Team:Uppsala Universitet/Attributions


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External Support


This page is our way of thanking everyone that made our project come to life!

Principle Investigators

Margareta Krabbe at Uppsala University (UU)

For constant support since day one. Margareta was present throughout the whole project, supporting our choices and believing in our project. She made sure that we had a laboratory space as well as all the materials necessary to carry out our experiments. Without her support, this project would not have been possible.


Anthony Forster at Uppsala University (UU)

For providing excellent advice and support throughout the course of the iGEM competition. Anthony provided us with valuable feedback on every step of our process, from planning and execution of wet lab to presenting and writing the wiki. We are very thankful for his continual support and engagement in our project and would not have gotten as far as we did without his input.


General Support

Gunnar Johansson at Uppsala University (UU)

For guidance regarding which enzymes we should focus on and the obstacles to overcome when breaking down lignin.


Björn Alriksson at RISE

For giving advice on how to scale up and take our project out of the lab. Björn gave us valuable advice on what needs to be done prior to production.


Mats and Mike at General Electric Healthcare

For advising us in which columns to use for protein purification.


Experimental Support


Adrian Suarez Covarrubias at Uppsala University (UU)

For providing us with valuable advice and material revolving the organism Pichia pastoris. Since none of our team members had worked with this organism prior to the project, Adrian’s input was greatly appreciated.


Karina Lagerström at Uppsala University (UU)

For helping us with ordering components as well as instructing us on how to keep the lab clean.


Mats Omarin at Uppsala University (UU)

For providing us with lab equipment and helping us with anything we needed around in the lab.


Mikael Olsson at Uppsala University (UU)

For educating us on safety at the Biomedical Centre at Uppsala university.


Peter Lillhager at Uppsala University (UU)

For giving instructions in general safety and for helping us with ordering and receiving materials. Peter’s support made our project run smoother.


Staffan Svärd at Uppsala University (UU)

For generously allowing us to use the electroporator and sonicator.


Helena Grennberg and Per Sjöberg at Uppsala University (UU)

For supplying us with the material needed for thin-layer chromatography.


The Uppsala iGEM board

For connecting us with previous iGEM teams and providing valuable advice.


Letian Bao

For being supportive throughout the project, and giving invaluable advice even before the team was formed. Letian has helped us to solve difficulties during the cloning phase and provided us with E. coli DH5α cells, buffers and diafiltration columns.


Emil Marklund

For providing us with equipment, knowledge, assistance and material to fulfill the characterization criteria as well as providing us with modeling advice. Emil has given us valuable feedback and advice through our project.


Josefine Liljeruhm

For providing us the his-tspurple plasmid for bronze medal characterization.


Olle Pontén

For providing us with the knowledge of how to use a 3D printer. Thanks to this, we were able to use the 3D printer to create useful models.


David van der Spoel

For providing us with crucial lab resources and equipment. These resources allowed us to repeat experiments and procedures to validate constructs and more.


Daniel Camsund at Uppsala University (UU)

For providing us with equipment, knowledge and assistance when using plate-reader for conducting enzymatic assays.


Zigeng Ma at Technion (Israel)

For building the 3D model of a prototype test plant


Team Attribution


The team was divided into three main lab groups: Cloning, Protein Expression and Proof of Concept. More information about the students in each group can be found on the Team Page.

Cloning Groups

The cloning part of the project consisted of three cloning groups. These students were responsible for designing, ordering, cloning and purifying all the samples that we needed for our project. This group also worked on Bronze medal criteria 5 “Characterization of a part” as well as Gold medal criteria 2 “Improvement of a part”.

Group 1:

  • Jinwen Yuan - Lab group leader. Made up an experimental plan, coordinated tasks in the group and executed cloning experiments in the lab. Also worked on design, execution and analysis for “improving a part” gold medal criteria. Designed beautiful graphics for our wiki and posters.
  • Johan Erkers - Built protocols for cloning experiments and also helped with the calculation and preparation of solutions, as a genius in math and chemistry. Executed cloning experiments and also helped with yeast experiments in the lab.
  • Lilli Ahopelto - Amplified the shuttle vector and explored a side project: Expressing aeBlue chromoprotein in E.coli
  • Manish Chandra Singh - Built protocols for cloning experiments and explored a side project: Expressing GLOX in E.coli

Group 2:

  • Viktor Öhrner - Lab group leader. Made up an experimental plan, coordinated tasks in the group and executed cloning experiments in the lab. Worked on “improving a part” gold medal criteria.
  • Louise Andersson - Cat: contributed in all stages of the cloning process by bringing her unwavering enthusiasm which always brought up the groups spirit.
  • Vanja Höynäla - Waffle master: contributed in all stages of the cloning process and with her eye for detail she was a critical asset to the lab.

