Team:Edinburgh/Human

From 2010.igem.org

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   <li><a href="https://2010.igem.org/Team:Edinburgh/BioBricks#Genomic">submitted parts</a></li>
   <li><a href="https://2010.igem.org/Team:Edinburgh/BioBricks#Genomic">submitted parts</a></li>
   <li><a href="https://2010.igem.org/Team:Edinburgh/Results#Genomic">results</a></li>
   <li><a href="https://2010.igem.org/Team:Edinburgh/Results#Genomic">results</a></li>
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   <li><a href="https://2010.igem.org/Team:Edinburgh/Project/Future">future work</a></li>
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   <li><a href="https://2010.igem.org/Team:Edinburgh/Project/Future">the future</a></li>
   <li><a href="https://2010.igem.org/Team:Edinburgh/Project/References">references</a></li>
   <li><a href="https://2010.igem.org/Team:Edinburgh/Project/References">references</a></li>
   </ul>
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  <li><a href="https://2010.igem.org/Team:Edinburgh/Bacterial" class="dir">bacterial BRIDGEs</a>
  <li><a href="https://2010.igem.org/Team:Edinburgh/Bacterial" class="dir">bacterial BRIDGEs</a>
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   <li><a href="https://2010.igem.org/Team:Edinburgh/Bacterial/Core_repressilator">the repressilator</a></li>
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   <li><a href="https://2010.igem.org/Team:Edinburgh/Bacterial/Core_repressilator">the project</a></li>
   <li><a href="https://2010.igem.org/Team:Edinburgh/Bacterial/Red_light_producer">red light</a></li>
   <li><a href="https://2010.igem.org/Team:Edinburgh/Bacterial/Red_light_producer">red light</a></li>
   <li><a href="https://2010.igem.org/Team:Edinburgh/Bacterial/Red_light_sensor">red sensor</a></li>
   <li><a href="https://2010.igem.org/Team:Edinburgh/Bacterial/Red_light_sensor">red sensor</a></li>
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   <li><a href="https://2010.igem.org/Team:Edinburgh/BioBricks#Bacterial">submitted parts</a></li>
   <li><a href="https://2010.igem.org/Team:Edinburgh/BioBricks#Bacterial">submitted parts</a></li>
   <li><a href="https://2010.igem.org/Team:Edinburgh/Results#Bacterial">results</a></li>
   <li><a href="https://2010.igem.org/Team:Edinburgh/Results#Bacterial">results</a></li>
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   <li><a href="https://2010.igem.org/Team:Edinburgh/Bacterial/Future">future work</a></li>
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   <li><a href="https://2010.igem.org/Team:Edinburgh/Bacterial/Future">the future</a></li>
   <li><a href="https://2010.igem.org/Team:Edinburgh/Bacterial/References">references</a></li>
   <li><a href="https://2010.igem.org/Team:Edinburgh/Bacterial/References">references</a></li>
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   <li><a href="https://2010.igem.org/Team:Edinburgh/Modelling/Bacterial">the bacterial model</a></li>
   <li><a href="https://2010.igem.org/Team:Edinburgh/Modelling/Bacterial">the bacterial model</a></li>
   <li><a href="https://2010.igem.org/Team:Edinburgh/Modelling/Signalling">the signalling model</a></li>
   <li><a href="https://2010.igem.org/Team:Edinburgh/Modelling/Signalling">the signalling model</a></li>
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  <li><a href="https://2010.igem.org/Team:Edinburgh/Modelling/Tools">tools</a></li>
   <li><a href="https://2010.igem.org/Team:Edinburgh/Results#Modelling">results</a></li>
   <li><a href="https://2010.igem.org/Team:Edinburgh/Results#Modelling">results</a></li>
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   <li><a href="https://2010.igem.org/Team:Edinburgh/Modelling/Future">future work</a></li>
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   <li><a href="https://2010.igem.org/Team:Edinburgh/Modelling/Future">the future</a></li>
   <li><a href="https://2010.igem.org/Team:Edinburgh/Modelling/References">references</a></li>
   <li><a href="https://2010.igem.org/Team:Edinburgh/Modelling/References">references</a></li>
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  <li><a href="https://2010.igem.org/Team:Edinburgh/Human" class="dir">human BRIDGEs</a>
  <li><a href="https://2010.igem.org/Team:Edinburgh/Human" class="dir">human BRIDGEs</a>
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   <li><a href="https://2010.igem.org/Team:Edinburgh/Human/Aspects">human aspects</a></li>
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   <li><a href="https://2010.igem.org/Team:Edinburgh/Human/Communication">communication of science</a></li>
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  <li><a href="https://2010.igem.org/Team:Edinburgh/Human/Branding">iGEM survey</a></li>
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  <li><a href="https://2010.igem.org/Team:Edinburgh/Human/Conversations">conversations</a></li>
   <li><a href="https://2010.igem.org/Team:Edinburgh/Human/Epic">the epic</a></li>
   <li><a href="https://2010.igem.org/Team:Edinburgh/Human/Epic">the epic</a></li>
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   <li><a href="https://2010.igem.org/Team:Edinburgh/Results#Human">results</a></li>
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   <li><a href="https://2010.igem.org/Team:Edinburgh/Human/FutureApps">future applications</a></li>
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   <li><a href="https://2010.igem.org/Team:Edinburgh/Human/Future">future work</a></li>
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   <li><a href="https://2010.igem.org/Team:Edinburgh/Results#Human">further thoughts</a></li>
   <li><a href="https://2010.igem.org/Team:Edinburgh/Human/References">references</a></li>
   <li><a href="https://2010.igem.org/Team:Edinburgh/Human/References">references</a></li>
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  <li><a href="https://2010.igem.org/Team:Edinburgh/Notebook" class="dir">lab notes&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</a>
  <li><a href="https://2010.igem.org/Team:Edinburgh/Notebook" class="dir">lab notes&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</a>
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   <li><a href="https://2010.igem.org/Team:Edinburgh/Notebook">collaboration</a></li>
