Difference between revisions of "Team:TAS Taipei/Design"

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<title>Applied Design - TAS Taipei iGEM Wiki</title>
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<title>Human Practice - TAS Taipei iGEM Wiki</title>
 
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<ul class="nav nav-list" data-spy="affix" data-offset-top="160" style='-webkit-transform: translateZ(0);width:160px;margin-left:0' >
<li><a href="#lensmodel">Lens Cataract Model</a></li>
+
<li><a href="#research">Research</a></li>
 
                         <ul>
 
                         <ul>
                             <li> <a href="#LensPrevention">Prevention</a></li>
+
                             <li> <a href="#professional">Professional Help</a></li>
                             <li> <a href="#LensTreatment">Treatment</a></li>
+
                             <li> <a href="#public">Public Opinion</a></li>
 
                         </ul>
 
                         </ul>
<li><a href="#construct">Construct</a></li>
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<li><a href="#outreach">Outreach</a></li>
 +
                        <li><a href="#impact">Impact</a></li>
 
                         <ul>
 
                         <ul>
                             <li> <a href="#ConstructPrevention">Prevention</a></li>
+
                             <li> <a href="#market">Marketing Plan</a></li>
                             <li> <a href="#ConstructTreatment">Treatment</a></li>
+
                             <li> <a href="#fundraising">Fundraising</a></li>
                        </ul>
+
                        <li><a href="#prototype">Delivery Prototype</a></li>
+
                        <ul>
+
                            <li> <a href="#step1">Purification</a></li>
+
                            <li> <a href="#step2">Nanoparticle</a></li>
+
                            <li> <a href="#step2i">Encapsulation</a></li>
+
                            <li> <a href="#step2ii">Release</a></li>
+
                            <li> <a href="#step3">Application</a></li>
+
 
                         </ul>
 
                         </ul>
 
</ul>
 
</ul>
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<div class="col-sm-10" style="padding-right:5%">
<h1>Applied Design</h1>
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<h1>Human Practice Summary</h1>
                                   
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              <div class="col-sm-12">
                <p>A main obstacle for protein delivery into the eye is that the cornea acts as a barrier and blocks materials from entering the eye. To increase the amount of proteins that reach the lens, we made biodegradable chitosan nanoparticles that can package and deliver proteins. According to literature research, chitosan nanoparticles can embed in the cornea, where the encapsulated proteins can be released as the particles degrade. This is a better solution than commercially available eye drops (since more proteins can be delivered through the cornea) and surgery (because it is non-invasive). In addition, the nanoparticles do not affect vision or the normal protective functions of the cornea. We show that our nanoparticles successfully encapsulated proteins. Proteins remain inside nanoparticles at 4℃, which allows for storage, but can be released at body temperature. Finally, we envision using these nanoparticles in eye drops or contact lenses.</p>
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                            <div class="row">
                          <h3><u>Packaging in Nanoparticles</u></h3>
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                          <div class="row">
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                                 <div class="col-sm-12">
 
                                 <div class="col-sm-12">
 
                                 <p>
 
                                 <p>
                                     The cornea is the outermost layer of the eye and protects the eye from foreign materials, but also prevents drugs from reaching the lens (Gaudana et al., 2010). Scientists have developed several methods to penetrate the cornea and deliver drugs to the lens, but many are invasive, such as implants (Patel et al., 2013). The most promising method is using nanoparticles as drug carriers (Cholkar et al., 2013). so we chose to use nanoparticles to deliver our proteins to the lens.  
+
                                     What we discovered through our findings in policy and practice helped shaped the trajectory of our project. We gathered data from researchers, medical doctors, veterinarians, cataract patients, and public opinions to find out the best way to develop our project so that it can benefit as many people as possible.
 
                                 </p>
 
                                 </p>
 
                                 </div>
 
                                 </div>
                              <div class="col-sm-12">
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                            </div>
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                                <div class="col-sm-12">
 
