team

Overview

Through collaboration, we have developed our project Automatic Barcode Creator during the collision of ideas with other teams and have been contributing to iGEM community. We collaborated with 10 teams and participated in four meet-ups.

Collaboration with Tsinghua, Peking, CAU_China, and FAFU-CHINA.

We collaborated with Tsinghua, Peking, CAU_China, and FAFU-CHINA to carry out a live science popularization activity "2020 Synthetic Biology from Scratch". Our team was mainly responsible for introducing the application of synthetic biology in new technologies and medical fields. In the course of preparing the lesson, we five teams discussed how to introduce synthetic biology in a way accessible for high school students. So, we chose to talk about synthetic biology in relation to practical issues, such as virus detection and health monitoring. According to the questionnaire, it was confirmed that the co-education had achieved great results.

Figure 1. Synthetic Biology from Scratch

Collaboration with Fudan

We have established a good cooperative relationship in the design and modeling of kill switch. We shared our raw wet lab experimental data of BBa_K3036004 with Fudan generously, saving them a great amount of wet lab work for model construction. With our assistant, their model accomplished smoothly and provided solid proof that with their Kill Switch, engineered bacteria would have less deleterious effects on the environment. Our cooperation has greatly promoted their project progress.

Collaboration with CSMU_Taiwanand NCKU_Tainan

NCKU_Tainan invited us to join in the “I’ve Gotta PhD” collaboration. Their project this year focuses on cancer. During the process, we designed popularization posters to introduce the relationship between our project and cancer. They gave us advice on how to make attractive posters. We also discussed our projects and shared knowledge about cancer. We found out the two projects was related. Our ABC system can make a progress in the research and treatment of cancer. At last, they made a certificate to appreciate our cooperation. (Figure 2) Our final product was shown on Facebook. (Figure 3)

Figure 2. Certificate of participation in the I’ve gotta PhD

Figure 3. Final product on Facebook

Collaboration with NUDT_CHINA

We collaborated with NUDT_CHINA in many aspects and had a full exchange in the form of online meetings. Both of us gained a lot. (Figure 4)

In the modelling aspect, we provided them with several methods for protein conformation modelling. They also shared materials related to protein degradation rate models.

In terms of experiment, the experimental experience related to protein degradation was discussed during the meeting. We found that there was a same problem in our experiments: the low recovery rate of gel could not meet the requirements of in-fusion cloning, so we decided to solve it together. After the later experimental exploration, we shared our solutions respectively (Figure 5) and achieved good results in the end.

Figure 4. Online meeting with NUDT_CHINA

Figure 5. Note for Gel Cutting Recovery

Cooperation with NJTech_China

We sent plasmid pML104 to NJTech_China and guided them in the design of gRNA. (Figure 6). We also had a brief exchange on primer designing and human practices.

Figure 6. Giving pML104 to NJTech_China

Cooperation with SCU-China

This year, SCU-China carried out a project related to pasta fermentation. We provided some photos and information of pasta to help them collect materials.

Cooperation with BIT-China

We especially communicated with BIT-CHINA for wiki making and had conversations in consist of modeling and part registration. For example, we exchanged ideas about whether we should upload every part we ever searched or just select it. We as well shared the user experience of benchling and other necessary applications required by iGEM and helped each other to discover those apps thoroughly.

Meet-ups

Attending the Seventh Conference of China iGEMer Community

We attended the Seventh Conference of China iGEMer Community (CCiC) (Figure7), where we gained valuable suggestions and inspiration. Professor Haifeng Ye gave a report at the meetup. We learned studies on PCA-controlled gene switches which can regulate the activity of CRISPR/Cas9. It made us have a clearer understanding of CRISPR/Cas9.

   We presented our ABC system to nearly a hundred teams. The feedback we received on the presentation is as follows:
   · The picture can be more lively and vivid
   · We can show the operation we want to achieve through animation
   · Dubbing volume should be smooth and clear
   · The content of the lecture should be logical.
  According to the feedback from judges and other participating teams, we improved our work in experiment, presentation, modeling and human practices.

During the CCiC, we also communicated with Asian ambassadors and after-iGEMers, who helped us understand the spirits of synthetic biology better.

Figure 7. Trophy from CCiC

Attending Beijing Regional Meet-up, Eastern China iGEM Meet-up, Southern China Regional Meet-up and Northeastern Coastal Areas Online Meet-up

We discussed how to conduct experiments under the influence of the pandemic, and explored the possibility for further cooperation. We also exchanged our experience in team management, lab management, modelling, experiments and human practices.
During the meet-ups, we got in touch with UCAS-China, who has been studying the evolution of Helicobacter pylori during infection. We looked forward to combining our two projects in the future. (Figure 8)