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   <li><a href="https://2010.igem.org/Team:Edinburgh/Notebook/Collaboration">collaboration</a></li>
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  <li><a href="https://2010.igem.org/Team:Edinburgh/Notebook/Attribution">attribution</a></li>
   <li><a href="https://2010.igem.org/Team:Edinburgh/Notebook/BRIDGE">BRIDGE</a></li>
   <li><a href="https://2010.igem.org/Team:Edinburgh/Notebook/BRIDGE">BRIDGE</a></li>
   <li><a href="https://2010.igem.org/Team:Edinburgh/Notebook/Red_light_producer">red light</a></li>
   <li><a href="https://2010.igem.org/Team:Edinburgh/Notebook/Red_light_producer">red light</a></li>
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   <li><a href="https://2010.igem.org/Team:Edinburgh/Notebook/Blue_light_producer">blue light</a></li>
   <li><a href="https://2010.igem.org/Team:Edinburgh/Notebook/Blue_light_producer">blue light</a></li>
   <li><a href="https://2010.igem.org/Team:Edinburgh/Notebook/Blue_light_sensor">blue sensor</a></li>
   <li><a href="https://2010.igem.org/Team:Edinburgh/Notebook/Blue_light_sensor">blue sensor</a></li>
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  <li><a href="https://2010.igem.org/Team:Edinburgh/Notebook/Green_light_producer">green light</a></li>
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  <li><a href="https://2010.igem.org/Team:Edinburgh/Notebook/Green_light_sensor">green sensor</a></li>
   <li><a href="https://2010.igem.org/Team:Edinburgh/Notebook/Modelling">modelling</a></li>
   <li><a href="https://2010.igem.org/Team:Edinburgh/Notebook/Modelling">modelling</a></li>
   <li><a href="https://2010.igem.org/Team:Edinburgh/Notebook/Safety">safety</a></li>
   <li><a href="https://2010.igem.org/Team:Edinburgh/Notebook/Safety">safety</a></li>
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<a name="Introduction" id="Introduction"></a><h2>Human BRIDGEs</h2>
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<a name="Introduction" id="Introduction"></a><h2>Human BRIDGEs - Human practices</h2>
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<p>What happens within the <a href="https://2010.igem.org/Main_Page">iGEM</a> competition that doesn't involve <b>humans</b>?</p>
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<p>What happens within the iGEM competition that doesn't involve humans?</p>
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<p>Very little is my answer.</p>
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<p>Therefore, what has relevance to human aspects? Almost everything.</p>
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<p>Human aspects permeates throughout all parts of the iGEM competition, from the identities (in the broadest sense) of participants and the teams they are within to lab work to the decisions on project focus to the more obvious parts such as ethics.</p>
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<p>One thing I believe I'm good at is making people think.</p>
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<p>iGEM is a multidisciplinary experience. This situation lends itself to the encouraging of awareness of other ways of thinking than what one is used to. Through the interaction of people from various disciplines the way in which one starts to perceive what one is doing from another perspective. I have furthered that expansion during my time within the University of Edinburgh iGEM team by questioning how the team sees things from ethics to themselves as individuals.</p>
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<p>Very little, is our <b>answer</b>.</p>
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<div id="banner"><a href="https://2010.igem.org/Team:Edinburgh"><img src="https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2010/5/5f/Ed10-Banner.jpg" /></a></div>
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<p>Therefore, what has relevance to <b>human practices</b>? Almost <b>everything</b>.</p>
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<a href="top"></a>
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<p>Human practices <b>permeate</b> throughout all aspects of the iGEM <b>competition</b>, from the <b>identities</b> (in the broadest sense) of <b>participants</b> and the <b>teams</b> they are within, to the <b>decisions</b> on project focus and lab work, to the more obvious parts such as <b>ethics</b>.</p>
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<p>iGEM is a <b>multidisciplinary</b> experience. This situation lends itself to the encouraging of <b>awareness</b> of other ways of thinking than what one is used to. Through the <b>interaction</b> of people from various <b>disciplines</b> the way in which one starts to perceive what one is doing from another <b>perspective</b>. We have furthered that <b>expansion</b> during our time within the <a href="https://2010.igem.org/Team:Edinburgh/Team">University of Edinburgh iGEM team</a> by <b>questioning</b> how we see things from ethics to themselves as <b>individuals</b>.</p><br>
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<a name="Project" id="Project"></a><h2>Our Project</h2>
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<li><a href="https://2010.igem.org/Team:Edinburgh" class="dir">home</a>
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  <li><a href="https://igem.org/Team.cgi?id=322">official</a></li>
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  <li><a href="https://2010.igem.org/Team:Edinburgh/Team/Supervisors">supervisors</a></li>
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  <li><a href="https://2010.igem.org/Team:Edinburgh/Team/Advisors">advisors</a></li>
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  <li><a href="https://2010.igem.org/Team:Edinburgh/Team/Students">students</a></li>
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  <li><a href="https://2010.igem.org/Team:Edinburgh/Team/Environment">environment</a></li>
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<li><a href="https://2010.igem.org/Team:Edinburgh/Project" class="dir">genomic BRIDGEs</a>
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  <li><a href="https://2010.igem.org/Team:Edinburgh/Project/Protocol">the protocol</a></li>