                                 <p>
 
                                 <p>
                                     Nanoparticles can be made from a variety of materials, but we selected chitosan for several reasons. Researchers have used chitosan nanoparticles in the eye; its low toxicity to somatic cells makes it safe and it does not affect the anatomy of the eye (Enriquez de Salamanca et al., 2006).  We also learned that chitosan nanoparticles can embed in the cornea, and its biodegradability allows the drug to be released continuously into the eye (figure 3.3) (Enriquez de Salamanca et al., 2006; Campos et al., 2005). Therefore, we want to load our purified proteins into chitosan nanoparticles (figure 3.4).  
+
                                     Our Policy and Practice is separated into three categories, Research, Outreach and Impact. In the Research category, we collected and analyzed data from researchers, doctors, vets, investors, patients and the general public. This information shaped the direction of every part of our project, including the construct design, nanoparticle prototype synthesis and delivery, biological modeling and the development of a marketing plan for selling our final product. In the Outreach category, we educated the public and spread awareness of our cataracts project, synthetic biology and science in general.  We also collaborated and communicated with two iGEM teams to help solve problems together.  Through educating and raising awareness, we hope not only to get more people involved in finding a solution to cataracts, but also to get more people involved and interested in synthetic biology research. The final category, Impact, includes working with organizations and infrastructure that is already in place to actually help people who suffer from Cataracts. We have raised funds, through bake sales and other events, to donate to the Himalayan Cataracts Project, a non-profit organization based in Nepal.  With the help of our business and economics teacher, we have also created a marketing plan and started discussions with several biotech investors about the possibility of getting our project to market.
 +
                                </p>
 +
                                </div>
 +
                            </div>
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                            <br><br>
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 +
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                  <div class = "row">
 +
              <div class="col-sm-12">
 +
        <h2 id = 'construct'>Research</h2>
 +
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 +
                               
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                                <h3 id="ConstructPrevention"></h3>
 +
                                    <br>
 +
                                <h3>Professional Help</h3>
 +
                                <p>
 +
                                    In order to improve how we develop our research and prototype we needed to get in contact with experts in the fields of eye surgery and cataracts research. Our first step was to contact eye doctors to discuss any problems associated with current cataracts treatment. Finally, while developing our project we realized that cataracts is a major issue in pets and other animals as well as people. As a result, we contacted local veterinarians to discuss what pet owners do when their pets contract cataracts. As our project developed, we needed more specific information regarding our genes of interest, cataracts development, and our delivery mechanism. We contacted scientists doing research similar to our own to get their opinion on our projects progress.
 
                                 </p>
 
                                 </p>
 
                                 </div>
 
                                 </div>
 
                                  
 
                                  
 
                             </div>
 
                             </div>
                         
 
 
                           <br><br>
 
                           <br><br>
 +
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 +
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 +
                                    <h3 id="ConstructPrevention"></h3>
 +
                                        <br>
 +
                                    <h4>Contact with Eye Doctors</h4>
 +
                                    <p>
 +
                                        We contacted local Taiwanese eye doctors to ask them about cataracts surgery. Here is a list of the doctors we contacted along with the information they provided:
 +
                                    </p>
 +
                                </div>
 +
                               
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                            </div>
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                                    <div class="row">
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                                        <figure class = "col-sm-6">
 +
                                        <img src="https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2016/3/3e/T--TAS_Taipei--Doctor1.png">
 +
                                        </figure>
 +
                                        <div class="col-sm-6">
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                                            <p>
 +
                                                Dr. Wei-Chi Wu is a retina specialist and an associate professor at Chang Gung memorial hospital in Taiwan.
 +
                                            </p>
 +
                                        </div> 
 +
                                    </div>
 +
                                    <p>
 +
                                            According to Dr. Wu current cataracts surgery methods are efficient and effective, but are not without their issues. Besides the issue of high cost of surgery, there can also be several different post-surgery complications such as infection, hemorrhaging, or secondary glaucoma. In regards to our project, he said one of the biggest issues we would face is non-invasive delivery. Currently, injections and incisions are the only methods for delivery because all current potential methods of noninvasive delivery either lack efficiency or induce with side effects.
 +
                                    </p>
 +
                                </div>
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                                <div class="col-sm-6">
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                                    <div class="row">
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                                        <figure class = "col-sm-6">
 +
                                        <img src="https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2016/7/7d/T--TAS_Taipei--Doctor2.png">
 +
                                        </figure>
 +
                                        <div class="col-sm-6">
 +
                                            <p>
 +
                                                Dr. Tsu Chieh Cheng is a optomologist at Chang cheng eye hospital in Taiwan. 
 +
                                            </p>
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                                        </div> 
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                                    </div>
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                                    <div class="row">
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                                        <p>
 +
                                            Dr. Cheng points out that aside from possibly causing complications such as astigmatism, myopia, and hyperopia, cataracts surgeries have risks, for wound infections, dislodgement of lens, and massive bleeding during surgeries aren’t uncommon. He remarked that our project sounded very promising, but the effect the drug has on other parts of the eyes must be checked. Furthermore, he suggested us to use rabbits or dogs as animal models, because they can be observed more easily. 
 +
                                        </p>
 +
                                    </div>
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                                </div>
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                            </div>
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                          <div class="row">
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                                <div class="col-sm-12">
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                                    <h3 id="ConstructPrevention"></h3>
 +
                                        <br>
 +
                                    <h4>Contact with Veterinarians</h4>
 +
                                    <p>
 +
                                        Cataracts trouble millions of people’s lives as a result of aging and diseases; however, many pet owners come across the problem of their pets suffering from cataracts as well. To alleviate this problem, we investigated if the potential benefits of our solution for preventing and treating cataracts can be applied to domestic animals as well.
 +
                                    </p>
 +
                                    <p>
 +
                                        As we continue to develop our project with consideration for the application on other animals, we realize that the slight dissimilarities among the lenses of different animals must be accounted for. Therefore, we consulted with veterinarians at clinics around Taipei. We visited two veterinarian clinics, (Nicholas Animal Hospital and Tai Pu Veterinarian Hospital) and asked various others about relevant questions regarding the viability of our project solution. From the interviews we gained valuable insight on the eyedrops that pharmaceutical companies have developed to mitigate the cataracts in the lenses. One of the drugs developed is called Ocluvet(R) which we purchased and used in our experiments to compare to our treatment model.
 +
                                    </p>
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                                </div>
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                            </div>
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                            <div class="row">
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                                    <figure class = "col-sm-12">
 +
        <img src="https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2016/0/04/T--TAS_Taipei--Trip1.png">
 +
                                    <figcaption class='darkblue'><b>Team members and Dr. 李國閔 from Nicholas Animal Hospital after an interview. </b></figcaption>
 +
                                </figure>
 +
                               
