES
The inspiration behind MORPHÆ echoes the team’s personal motivations and largely defined our priorities in the context of Human Practices. Aiming to imitate the natural world in order to solve a complex problem, or biomimicry, was one of the key concepts that influenced our project design [1]. The colouration of Flavobacteria, efficient by necessity and refined through evolution, sets an example for a minimally invasive, yet effective approach. This sparked our curiosity to investigate how a small modification in our biological system could have a big impact, or how high performance could be achieved with fewer resources. We realised would be the first characteristic to opt for when designing MORPHÆ.
This objective was further reinforced when we educated ourselves on the complexity of the problem we attempt to address. The threat that synthetic dyes pose both to our health and the planet made us consider human and environmental well-being as a whole and thus propose a solution that serves their needs equally. This brought a dual perspective of in our project. We envisioned an end-product that is safe not only for its end-users but also the environment it is hypothetically released into.
Additionally, the burden of the labour-intensive dye production, bolstered our resolve to include the enhancement of dye manufacturing and reform this industry in a way that respects human rights. Thus, we understood that safety and ethics are complementary concepts, extending to the safety of the end-users, which is intimately connected with providing ethical working conditions to the employees. For this reason, we were motivated to invest in the side of our project and expanded our vision further to embrace consumer’s rights, ensuring the transparency of the manufacturing process behind the product that is distributed to the end-user.
Finally, the wide use of colour in everyday life highlighted the need for a product whose potential applications would be correspondingly multi-dimensional. In this context, the term universality describes a solution that fulfills a variety of purposes and - most importantly - is implemented on a level. In other words, it is widely accessible.
From Vision to People
In an attempt to translate those values into realistic options to strive for throughout the project design process, we reached out to people from different backgrounds to gain feedback. To ensure the inclusion of opinions from a wide spectrum in our project development, we followed the “Stakeholder/Value Matrix Analysis” provided by the "iGEMer's Guide to the future" and tried to identify as many relevant stakeholders as possible. Academia, the research community, industry, private companies, NGOs, different societal groups, as well as literature research were considered equally to impact some of our core decisions. We theorised that interviewing would be the most direct way to delve deeper into our key inquiries regarding each of the aforementioned values. Bearing in mind this year's exceptional circumstances, we contacted many potentially interested people and communities, expecting to actually discuss with only a few of them. Every meeting was conducted online but was as meaningful and of high quality as it would have been in any other case. All the people involved contributed a piece of the puzzle, bridging our separate goals together.
Dr. Emmanuel Stratakis is a Research Director at IESL-FORTH and the founder and CEO of Biomimetic, a spin-off of FORTH. Our meeting was focused on the Ethics of Biomimicry, which was one of the tenants of our design process [1]. He contributed greatly to our understanding of Biomimicry as a tool towards materials that realistically work, being therefore efficient, but require deliberate design regarding their potential to scale up.
Dr. Colin Ingham is the Founder and CEO of Hoekmine BV -a Biotechnology company located at the iLAB within the Hogeschool Utrecht, NL- that is laser focused on bacterial structural colour and its applications[2]. He was the person that influenced our project the most, assisting our attempts both theoretically and practically through guidance on design and shipment of the bacterial strains. Having multiple years of experience with Flavobacteria, he verified that our project design is functional and safe.
Dr. Evangelos Topakas is an Associate at the National Technological University of Athens. In his many years of experience, he has been primarily involved in the bacterial production of enzymes for industrial purposes, and he largely helped us determine the main compound of our biomaterial: cellulose. Being familiar with both its advantageous properties and widespread implementation, he validated our literature research [3,4] and encouraged us to consider its use, since it is safe and universal.
Dr. Vasiliki’s Mollaki interest in Bioethics is backed up by her many years of expertise in Molecular Biology. She is currently an External Ethics Expert for the European Commission and a Scientific Associate at the Hellenic National Bioethics Commission. Our discussion was focused on what makes a Synthetic Biology project ethical and safe and she provided us with meaningful advice towards this direction.