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  <li><a href="https://2010.igem.org/Team:Edinburgh/BioBricks#Genomic">submitted parts</a></li>
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  <li><a href="https://2010.igem.org/Team:Edinburgh/Results#Genomic">results</a></li>
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  <li><a href="https://2010.igem.org/Team:Edinburgh/Project/Future">future work</a></li>
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  <li><a href="https://2010.igem.org/Team:Edinburgh/Project/References">references</a></li>
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<li><a href="https://2010.igem.org/Team:Edinburgh/Bacterial" class="dir">bacterial BRIDGEs</a>
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  <li><a href="https://2010.igem.org/Team:Edinburgh/Bacterial/Core_repressilator">the repressilator</a></li>
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  <li><a href="https://2010.igem.org/Team:Edinburgh/Bacterial/Red_light_producer">red light</a></li>
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  <li><a href="https://2010.igem.org/Team:Edinburgh/Bacterial/Red_light_sensor">red sensor</a></li>
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  <li><a href="https://2010.igem.org/Team:Edinburgh/Bacterial/Blue_light_producer">blue light</a></li>
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  <li><a href="https://2010.igem.org/Team:Edinburgh/Bacterial/Blue_light_sensor">blue sensor</a></li>
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  <li><a href="https://2010.igem.org/Team:Edinburgh/Bacterial/Green_light_producer">green light</a></li>
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  <li><a href="https://2010.igem.org/Team:Edinburgh/Bacterial/Green_light_sensor">green sensor</a></li>
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  <li><a href="https://2010.igem.org/Team:Edinburgh/BioBricks#Bacterial">submitted parts</a></li>
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  <li><a href="https://2010.igem.org/Team:Edinburgh/Results#Bacterial">results</a></li>
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  <li><a href="https://2010.igem.org/Team:Edinburgh/Bacterial/Future">future work</a></li>
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  <li><a href="https://2010.igem.org/Team:Edinburgh/Bacterial/References">references</a></li>
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<li><a href="https://2010.igem.org/Team:Edinburgh/Modelling" class="dir">modelling BRIDGEs</a>
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  <li><a href="https://2010.igem.org/Team:Edinburgh/Modelling/Kappa">kappa</a></li>
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  <li><a href="https://2010.igem.org/Team:Edinburgh/Modelling/Genomic">the genomic model</a></li>
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  <li><a href="https://2010.igem.org/Team:Edinburgh/Modelling/Bacterial">the bacterial model</a></li>
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  <li><a href="https://2010.igem.org/Team:Edinburgh/Modelling/Signalling">the signalling model</a></li>
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  <li><a href="https://2010.igem.org/Team:Edinburgh/Results#Modelling">results</a></li>
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  <li><a href="https://2010.igem.org/Team:Edinburgh/Modelling/Future">future work</a></li>
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  <li><a href="https://2010.igem.org/Team:Edinburgh/Modelling/References">references</a></li>
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<li><a href="https://2010.igem.org/Team:Edinburgh/Human" class="dir">human BRIDGEs</a>
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  <li><a href="https://2010.igem.org/Team:Edinburgh/Human/Aspects">human aspects</a></li>
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  <li><a href="https://2010.igem.org/Team:Edinburgh/Human/Epic">the epic</a></li>
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  <li><a href="https://2010.igem.org/Team:Edinburgh/Results#Human">results</a></li>
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  <li><a href="https://2010.igem.org/Team:Edinburgh/Human/Future">future work</a></li>
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<li><a href="https://2010.igem.org/Team:Edinburgh/Notebook" class="dir">lab notes&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</a>
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  <li><a href="https://2010.igem.org/Team:Edinburgh/Notebook">collaboration</a></li>
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  <li><a href="https://2010.igem.org/Team:Edinburgh/Notebook/BRIDGE">BRIDGE</a></li>
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  <li><a href="https://2010.igem.org/Team:Edinburgh/Notebook/Red_light_producer">red light</a></li>
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  <li><a href="https://2010.igem.org/Team:Edinburgh/Notebook/Safety">safety</a></li>
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<p>Throughout the <b>project</b>, we concentrated our human practices <b>efforts</b> on a number of key <b>elements</b> within iGEM. Firstly, we sought to promote <b>awareness</b> of the fact that human practices <b>permeate</b> throughout almost every <b>aspect</b> of the iGEM <b>competition</b>, from the <b>reasons</b> that people are involved to the <b>results</b> obtained. The bolded terms on the <b>wiki</b>, and the text in the boxes at the side of the page, are <b>indications</b> of this awareness.</p>
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<p>Secondly, we stressed the <b>importance</b> of encouraging different ways of <b>thinking</b>, often stimulated through <b>self-reflection</b>. Every time we learnt something new, it was a form of self-reflection even if we were not always aware of it, and the more it was encouraged the more <b>possibilities</b> that were created. This ranged from making it easier to <b>communicate</b> and <b>collaborate</b> with other disciplines or individuals, to being <b>clearer</b> and therefore more <b>confident</b> about making decisions, and even the <b>understanding</b> of others, their points of view, and their cultures. The <b>multidisciplinary nature</b> of iGEM lends itself to these analyses easily.</p>
