Collaborations
Collaboration with Tongji University
Since the beginning of 2016, we have been kept in touch with the igem team of Tongji University to exchange our idea of projects. This year, their project is in the field of tumor hyperthermia and in the first place, had problem establishing their mathematical model of the diffusion rate of heat in cancer and the temperature variation of the normal tissues surrounding the tumor. After they knew that, in SJTU, we have specific courses on the tumor treating therapy and have some literal resources on tumor hyperthermia, they came to us for some help. We accepted the challenge and began with our work.
At first, we spent some time with their team leader and made clear their requisition. In the following days, we referred to our teaching resources and searched previous papers for clues and inspirations to solve the problem. After days of researching, we found a literature named ‘A mathematical model for predicting the temperature distribution in the laser-induced hyperthermia. Experimental evaluation and applications’ of great help. Based on the model in the paper and requisitions acquired through the communication with their team leader, we accomplished a mathematical model instruction for them in which contains the details of the model they need and waits them to adjust according to their specific experiment conditions and sent it to their team leader. He accepted our idea and thanked us warmly.
At first, we spent some time with their team leader and made clear their requisition. In the following days, we referred to our teaching resources and searched previous papers for clues and inspirations to solve the problem. After days of researching, we found a literature named ‘A mathematical model for predicting the temperature distribution in the laser-induced hyperthermia. Experimental evaluation and applications’ of great help. Based on the model in the paper and requisitions acquired through the communication with their team leader, we accomplished a mathematical model instruction for them in which contains the details of the model they need and waits them to adjust according to their specific experiment conditions and sent it to their team leader. He accepted our idea and thanked us warmly.
Here are some key idea in the model:
We set the tissue into control volume which conduct heat to each other:
Based on Bioheat-transfer equation:
We can get the following equation:
With the equation where n represent successive time steps of size Δt and (i,j) represent the location of the control volume,combined with certain boundary conditions,we can do numerical simulation to get the temperature distribution corresponding to time and location of the control volume in tissue after heating.[1]
We sincerely hope the igem team of Tongji University can conquer many problems they met and present a well-squared project which may promote the development of tumor hyperthermia to some extent.
Collaboration with Shanghai Tech University
This year is the first year of ShanghaiTech University to attend IGem competition. The communication between two teams began at the beginning of 2016 when some of their team members got in touch with our team leader and asked for advice on many aspects through Wechat. However, online communication is more or less obscure and inconvenient, therefore we decided to invite them to our university to help them deal with the problems they are encountering face to face.
The first problem is how to recruit team members. In the meeting, we introduced our way to them that is firstly holding up a training camp on biology knowledge and skills of consulting literature, after which we would have a test and an interview to ascertain our team members. Our way may of significance to their recruiting mechanism to some extent in the future.
The next problem is how to originate a novel idea. To inspire them, we showed them our summary of previous iGem projects done in the winter holiday and shared our view on many projects we adored. After that, we shared views on the categories of the projects we may further investigate and frankly speaking, we both broadened our horizons from each other.
Besides, they consulted us of the time arrangements in the remaining time up to Octorber. Firstly, we interpreted the rules of iGem to them and reminded them many dues in the schedule of the competition and told them to keep an eye on the notice on the web in case miss many important submissions and affect their performance. Secondly, we made a rough time plan according to our previous experience.
In the end, we shared many ideas with them on how to arrange team members, how to improve working efficiency and so on.
Even though the meeting lasted only about 3 hours,it waslong enough to build precious friendship between all of us from two different teams. And we sincerely hope our advice do help them with their work.
Apart from communication between team members, our teacher, professor Ma Gang also warm-heartedly participated in the construction of iGem team of ShanghaiTech University. In the beginning of 2016, Professor Ma Gang was invited to be the judge of the university-wide iGem competition. In the competition, Professor Ma offered his own advice and judgements on their projects and helped select the representative project of these teams. According to Professor Ma, this is a brilliant competition which improves him a lot.
Reference
[1] Sturesson C, Andersson-Engels S. A mathematical model for predicting the temperature distribution in laser-induced hyperthermia. Experimental evaluation and applications[J]. Physics in medicine and biology, 1995, 40(12): 2037.
