Team:Rochester/Attributions

UR igem wiki team

UteRus

Home
Team Attributions Collaborations Partnership
Description Wet Lab Design Experiments Implementation Model Hardware Software Safety Contribution Engineering Success Sustainable
Parts
Human Practices Integrated Human Education Inclusion
Awards

Attributions

Students

Emily Laskey

Emily Schiller

Ethan Chen

Gabe Isaacson

Heather Shi

Helen Shammas

Isabel Lopez

James Tang

Linh Hoang

Meghan Martin

Nello Gu

Zivile Vebraite

Principal Investigator

Anne Meyer

Advisors

Alexis Stein

Nancy Chen

Omar Soufan

Teaching Assistants

Lynn Sidor

Ram Gona

Roger White

Team Training and Project Start

With the purpose of providing undergraduates with hands-on research experience, the University of Rochester implemented iGEM in 2020 as a two semester eight credit course (BIO228A and BIO228B). There is a mandatory, non-credited summer session where students receive stipends. Additionally, there is an optional half credit writing course that students can take during the Fall Semester (BIO228W). Through an application process, twelve students are selected to participate in the iGEM program. Any student interested in taking the course can learn more about iGEM and obtain a copy of the syllabus from the course instructor. Aside from BIO228A and BIO228B, there are no synthetic biology courses offered by the University of Rochester.
During the first week of February, our team had the opportunity to meet one another and start our creative brainstorming journey. Through the beginning of April, we gave brief presentations to our advisors in order to narrow down our iGEM project idea. On April 16th, our team voted on this year’s project and spent the remainder of the spring semester forming plans for the summer session. However, due to COVID-19 we are unable to access our lab so we shifted our focus into developing more specific wet lab protocols, creating models, designing hardware, science education and integrating our project into society.

Acknowledgements

General support

University of Rochester Department of Biology

  • Provided laboratory space

    • Advisors

  • See above

    • Teaching Assistants

  • See above

    • Project support and advice

    Dr. Ashley Gubbels
    MD, FACOG, Assistant Program Director, Fellowship in Minimally Invasive Gynecologic Surgery, University of Rochester Medical Center, Assistant Professor, Department of OBGYN University of Rochester Medical Center.

    Dr. Gubbels gave feedback on our overall project design and endometriosis educational material. She also shared knowledge about endometriosis pathophysiology and connected our team with endometriosis organizations and activists. Additionally, Dr. Gubbels was a panelist in our Perspectives in Women’s Health event.

    Dr. Idahliz Flores-Caldera
    PhD in Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Professor Department of Basic Sciences- Division of Microbiology Department of Ob-Gyn, Ponce Health Sciences University- School of Medicine, Ponce Research Institution- Chair of Women’s Health Division.

    Dr. Flores provided guidance for our wet lab team by meeting with us see every two weeks to discuss biomarker selection and assay design. She also shared her research data for our modeling team to make the endometriosis risk assessment model and gave feedback on our endometriosis infographics.

    Dr. Peter K. Gregersen
    MD, Professor, Institute of Molecular Medicine, Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research, Professor, Molecular Medicine, Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell.

    Dr. Gregersen gave us advice on biomarker selection and wet lab assay design. Dr. Gregersen also shared his knowledge about utilizing menstrual blood in diagnostics.

    Dr. Christine Metz
    PhD in Immunology and Pathology, Professor, Institute of Molecular Medicine, Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research, Director, Faculty Affairs, Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research, Associate Dean and Professor, Elmezzi Graduate School of Molecular Medicine, Professor, Molecular Medicine and Obstetrics & Gynecology, Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell.

    Dr. Metz gave us advice on biomarker selection and wet lab assay design. Dr. Metz also shared her knowledge about utilizing menstrual blood in diagnostics.

    Dr. Douglas Stockman
    MD, Clinical Associate Professor in Department of Family Medicine University of Rochester Medical Center, Director of Global and Refugee Health for the Department of Family Medicine University of Rochester Medical Center.

    Drawing on his knowledge of global health and experiences practicing medicine in rural Honduras, Dr. Stockman gave our team advice on how to tailor our project design to be accessible in medically underserved areas.

    Sophie Zivku
    Corporate Communications Manager at Diva International Inc.