Group 3:

  • Qian Shi - Lab group leader. Made up an experimental plan, coordinated tasks in the group and executed cloning experiments in the lab. Also worked on planning, execution and analysis for “characterization of a part” bronze medal criteria. Designed beautiful graphics for our wiki and posters.
  • Jenny Eriksson - Spirited genie. Contributed in all stages of the cloning work; Made detailed records and drawings containing the scientific background and methods of every experiment; Helped out with enzymatic assays; A good communicator and team-worker who’s always high-spirited.
  • Erik Palm - All-purpose inquisitive humanoid. Contributed in all stages of the cloning work, made detailed records of daily lab operations; Was also active in the protein expression group; A very versatile and capable member, could jump-in for any task, adaptable and usable in any situation; Critical and inquisitive.
  • Irina Ehnström - Manual dishwasher. Contributed in all stages of the cloning work, made detailed records of daily lab operations; Good at planning, efficient and highly skilled, can be trusted for any tricky experiment; Cloning group’s assigned medium maker. Highly appreciated for doing all the dirty work (cleaning) for the whole team.
  • Gustav Ahlström - Joyfull individual. Contributed in all stages of the cloning work, made detailed records of daily lab operations, responsible for performing most of the control and quality assessment experiments; Indispensable DJ of the lab who can always enliven the atmosphere.

Protein Expression

The protein expression group worked with expressing our desired proteins in Pichia pastoris. They were responsible for the transformation of the vector, cultivation of cells, protein expression and analysis by SDS-PAGE.

  • Jonas Gockel - Lab group leader; Horseradish whisperer: Designed several BioBricks and set up an experimental plan, coordinated tasks in the group and executed protein expression experiments. Performed Horseradish peroxidase extraction from roots. Organized a collaboration with the iGEM Team DTU-Denmark.
  • Sofia Larsson - Mother of buffers: involved in the development of on-plate eGFP-expression screening, responsible for precise buffers; took part in transformation of Pichia cells, sampling and analysing expression cultures, and other protein expression related experiments.
  • Yannick Hajee - Apostle of Pichia: involved in organising sampling of expression cultures; took part in transformation of Pichia cells, sampling and analysing expression cultures, and other protein expression related experiments.
  • Hugo Grounes - Advocate of Pichia: analysed successful vector integration; took part in transformation of Pichia cells, sampling and analysing expression cultures, and other protein expression related experiments.
  • Tereza Hubackova - Guardian of Culture: involved in primary analysis of protein expression in Pichia in our lab; took part in transformation of Pichia cells, sampling and analysing expression cultures, and other protein expression related experiments.

Proof of Concept

The proof of concept group had the task to test enzymatic activity as well as measure lignin degradation. The group worked with different enzyme assays as well as different lignin detection assays.

  • Johanna Cederblad and Gabriel Torres - Co-group leaders. Conducted enzymatic activity assays on all the enzymes. Worked with different lignin samples and attempted lignin breakdown with various methods. Also conducted multiple potential lignin degradation assays and analysed data.

Human Practice

The Human practice group was responsible for how the project affects the world and how the world affects the project. We worked with the ethical and societal questions regarding our project and arranged meetings and workshops.

  • Jenny Eriksson - Human practice co-leader. Set up a plan for human practice work and coordinated tasks among the group. Planned the bioentrepreneurship event together with iGEM Stockholm. Had contact with companies, high schools as well as non profit associations. Arranged field trips to Stora Enso paper mill and Research Centre.
  • Erik Palm - Human practice co-leader. Erik was involved in shaping the work that was done in the group. He initiated many of the ideas as well as implemented them within the framework of HP. Erik had contact with companies, professors and other non profit associations. Erik initiated many of the collaborations with other iGEM teams.
  • Johanna Cederblad - Johanna came up with many ideas for the content of HP. Johanna has been a driving force in the ethical perspective of the project and has been important in the presentation of our project to other students as well as the work with social media. She took initiative in visiting and getting into contact with companies as well.
  • Tereza Hubackova - Arranged the visit at Wallenberg Wood Science Centre, which resulted in important feedback about our projective. Tereza took part in the work with social media and investigated possibilities for participating in conferencesResponsible for the collaboration with DTU iGEM team. Has given lots of ideas and new perspectives to the group. Tereza is a good communicator.
  • Gabriel Torres - Responsible for social media and our part of the collaboration with the Stockholm iGEM team. Participated in visiting companies. Always kept an eye on the feasibility of our ideas.

Modeling

The Modeling subgroup is responsible for creating a model that represents our concept.