Mr. Yilmaz Aslan may not be a doctor, but he is by far the person that has been involved with dyes the most. Having been an art teacher for children for 16 years and now the founder of an internal design company in Turkey, he is very insightful as to what type of dyes market needs, both in terms of health and efficiency. Our meeting was a result of our long-term partnership with iGEM KU Istanbul and, besides sensitizing us more about the problem dyes can cause, it also equipped us with practical advice regarding the societal implementation of a material produced in the lab.
The turning point for our Human Practices approach was definitely reached after our conversation with the Coordinator of the “United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) Greece Youth”, Lydia Lekka, through which we took a big step regarding the way we perceived our project. Being already positively predisposed towards the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development [5], we were impressed to find out the amount of its Goals and targets that were relevant to our aspirations. During the educational workshop we took part in, and thanks to the pivotal guidance Lydia gave us, we identified the ones we actually meet and specified our contribution towards the future reformation of materials.
Vision takes Shape
After the Human Practices circle was complete, we could look back at our project from a different perspective, which encompasses every value we strive for. Our intention to create a solution, designed and implemented consciously towards the planet and people, was leading us towards one that is in its entirety sustainable. This is how we brought to life a version of Sustainability Circle adjusted to MORPHÆ, comprised of everything we have learned, everything we anticipate and how they reflect the Agenda 2030 framework. It depicts the potential of our project, based on this year’s design and lending itself to reinforcement through experimental data in 2021.
For more information about how the knowledge obtained from the interviews was turned into circle pieces, scroll down to the Integrated Human Practices part of this page.
MORPHÆ reshaped
by people and ideas
In this year’s times of uncertainty, having helping hands to reinforce our attempts was more vital than ever. Reaching out to experts not only helped us understand the essence of our goals, but also determined the design of our solution based on their influence and laid the groundwork for accurate future re-evaluation. The input we received was morphed into practical changes that were adopted to ameliorate our ideas and methods this year and opened the way for the future refinement of MORPHÆ’s shapes.
Given Dr. Stratakis’ experience with Biomimicry, he was one of the most suitable people to discuss the process of producing a material by observing nature. He emphasised how each step takes plenty of time and needs to be readdressed regularly. From observing, to mimicking and designing a product that is safe and valuable, lots of time, trial and error, studying and patience are needed. Dr. Stratakis’ research interests include laser interactions with materials for biomimetic micro- and nano- structuring [7]. He introduced us to biomimetic structures and he pointed out the importance of biomimicry towards more efficient problem solving, giving examples of liquid management methods inspired by biological systems. Concerning our question about determining the functionality in our biomimetic project, he stressed the importance of assessing the project's efficiency through the accuracy of data and the quantification of our results from a very early stage. From this very insightful conversation, we gathered that a successful biomimetic project is determined by the extent to which the product is a detailed replica of the biological system. Through his feedback, we were incentivised to simulate as many parts of our project as we could, while paying extreme attention to the maintenance of the cell nanostructure.
From simulating a technical arranged geometry
to simulating an already existing natural system.
The focus of Dr. Ingham’s research as well as the company’s products are biosensors, made of Flavobacteriia and their functionality is based on the bacteria's unique ability to exhibit structural colour. His work has been an inspiration for the design of our project and his contribution has been crucial for its evolution. By the time we first met, we were planning on using E. coli strains to manipulate them into forming a biofilm through an elaborate reaction-diffusion system. The following part is a summary of our interview with him, containing the most important advice and feedback he gave us.
Research in the field of structural colouration and its underlying mechanisms is still developing, which makes structurally coloured organisms, such as Flavobacteriia, an exciting scientific opportunity. Importantly, any research done using Flavobacteriia, has low carbon footprint and waste production and is safe, due to the lack of allergenicity, spores, and infections associated with them. During our interview, Dr. Ingham gave us helpful tips for working with Flavobacteriia, based on his experience with genetically manipulating them, and redirected our project design from using E. coli to using Flavobacteriia. He also advised us not to transfer the T9 Secretion System (T9SS), that is associated with gliding motility and structural colouration οf Flavobacteriia to E. coli, due to probable technical difficulties.
