Team:Alberta/Kit

TEAM ALBERTA

• HOME
• AT A GLANCE
• PROJECT
  • Overview

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  • BioBytes 2.0

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  • Software

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  • Modelling

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  • The Kit

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  • Kit Components
• ACHIEVEMENTS
  • Overview

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  • Medal Requirements

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  • Media
• HUMAN PRACTICES
  • Overview

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  • Distribution Analysis

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  • High School

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  • DiscoverElle Visit

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  • Safety
• PARTS
• TIMELINE & PROTOCOLS
  • Overview

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  • General Protocols

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  • Reusable Plates

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  • Base Plasmids

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  • Creating Parts

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  • Transforming Cells

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  • Anchor

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  • Beads

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  • Optimizations

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  • Software
• TEAM

GENOMIKON

GENOMIKON evolved from a team objective to bring synthetic biology to high school students. This proved to be a tall task as a high school environment has many limitations that don't apply to university research labs.

To work GENOMIKON must be:

• Require very little expensive equipment (autoclaves, centrifuges, -70C freezers)
• Fast
• Efficicent
• Easily shipped
• Inexpensive

The limitations imposed by the high school requirements forced our team to design a new standard for the assembly and production of DNA parts, BioBytes 2.0. The BioByte 2.0 standard solved most of the problems.

BioBytes 2.0 is:

• Fast: Parts can be added to a growing construct in 7 minutes.
• Efficient: It has been modelled to be 96% efficient. We have also used BioBytes 2.0 to create plasmids that have been transformed successfully into E. coli.
• Equipment: It does not require centrifugation or any other expensive equipment inherently.

The other limitations were solved by using innovative protocols and products:

• Equipment: Expensive micropipetters are replaced with precision droppers, which can accurately dispense small volumes of solutions.
• Easily Shipped: We will utilize lyophilized competent cells so that cold temperatures are not neccesary.
• Inexpensive: Based on our distribution analysis the kit will be inexpensive to produce and can be sold at costs that are lower than currently used high school biology labs.

[picture of kit buddi]

GENOMIKON was designed with safety in mind and as such it has many safety features built in.

• A common lab strain of E. coli DH5α is used. This strain has been used safely in labs around the world and was designed to be safe.
• Proper safety equipment is not required but will be recommended to further decrease the risks of contamination.
• The kit will teach safety education to the students.

When we tested our kit with high school students from the Edmonton area it had a warm reception. They had great things to say about the educational aspect and the scientfic aspect of the kit. They did give us some useful feedback. An in-depth look at this component can be seen on real world trials.