  • Johan Erkers - Modeling leader. Worked with planning and setting up a kinetic model that represents our enzymatic system.
  • Jonas Gockel - Found funny quotes on GROMACS.
  • Qian Shi - Shared funny quotes on GROMACS with other groups.
  • Jinwen Yuan - Laughed at funny quotes found by Jonas on GROMACS.

Sponsorship

The sponsoring subgroups is responsible for reaching out to companies and forming collaborations and contacts.

  • Gustav Ahlström - Sponsoring leader. Organized, planned and executed communication and collaborations with various companies. Thanks to Gustav we received valuable lab material and support to be able to attend the Giant Jamboree.

Wiki

The wiki subgroup is responsible for creating and designing the wiki. They do this using HTLM and CSS.

  • Mariam J.Ndwatta - Wiki leader. Created, coded and designed the whole wiki. Held tutorials in HTML and CSS coding for the team. Also helped the sponsoring group to reach out to collaborators and took amazing photographs of us.
  • Yannick Hajee - Assisted in the primary design process of the wiki. Responsible for overseeing assigned content for the wiki. Uploaded content to the wiki and worked on some pages.
  • Hugo Grounes - Assisted in the primary design process of the wiki.Responsible for overseeing assigned content for the wiki. Uploaded content to the wiki and worked on some pages.
  • Sofia Larsson - Assisted in the primary design process of the wiki. Responsible for overseeing assigned content for the wiki. Uploaded content to the wiki and worked on some pages.
  • Viktor Öhrner - Assisted in the primary design process of the wiki. Assisted in the debugging of pages, helped with many alignment and space errors. Uploaded content to the wiki, worked on some pages.

Graphical Design

The graphical design team is responsible for creating graphics that represent the project.

  • Manish Chandra Singh - Graphic design leader. Worked on logo designs. Held a tutorial in working with Photoshop.
  • Vanja Höynäla - Worked on the logo designs, posters for the collaboration event between iGEM Uppsala and iGEM Stockholm. Designed the Human Practices wiki page.
  • Lilli Ahopelto - Worked on the logo designs.
  • Irina Ehnström - Worked on the logo designs, posters for the collaboration event between iGEM Uppsala and iGEM Stockholm. Designed the presentation templates and the iGEM Banner. Edited and retouched the pictures for the wiki.
  • Louise Andersson - Worked on the logo designs, posters for the collaboration event between iGEM Uppsala and iGEM Stockholm. Downloaded the fonts for the wiki.
  • Qian Shi - Designed beautiful illustrations and visual content for the wiki. Worked on logo and t-shirt design as well.
  • Jinwen Yuan - Designed beautiful banners for the wiki, illustration and the homepage video. Worked on logo and t-shirt design as well.

Project Leader

Katherin Vallejos Torres

Our rock. Our world. The best project manager that a team could ask for! Responsible for overseeing the whole project, dividing tasks, organising team meetings and team building activities. Made sure we all knew what we were doing and was always ready to put on her lab coat and assist in the lab when needed.

Sponsors


Without the aid of our wonderful sponsors we would not have been able to do what we did. We have immense gratitude to each and every one of them.

Uppsala University

We would like to thank Uppsala University for providing our team with a high quality laboratory and equipment. Our team could never have done the work we did without this critical support.

UTN

Our student union UTN donated generously to our team. Their generosity went a long way in providing our team with the opportunity to be present at the Giant Jamboree.

Thermo Fisher Scientific

Thermofisher provided our team with multiple biotechnical products that aided our team with the laboratory work.

Stora Enso

Stora Enso gave our team a generous amount of kraft lignin. Kraft lignin was an essential component in verifying our process and providing us with results.

SnapGene

SnapGene is a state of the art gene editing program that was provided to our team by its developers, GSL Biotech LLC. SnapGene's varying functions simplified codon optimisation and primer design.

Promega

We thank Promega for kindly providing us with midiprep kit, which was important in our work and made it possible to extract enough DNA for yeast transformation.

Intergrated DNA Technologies (IDT)

IDT provided us with 20 000 bp of nucleotides, which was used to synthesis a lot of our constructs. We thank IDT dearly for this charitable donation.

Gant

We kindly thank Gant for sponsoring us with shirts, to make us look professional and fabulous on meetings and the jamboree in Boston

Domsjö

Domsjö provided us with ligninosulphonate and kraft lignin, which enabled us to preform tests and assays on lignin. This was an essential part of the project and therefore we thank Domsjö for the kind offer.

New England Biolabs

New England Biolabs provided us with a plethora of different biotechnical products. These valuable components were used by cloning lab groups primarily and enabled an effective work in the lab.