project description

The Harvard iGarden is a venture into plant engineering. Our aim is to create a toolkit for the cultivation of a personalized garden containing features introduced through synthetic biology. We are currently working on two independent features to be included in this toolkit - inclusion of novel flavors and knockdown of plant allergens. In addition, we are working on the creation of a "genetic fence" to prevent the spread of foreign genetic material. All components are designed to fit the biobrick standard.

We are introducing biobrick parts to plants through agrobacterium-mediated transformation. To do so, we have modified existing agrobacterium vectors designed for plant transformation to include the biobrick multiple cloning site.

The Harvard iGarden, beyond being a simple application of the biobrick system to plant engineering, is an effort to raise public awareness of synthetic biology by bringing its effects down to a personal and more tangible level. We envision the iGarden as an introduction of sort to the world of genetic engineering, a medium through which the non-scientist can see the power and potential of such technology.