iGEM BSC_United

TEAM

Collaboration with UCAS-China

During the communication with the iGEM team UCAS-China from University of Chinese Academy of Sciences , we were suggested to use temperature control on the gene expression for the proinsulin synthesis. Although We did not take this advise due to some disadvantages of it such as a slow response to the signal for proinsulin, it still inspired us to use a lysozyme to disrupt the cell membrane of engineered B. substilis to promptly release proinsulin which has been expressed and stored in the cell. We have thus achieved a timely and high concentration of proinsulin release. In addition, we have obtained their valuable survey results, such as people’s viewpoints toward use of bacteria in their body.

Collaboration with BNDS_China

In our original circuit design, we used two signal conditioning units for the two electrochemical sensors, as shown in Fig. 1 below. The current signals output by the two sensors are subjected to analog through the process of after two signal voltage conversion, signal amplification, filtering, and other functional areas, and the converted digital signals are transmitted to the central processing unit.

Fig.1 The original circuit design. In this design diagram, the signals output by the two sensors are respectively filtered and amplified by two signal combing units, and then the processed signal is converted by the ADC and then transmitted to the MCU

After discussion with the iGEM team of Beijing National Day School, we decided to use the analog switch to transmit the signals of the two sensors to one signal conditioning unit. Therefore, the signals of the two sensors are automatically switched by an analog switch, and the signals are respectively signaled in the signal conditioning unit. The processed signal will be converted from analog to digital , which later will be transmitted to the central processing unit, as shown in Fig. 2.

Fig.2 The altered circuit

The modification has several advantages including reduced electronic components, simpler board layout and wiring, and eliminated electromagnetic interference in the circuit. The improvements are crucial for the fabrication of portable devices.

Communication with Future Team in Hainan University

While working at the lab in Hainan university, we got an opportunity of dialog with Prof. Wan and his students who plan to attend the iGEM competition in 2020. They have shown us their own project ideas about contaminated land recovery. Since we had a very clear understanding of our own design then, we told them our research and gave some reasonable suggestions. We were inspired by Prof. Wan’s question: how to prevent microorganisms from entering into the environment and causing damage to the environment? Such a question urged us to inspect our lab safety again to ensure no bacteria we were using could run of the lab.

More Than a Bulletin Board

We have also constructed close collaboration with BNDS_China, SHSBNU_China, ShanghaiFLS_China in the human practice program “More Than a Bulletin Board”. Through this collaboration we collected senior school students’ attitudes and opinions toward synthetic biology across 5 schools, 4 cities. In the activity, we introduce synbio to students with poster and questionnaire. In the end, we received positive comments from participants.