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<p>We also approached a number of other issues, such as that of <b>collaboration</b> versus <b>competition</b>, and how the two are not always mutually inclusive... the tension that may occur when collaboration is enforced on teams competing with one another for prestigious prizes is something that was very interesting to observe and document.</p>
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<a name="Introduction" id="Introduction"></a><h2>Modelling BRIDGEs</h2>
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<p>So many <b>insights</b> can be taken from this <b>multidisciplinary</b>, <b>multicultural</b> and <b>global</b> phenomenon that is iGEM if it is approached in the right way. <b>We</b> think differently now, how about <b>you</b>?</p><br>
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<p>An integral part of the engineering approach to biology is the use of modelling techniques that attempt to predict and understand the behaviour of complex biological systems before they are actually fabricated. One of the greatest advantages of models is that they can present an abstract picture of the activity of a part or device long before the actual biology - limited by the time needed for protocols such as PCR and transformation - can. Furthermore, they can help to simplify the mind-boggling amount and complexity of data and interactions involved into a more concise form with some measure of predictive ability.</p>
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<p>On the other hand, modelling remains very much a guessing game. Abstractions and assumptions are made at every stage of the process, and even then the finished model will fail to capture all the intricacies of working in biology: interference between various parts and devices, the host not always being a benevolent chassis, and so forth. The extraction of meaningful biological data upon which to base the model, for example kinetic rate parameters, is an extremely time-consuming process, fraught with difficulty and inaccuracy .</p>
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<p>Hence, biological modelling can be considered to be a little bit of a black art. If you're good, it will give you an answer; if you're very good, it might even be close to the truth.</p>
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<p>Still, in order to effect in the future the rational design and engineering of biological systems, advances in modelling techniques remain crucial. As happened in chemistry in the 1940s and 1950s, capturing the enormous complexity of such processes in a way useful for applications can lead to the establishment of new and useful disciplines. It is our fervent hope that this section of our project has made at least some small progress in this direction.</p><br>
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<p>Our primary goal was to ensure that all of our endeavours in the wet lab had a corresponding modelling element, including but not limited to a model for simulating the BRIDGE protocol, a model for the core repressilator system, and a model for each of the light sensor pathways and how they responded to stimulation by light of the appropriate wavelength.</p>
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<p>On the other hand, we didn't want to model just for the sake of modelling; in our opinion, modelling should always have a clear objective, aiding and adding to the biology in some way. For example, by highlighting possible problems or inefficiencies in the biological systems in question, or by testing two separate designs against one another to determine which of them would be more efficient in achieving the desired outcome, we would be able to solve theoretical conundrums and help our wet-lab team to eliminate unnecessary time and work. Although the time and feasibility constraints of the project and the setbacks we suffered along the way meant that this was not always possible, work continued throughout on refining and rebuilding the model to flexibly adapt to the continually evolving needs of our system.</p><br>
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<a href="https://2010.igem.org/Team:Edinburgh/Human/Communication">Investigating perceptions of synthetic biology from outwith the community, and how the discipline is perceived.</a>
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<a href="https://2010.igem.org/Team:Edinburgh/Human/Branding">Investigating perceptions of iGEM within the community, and how the competition is perceived.</a>
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<a href="https://2010.igem.org/Team:Edinburgh/Human/Conversations">Just some of the more interesting conversations we had over the summer.</a>
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<a href="https://2010.igem.org/Team:Edinburgh/Human/Epic">An epic tale of how a group of synthetic biologists suddenly turned author.</a>
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<a href="https://2010.igem.org/Team:Edinburgh/Results#Human">A summary of what we achieved through the construction and analysis of our models.</a>
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<a href="https://2010.igem.org/Team:Edinburgh/Human/FutureApps">Investigating future applications of our project from a human practices point of view.</a>
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<a href="https://2010.igem.org/Team:Edinburgh/Human/Future">Our vision of the future of the human aspects of synthetic biology, and where we would like to go next.</a>
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<a href="https://2010.igem.org/Team:Edinburgh/Results#Human">A summary of what we achieved through the human practices component of our project.</a>
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<span style="color:ivory;">Throughout this wiki there are words in <b>bold</b> that indicate a relevance to <b>human aspects</b>. It will become obvious that <b>human aspects</b> are a part of almost everything in <b>iGEM</b>.</span>
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Latest revision as of 03:04, 28 October 2010







