Attributions

Team Member Attributions

The members were asked to describe their individual contributions to create this team project. This included how they contributed to the research, experimentation, and presentation of our project, as well as how they contributed to make this year's journey an unforgettable one.

Below are the responses. Unfortunately, not all members were able to respond, though we still thank everyone involved in our project for their contributions.

Name	Description
Huiru H.	I am the co-project head with Fiona, and I focused mainly on building BioBrick constructs, testing proof of concept, and making contact lens prototypes. I’m also in charge of eating most of the failed cupcakes and dancing with a helmet on in the lab because biosafety.
Changsun L.	I am one of the experiment heads and I worked on building Biobrick constructs, finalizing the chitosan nanoparticle procedures and devising protein release experiment. I also worked on miniprep purifying the proteins produced from our BioBrick constructs. I wanted to find a treatment for cataracts because it is the leading cause of blindness according to WH2O2.
Fiona T.	I had a ton of fun (and stress) building and documenting DNA parts, adding compounds into cataracts model, and purifying proteins that didn’t get eluted!
Avery W.	I was in charge of modeling and wiki. People who visited our poster should recognize me by the sign I held: “Ask me about my modeling! ☺ For modeling, I researched, coded, analyzed, and typed all five mathematical models on prototype design, and built the nanoparticle calculator (software). For wiki, I coded the wiki HTML/CSS/JS pages, including the cataracts animation in the background that sadly no one noticed. I was also in charge of setting and enforcing deadlines for wiki pages, which as expected did not work out. When my eyes started to hurt after staring at a laptop screen, I played a crucial role in experiments serving as a secondary eppendorf holder, during which I patiently listened to Changsun or Huiru’s complaints about their experiments (and usually making them even more frustrated). I also documented the entire Boston trip through my selfies (see example).
Dennis J.	I am the safety head. I contributed other members in their experiments, research, and modeling. You have to remember, looks are deceiving, so do not forget to check your lab benches twice!
Austin L.	I free-rided on all the hard work of the seniors and used this purely as a way to build my resume. The resume-building part didn’t really work. I contributed mainly to literature research, and helped with the initial spring-boarding of the counteracts idea. In addition to literature research, I helped with policies and practice by bringing a few individuals for interviews. I also worked part-time on experiments, as I am otherwise known as the "miniprep-machine"
Alvin W.	I came into the lab everyday to warm up for a tennis game with exp_mas. Occasionally I read my summer reading. Otherwise, I blended ice cream with apple juice, froze Huiru’s hair with liquid nitrogen, gauged fish eyes without cleaning up, and ordered Pizzahut. In total, I had spent 10 hours of work to make a 2-minute video on how to make nanoparticles.
Angela L.	I am in charge of Human Practice. Throughout the year, I’ve worked on building programs to educate middle school students about synthetic biology, reaching out to eye doctors and veterinarians, interviewing cataracts patients, planning the bioethics panel, drafting the marketing plan, as well as holding fundraiser events. Other fun stuff I do include being forced by Changsub to clean up the lab for him, accidently leaving my milk from lunch in the minifridge several times, experimental baking with Hellen, failing frosting cupcakes with Huiru, and constantly stealing Dr. Chiang’s candies!
Moksha S.	Other than providing sarcastic banter, Indian food, and healthy ego bashing- I focused on making and imaging nanoparticles (our delivery prototype), contacting experts, and organizing fundraisers and public awareness events.
Justin Y.	I am the official pipette tip filler, trash dumper and autoclave master (aka “the lab slave”) -- just kidding -- I am in charge of the majority of graphic design, namely the team banner, poster and diagrams on the wiki. If anybody needed a graphic for their section, they came for me. Underneath all the colorful diagrams and cute infographics however, was a whole ton of stress and hard work, but I enjoyed it nonetheless!
Megan Y.	Aside from creating the marketing plan and taking over HP after the seniors left, during the jamboree, I shared my yummy peanut butter cups with everyone when they were hungry, and I (& Justin) caused the flight delay from JP to Boston:D (if that counts as a contribution) Anyways, I’m glad that I got to go to the jamboree, and I had a great time!!!
Leon Y.	I worked over the summer on cloning and sequencing the parts with extremely large bandwidth. It was a lot of fun and work to get through all the cloning cycles with the team. I also acted as a moral supporter before the final presentation!

Project Attributions

• All lab work was conducted at Taipei American School Sandy R. Puckett Memorial Research Laboratory by team members of the 2016 TAS-Taipei iGEM team, unless stated otherwise


• National Yang Ming University - NYMU_Taipei team (click to see collaboration page)
  • Consultation for troubleshooting our cloning procedure
  • Ran summer camp to overview entire iGEm process from start to finish
  • Ran nanoparticle calculator to give advice and troubleshoot problems and misunderstandings


• ASIJ - ASIJ_Tokyo team
  • Testing our cataract treatment and prevention calculator and providing user feedback


• Dr. Jason Cyster - Professor at UCSF University Department of Microbiology and Immunology
  • Advice on working with 25HC and exploring its properties in terms of cataracts treatment


• Dr. Tsu Chieh Cheng - Optomologist at Chang Cheng Eye Hospital
  • Information on challenges with current drug delivery systems and cataracts surgery
  • Feedback on our prototype plan


• Dr. Wei-Chu Wu - Retina Specialist, Associate Professor at Chang Gung Memorial Hospital
  • Information on current cataracts treatments and post operational complications


• Dr. Li Guo Min - Veterinarian at Nicholas Animal Hospital
  • Information on cataract development in animals and current treatments, such as the Ocluvet eye drops


• Dr. Jason Gestwicki - Professor at UCSF School of Medicine
  • Advice on 25HC regarding protein aggression and molecular interaction


• Dr. Eric (Ricky) P. Lee - Senior member of Technical Staff at Maxim Integrated
  • Assistance with troubleshooting problems encountered during nanoparticle synthesis and protein encapsulation


• Mrs. Michelle Bruce - Economics Teacher at Taipei American School
  • Reviewing and providing feedback on our business plan


• Mr. Alexander Kaufman - Former intern at RA Capital
  • Feedback on our business plan


• Dr. Catriona Moran and Mrs. Sharon Clapper
  • Sharing their experiences as cataracts patients and feedback on our final product


• Mr. Matthew Fagen - Computer Science and Robotics Chair at Taipei American School
  • Assistance for 3D-printing the contact lens mold


• Mission Biotech
  • Internal cutting sites removal for GSR and CH25H


• Integrated DNA Technologies
  • CH25H gene fragment, CRYAB gene fragment, GFP full construct, CH25H full construct


• Tri-I biotech
  • Sequencing and primers synthesis
  • Primer synthesis to remove stop codon (every gene we ordered)


• Origene
  • cDNA for CRYAA and GSR




• People involved in our bioethics panel
  • Mr. Steve Anderson
  • Ms. Anisha Vinod
  • Dr. Nathaniel Smith
  • Dr. Evonne Vidal
  • Mr. Brandon Maguire
  • Dr. Annemarie Costello

Some parts of this wiki have been derived from the 2014 and 2015 TAS_Taipei wiki, which was designed entirely by the 2014 and 2015 teams.
All aspects of experimental, modeling, and human practice were conceived and performed by students of the 2016 team, and are independent from the research performed by the 2014 and 2015 team.

• DR. SHARON HENNESSY, TAS SUPERINTENDENT
• DR. RICHARD HARTZELL, TAS UPPER SCHOOL PRINCIPAL
• FRIENDS OF TAS

A huge thank you to our collaborators and sponsors.