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May 11 2010

Project Ideas Poll

Hi everyone:

Please choose three ideas from the following list by Wednesday 11:59. When deciding, consider the feasibility, complexity, and your interest in the topic. The top three ideas will then be heavily researched, and will most likely form the basis of the actual project. Also feel free to add any other ideas that are not on the poll.

http://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?key=0AoaiDJQdUZSYdFkyQWN4WXlUbk95N3BXVGFhejlJTkE&hl=en

Brainstorm/Notes

Preterm Labor:

- one sign of preterm labor is an increase in pH above 4.5, indicating the presence of bacteria (bacterial vaginosis)

• ChvG/ChvI moderates acid-inducible genes in agrobacterium (A global pH sensor: Agrobacterium sensor protein ChvG regulates acid-inducible genes on its two chromosomes and Ti plasmid)

- labor induced by changes in expression of progesterone receptors, not the steroid itself (Progesterone Withdrawal and Estrogen Activation in Human Parturition Are Coordinated by Progesterone Receptor A Expression in the Myometrium)

- cervical length seems to be an important risk factor

- http://jcem.endojournals.org/cgi/content/abstract/94/6/2066

Concrete:

-Caulobacter crescentus produces a strong glue-like secretion, has been fully sequenced

References brought up during meeting

Temporal Signal Integration <biblio>

1. friedland pmid=19478183

</biblio>

Second generation genetic circuit review: <biblio>

1. lu pmid=20010597

</biblio>

Biological Networks Review http://arjournals.annualreviews.org/doi/pdf/10.1146/annurev.bioeng.3.1.391

For Next Time

Every team member should research the following:

• possible gene circuit designs
• existing networks in nature
• compelling applications for ratiometric sensors other than preterm labor
• potential reporters (these will probably be application-specific ie. GFP wouldn't work for preterm labor)

Additionally, you should come up with a list of objectives that will need to be completed and rank them in order of importance.

To aid in all of the above, each team member should meet with a grad student by next time. Email one of them to set up a meeting.