April 17, 18, 22

Brain storming/gathering ideas.

Idea 1
Alcanivorax Borkumensis is the bacteria that releases enzyme that can decompose oil. And we can design something like insulin producing system to solve oil spilling problems in ocean.
Problem: Similar system already exists.

Idea 2
Virus targeting-specific cells; they generally have one specific host. We can make drug delivery system. We can use receptor of coronavirus to target. Since we commonly catch cold, but we don't get seriously hurt, we could use this system for DDS.
Problem: It has to be tested to be proved to be a drug (require clinical study, etcs.; out of our range).

Idea 3
We can make new bacteria that imitate photosynthesis. We can extract only chloroplast part of photosynthesizing organisms – for instance, plants – or use cyanobacteria to make some kind of energy generating building parts: paint (cyanobacteria is the photosynthesizing bacteria). In case of stromatolite, we can use it as building structure.
Problem: We have to make e.coli to be as big as chloroplast. Also, since it physically surrounds building, there is problem when there is no sun or in bad weather. When it rains it could mess up sewage system.

Idea 4
Making a NAND gate with E.coli. We can use 0/1 logic with some kind of chemicals as input and output. And, we can make intermediate phase to prevent unintentional mix up of input and output chemical. We are thinking of lactose tryptophan as input. Since Stanford has done some basic works on this, we can take that advantage. If we make this, we can make a flip flop which is the basic component of memory system.
Problem: If we use chemical as input and output we have to control chemical level. We have to make a system threshold to differentiate 0 or 1.

Idea 5
Making a photographer with yeast. We are making a photographer with RGB cone cells and fluorescence. There already exists a study on cone cell receptors. We can make RGB ratio as 40:20:1 like human retina. Film would be yeast. Therefore, it can grow infinitely.
Problem: Film cannot be copied. We have to be careful not to get light on film after taking a picture. It is not a matter of sensing but processing images in brain. Therefore, we are not sure of the feasibility.

Idea 6
Copyteria; we make a bacterium that copies. We put dye or degrader in e.coli. It would be important to design a threshold. We have to make bacteria to be alive during the coping process and lose its color after the coping process. So we are making bacteria ink.
Problem: we don't know the threshold, and, even if it works, Copyteria have to perform in a dark room. Since the idea is to get an image from a reflected image, we don't know how this reflected image would be copied: too many unknown variables.

April 30

Brain storming.

Idea 1
Leeches prevent blood to from coagulating. There is already a product derived from vampire bat. If we use similar system to make anti-coagulant using bacteria, it may solve localization problems related with conventional anti-coagulants.

Idea 2
Using bacteria, we could make a carrier that has chemicals that can cure cancer with targeting-capability.

Idea 3
Using magnetosome, we could make a system that can detect magnetic field just like other iGEM teams made product that detect toxicity.
Problem: It would be reacting passively to the magnetic field, so it is not appropriate for detection.

Idea 4
We want to make an oscillator. There is a memory network used in remembering. We can combine it with telomere. We can manipulate time using this protocol.

Idea 5
Using vibration, maybe we can make bacteria that make sound.

Idea 6
If we can make a NAND gate, we can make a calculator. Maybe we can make a compare system. We can use this for comparing concentration difference, and we may use it in a cell system that we will build.

Idea 7
We can put antigen in mosquitoes’ saliva, and the mosquitoes would naturally put antigens in people to build them immunity against malaria. Since malaria mosquitoes are active only during night, we can use mosquitoes that are active during day.
Problem: It could make a problem if mosquitoes accidently inject too much antigens?

Idea 8
In case of DDS, packing is the problem. And we can use vesicle system for packing.

Idea 9
Using Na+ pump, we can make electricity: many related studies exist. There are microorganisms, which circulate electron. If we use this system in bacteria we might make battery.

Idea 10
RBCs can trap virus because virus can't replicate in RBCs. Such system can only delay infection; it is no cure. Therefore, it is not perfect system. However, many possible applications remain; we can use it for rabies because the infection proceeds faster than healing process.

Idea 11
There are many steps in mammalian cell replication. If we make a mammalian cell replicable in vitro, it would be very convenient for researchers.


Idea Sum-up
We can work on mammalian cell replication tool or DDS that works on respiratory system. So, we decided to dig more on those topics.