Through discussing the end product we were aiming on producing, he recognised the potential of cellulose to retain the optical properties of the Flavobacteriia colonies. He also added that cellulose is robust and can become very resilient after proper processing. However, he raised valid concerns as to whether or not the production and secretion of cellulose would interfere with the spatial arrangement of the colonies which would result in loss of structural colouration. Even though cellulose’s hydrophilicity could prove to be a problem when it comes to containing its structure, he proposed its use as a colour changing biosensor, for the detection of humidity. Lastly, he stated that due to the lack of research in this area and the complexity of the products, many companies are hesitant to incorporate these techniques in their production chain and he encouraged us to make our methods comprehensible to investors. This motivated us to create a guide for investors, explaining the main steps of our experimental design in an easy and clear way, so that MORPHÆ can be better understood and thus incorporated into as many different industries as possible.
The whole interview can be found here.
From E. coli
to Flavobacteriia
From complexity towards producers
to MORPHÆ made simple
The feedback Dr. Evangelos Topakas gave us has been crucial to the project as a whole. The most important pieces of advice we received revolved around cell cultures and bacterial cellulose production. Before our conversation we were considering the production of an extracellular matrix, mainly consisting of proteins whose folding could be manipulated into a desired state. However, we wanted to also explore other alternatives, since some of the options we were investigating, including amyloid curli, were indicated to be immunogenic [8,9]. After our discussion, we concluded that the polysaccharide cellulose would apply best to the needs of our project, while being safe to use. The following part is an excerpt from an interview, where we summarise Dr. Topakas’ insights on our project design.
The most important one of his statements was about the distinct properties of cellulose. Millions of years of evolution have refined cellulose into one of the most durable materials produced by biological organisms. Bacterial cellulose can be transformed to serve a diverse range of applications, through processing and addition of composites and additives. Furthermore, it is important to highlight the fact that cellulose is a biodegradable material that can substitute some types of plastic. Even though the production of bacterial cellulose is much more expensive at the moment, the decision of substituting synthetic polymers is also a political and societal issue. Meanwhile, huge polymer producers around the world change their manufacturing practices towards the production of more sustainable materials.
As for the type of cultures that are usually considered for the production of bacterial cellulose, Dr Topakas informed us that liquid static cultures are mostly used. While coming up with ways we could obtain more information and data about bacterial cellulose in order to predict cellulose production through modelling, he directed us to some interesting publications in existing literature for the corresponding data on the wild type. Since we could not find literature concerning the transfer of bacterial cellulose synthesis genes (bcs) to Flavobacterium johnsoniae, our researching efforts were focused on Gluconacetobacter xylinus as a first step.
From immunogenic protein components
to cellulose
Through our conversation with Dr. Mollaki we discussed bioethical, biosafety and biosecurity issues regarding our project and synthetic biology in general, aiming to ensure that our project development is enacted responsibly. Describing the proposed implementations of our product, she suggested that we should carry out clinical investigations to confirm that no allergic reaction to humans will occur if it is used in textiles. Also, the possibility of gene transferring from the engineered bacteria to non-engineered bacteria should be considered, when released into the environment.
Being concerned about one potential implementation, that being camouflaged uniforms, of structurally coloured materials when examining different applications of our project, we discussed the antireflective properties our biomaterial might exhibit if further modified in the future. She clarified the difference between the terms of misuse and dual use, in case our project ever takes this direction.
She informed us that there is no legislation regarding the information which should be provided to the end-users of a material that is produced by genetically manipulated microorganisms. She guided towards an ethical approach by providing all information, regarding the production process of such a material, while showing respect to the end-users.
Finally, she also made an efficiency-related statement, proposing testing the biodegradation rates of our end-product depending on environmental conditions.