    Sophie gave feedback on our endometriosis education materials and our hardware tools including the U.V. sanitizer, menstrual blood syringe, and menstrual cup.

    Amber English
    Co-Founder of Pixie Cup Inc.

    Amber gave feedback on the U.V light sterilizer and gave us more perspective for the marketing potential of sterilizers.

    Patrick Crawford
    A.P. Biology Teacher at Auburn High School.

    Mr. Crawford gave our team feedback on our Upward Bound synthetic biology modules. He also gave our team ideas on how to integrate synthetic biology in high school curriculum.

    Curtis Birthwright
    5th grade elementary school from Rochester City School District.

    Mr. Birthwright inspired our team to create experiments for young children to spark their interests in science. The team learned various techniques on how to design and teach the lessons to maximize engagement with the students in an online format.

    Kathryn Frank
    5th grade elementary school from Rochester City School District.

    Mr. Birthwright and Ms. Frank inspired our team to create experiments for young children to spark their interests in science. The team learned various techniques on how to design and teach the lessons to maximize engagement with the students in an online format.

    Dr. Noemie Elhadad
    Associate Professor of Biomedical Informatics, Columbia University, Graduate Program Director, Columbia University Department of Bioinformatics, Creator of PHENDO Mobile App.

    Dr. Elhadad gave our modeling team advice on data management, predictive modeling, and how to integrate models into web applications. She also shared her research data for development of our endometriosis risk assessment model. Additionally, Dr. Elhadad was a panelist in our Perspectives in Women’s Health event

    Dr. Benjamin Miller
    Dean’s Professor of Dermatology, Professor of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Biomedical Engineering ,Optics.

    Dr. Miller provided insight on methods of developing the hardware and software related to the lateral flow assay model. He also gave advice on what to look out for and how to deal with possible obstacles.

    Jeffrey Beard
    Biomedical engineering PhD Student at the University of Rochester.

    Mr. Beard provided insight on methods of developing the hardware and software related to the lateral flow assay model. He also gave advice on what to look out for and how to deal with possible obstacles.

    Colleen Maillie
    PhD Candidate at The Scripps Research Institute

    Colleen Maillie helped with navigating and understanding rosetta modeling software and Pymol protein software.

    Fundraising help and advice

    University of Rochester

  • Provided FLARE grants to give undergraduates financial support during the summer iGEM session

  • Biology department provided the Teaching Innovation Grant

    • University of Rochester Center for Excellence in Learning

  • Provided grant for iGEM program

    • University of Rochester Advancement

  • Organized donation campaigns through alumni

    • Endometriosis Foundation of America

  • Partnered with our virtual 5k run and shared donations.

    • Human Practices support

    Dr. Amy Benjamin
    Board certified gynecologist at the University of Rochester，Director for the Center for Pelvic Pain and Vulvar Disorders，Director of the Minimally Invasive Gynecologic Surgery Fellowship.

    Dr. Benjamin reviewed our educational material as well as helping us through the process of creating the content. Stressed the importance of including information for the LGBTQIA+ community. strengthening our determination for creating contents and continue advocacy for LGBTQIA+ community.

    Danielle Keiser
    Executive Director, Menstrual Health Hub.

    Danielle, on behalf of the Menstrual Health Hub, gave us feedback on the menstrual and sexual health portion of our endometriosis education materials.

    Heather Guidone
    BCPA, Program Director of the Center for Endometriosis Care.

    Heather gave our team feedback on our endometriosis education material and promoted our materials in the Center for Endometriosis Care. She also connected us with other professionals in the field.

    Phil Rey Gibbons
    Musician and Composer

    Mr Gibbons gave us permission to use his music Ad Honorem for our endometriosis SAA dance video.

    Endometriosis UK
    Endometriosis UK gave us feedback on our endometriosis educational material and promoted our project through their social media.

    Endometriosis Foundation of America
    The Endometriosis Foundation of America gave us feedback on and distributed our endometriosis educational materials.

    Lab support

    Listed above in advisor support

    Difficult technique support

    Listed above in advisor support

    Project advisor support

    Listed above in advisor support

    Wiki support

    The team did not use any wiki support

    Presentation coaching

    Listed above in advisor support

    Science as Art

    Listed above in student support

    Sponsors and their Logos