Team:Baltimore US/Team

Synthetic biology research requires more cost effective approaches toward reagents and hardware accessibility. We are developing low-cost alternatives to existing hardware and enzymes in an attempt to expand participation in biological research and development. Our project expands the accessibility of Taq Polymerase by engineering it in a form compatible with BioBrick assembly. This allows use of the over-expressed enzyme from a crude bacterial extract in a PCR reaction at a fraction of the cost of highly purified commercial enzyme. In addition, we have developed inexpensive and easily assembled lab equipment such as a gel electrophoresis apparatus and a PCR thermal cycler. Enabling researchers to synthesize their own enzymes and having access to inexpensive tools will allow for increased participation among the DIY-bio community, stretch increasingly scarce educational funds, and allow rapid scale up of large scale gene synthesis projects.

Advisors:

• Lab Manager/Advisor: Thomas Burkett
• Advisor 1: Lisa Scheifele
• Advisor 2: T Elizabeth Goode

Undergrads:

• Student 1: Ryan Ogle, LMT
• Student 2: Patrick O'Neil
• Student 3: Robert Buck
• Student 4: Miles Pekala
• Student 5: Gary Cygiel
• Student 6: Steven Stowell
• Student 7: Duke Kessler
• Student 8: Bernadette Gallagher