From complexity towards end-users
to clear statement of the production methods
In the course of our long term partnership, the iGEM KU Istanbul team helped us arrange an interview with Yilmaz Aslan, a former Art Teacher with 16 years of past experience and, currently, a paint company owner. Through our questions, we aimed to address the health problems of synthetic colour and we received useful advice regarding structurally coloured materials, based on his experience. During our conversation, he highlighted the instances of extreme fatigue and loss of consciousness that he and his co-workers had experienced during long painting sessions. His perspective amplified our concerns about synthetic colour and the severity of the health-related issues it can cause. Regarding the user-cost of the final product, he firmly expressed that quality overcomes cost when it comes to issues concerning health and that he would be very interested in using it as an alternative safe material, provided that it is bright and sticky. For this reason he proposed that we test our final material on different surfaces and optimise its durability and effectiveness.
From lab production
to meeting society’s needs
From the very beginning of our really interesting conversation, Lydia Lekka introduced us to the core concepts of sustainability “Leave no one behind” and “People, Planet, Prosperity” and the interconnection of the Sustainable Development Goals. She underlined the fact that, in order for our project to be considered sustainable, it has to be accessible to everyone and consider economic growth, human and environmental well-being in parallel. We focused on Goal 12, one of the main Goals we address through MORPHÆ, and highlighted the reduction of waste produced as more crucial to waste management in the context of responsible production and consumption, as circular economy principles indicate. We also found out that Goal 12 is currently assessed as one of three most inadequately addressed Goals in Greece, according to the Sustainable Development Report, and one of the major challenges remaining is the non-recycled municipal solid waste [10]. We took this into consideration when choosing the main component of our biomaterial and made sure it is biodegradable. Finally, she elaborated on the prevention of environmental harm at all stages of our product development and encouraged us to conduct a life cycle assessment and an analytical sustainability reporting of our future product. This will be one of our main priorities at the second phase of our project.
From challenges in production and consumption of colour
to efficient, safe, ethical, universal solutions
[1] Collado-Ruano, Javier. (2015). Biomimicry: a Necessary Eco-Ethical Dimension for a Future Human Sustainability. Future Human Image. 2. 23-57.
[2] Johansen, V. E., Catón, L., Hamidjaja, R., Oosterink, E., Wilts, B. D., Rasmussen, T. S., Sherlock, M. M., Ingham, C. J., & Vignolini, S. (2018). Genetic manipulation of structural color in bacterial colonies. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 115(11), 2652-2657.
[3] Anderson, R. L., Owens, J. W., & Timms, C. W. (1992). The toxicity of purified cellulose in studies with laboratory animals. Cancer letters, 63(2), 83–92.
[4] Motloung, M. P., Ojijo, V., Bandyopadhyay, J., & Ray, S. S. (2019). Cellulose Nanostructure-Based Biodegradable Nanocomposite Foams: A Brief Overview on the Recent Advancements and Perspectives. Polymers, 11(8), 1270.
[5] Transforming our World: The 2030 agenda for Sustainable Development
[6] Uddin, Faheem. (2014). Energy Management and Energy Crisis in Textile Finishing. American Journal of Energy Research. 2. 53-59. 10.12691/ajer-2-3-2.
[7] Papadopoulos, A., Skoulas, E., Mimidis, A., Perrakis, G., Kenanakis, G., Tsi-bidis, G. D., & Stratakis, E. (2019). Biomimetic omnidirectional antireflective glass via direct ultrafast laser nanostructuring.Advanced Materials,1901123. doi:10.1002/adma.201901123
[8] Tursi, S. A., Lee, E. Y., Medeiros, N. J., Lee, M. H., Nicastro, L. K., Buttaro, B., Gallucci, S., Wilson, R. P., Wong, G., & Tükel, Ç. (2017). Bacterial amyloid curli acts as a carrier for DNA to elicit an autoimmune response via TLR2 and TLR9. PLoS pathogens, 13(4), e1006315. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.ppat.1006315
[9] Spaulding, C. N., Dodson, K. W., Chapman, M. R., & Hultgren, S. J. (2015). Fueling the Fire with Fibers: Bacterial Amyloids Promote Inflammatory Disorders. Cell host & microbe, 18(1), 1–2. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chom.2015.06.013
[10] Dashboards.sdgindex.org. 2020. Sustainable Development Report 2020. [online] Available at:
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