Human BRIDGEs - Human practices


What happens within the iGEM competition that doesn't involve humans?

Very little, is our answer.

Therefore, what has relevance to human practices? Almost everything.

Human practices permeate throughout all aspects of the iGEM competition, from the identities (in the broadest sense) of participants and the teams they are within, to the decisions on project focus and lab work, to the more obvious parts such as ethics.

iGEM is a multidisciplinary experience. This situation lends itself to the encouraging of awareness of other ways of thinking than what one is used to. Through the interaction of people from various disciplines the way in which one starts to perceive what one is doing from another perspective. We have furthered that expansion during our time within the University of Edinburgh iGEM team by questioning how we see things from ethics to themselves as individuals.



Our Project


Throughout the project, we concentrated our human practices efforts on a number of key elements within iGEM. Firstly, we sought to promote awareness of the fact that human practices permeate throughout almost every aspect of the iGEM competition, from the reasons that people are involved to the results obtained. The bolded terms on the wiki, and the text in the boxes at the side of the page, are indications of this awareness.

Secondly, we stressed the importance of encouraging different ways of thinking, often stimulated through self-reflection. Every time we learnt something new, it was a form of self-reflection even if we were not always aware of it, and the more it was encouraged the more possibilities that were created. This ranged from making it easier to communicate and collaborate with other disciplines or individuals, to being clearer and therefore more confident about making decisions, and even the understanding of others, their points of view, and their cultures. The multidisciplinary nature of iGEM lends itself to these analyses easily.

We also approached a number of other issues, such as that of collaboration versus competition, and how the two are not always mutually inclusive... the tension that may occur when collaboration is enforced on teams competing with one another for prestigious prizes is something that was very interesting to observe and document.

So many insights can be taken from this multidisciplinary, multicultural and global phenomenon that is iGEM if it is approached in the right way. We think differently now, how about you?



Table of Contents





Throughout this wiki there are words in bold that indicate a relevance to human aspects. It will become obvious that human aspects are a part of almost everything in iGEM.