 +
                               
 +
                            </div>
 +
                          <br><br>
 +
                            <div class="row">
 +
                                <div class="col-sm-12">
 +
                                    <h3 id="ConstructPrevention"></h3>
 +
                                        <br>
 +
                                    <h4>Science Researchers</h4>
 +
                                    <p>
 +
                                        Researchers’ firsthand knowledge, regardless of how many papers one reads on PubMed, provides a better understanding on the topic of research. Thus, in order to gain a better view of our project, we have contacted professional researchers ,via email, who have in depth knowledge on 25 hydroxycholesterol, which is the main candidate for the cause of formation of cataracts.
 +
 +
                                    </p>
 +
                                </div>
 +
                          </div>
 
                           <div class="row">
 
                           <div class="row">
 
                                 <figure class = "col-sm-6">
 
                                 <figure class = "col-sm-6">
                                     <br><br>
+
                                     <img src="https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2016/5/5e/T--TAS_Taipei--Doctor3.png">
        <img src="https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2016/4/4e/T--TAS_Taipei--NPAnimation.gif">
+
                                    </figure>
                                     <figcaption class='darkblue'><b>Figure 3.3: &nbsp;</b>Nanoparticles containing our proteins embed into the cornea and degrade. The released proteins are then delivered within the eye.</figcaption>
+
                              <div class="col-sm-3">
 +
                                    <p>
 +
                                        <b>Dr.  Jason Cyster </b>is a professor of Microbiology and Immunology at University of California, San Francisco; School of Medicine.
 +
                                    </p>
 +
                              </div>
 +
                              <figure class = "col-sm-6">
 +
                                    <img src="https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2016/b/b6/T--TAS_Taipei--Doctor4.png">
 +
                            </figure>
 +
                              <div class="col-sm-3">
 +
                                 
 +
                                    <p>
 +
                                        <b>Dr. Jason E. Gestwicki </b>is an associate professor in the Department of Institute of Neurodegenerative Diseases at University of California, San Francisco; School of Medicine.
 +
                                    </p>
 +
                               
 +
                              </div>
 +
                               
 +
                               
 +
                     
 +
                        </div>
 +
 
 +
                          <div class="row">
 +
                              <div class="col-sm-6">
 +
                                    <p>
 +
                                    According to Dr. Wu current cataracts surgery methods are efficient and effective, but are not without their issues. Besides the issue of high cost of surgery, there can also be several different post-surgery complications such as infection, hemorrhaging, or secondary glaucoma. In regards to our project, he said one of the biggest issues we would face is non-invasive delivery. Currently, injections and incisions are the only methods for delivery because all current potential methods of noninvasive delivery either lack efficiency or induce with side effects.
 +
                                </div>
 +
                              <div class="col-sm-6">
 +
                                    <p>Our questions were primarily focused on how 25HC works on the molecular level. We asked questions such as: what are the current researches conducted that uses 25HC?  To what extent is 25 HC responsible for reversing protein aggregation? And what are effective methods for 25HC storage?  Both professors gave thorough responses on these questions, which we then used to in our experiments. One response that was particularly helpful from Dr. Cyster was his suggestions on effective ways to store 25HC, in which he provided us with a recommended storage temperature. On the other hand Dr. Gestwicki provided us with two published papers that helped us understand the mechanism by which 25HC reverses cataract formation and this helped elucidate our understanding of 25HC.  </p>
 +
                            </div> 
 +
                        </div>
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                            <div class="row">
 +
                                <div class="col-sm-6">
 +
                                    <div class="row">
 +
                                        <figure class = "col-sm-6">
 +
                                        <img src="https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2016/3/3e/T--TAS_Taipei--Doctor1.png">
 +
                                        </figure>
 +
                                        <div class="col-sm-6">
 +
                                            <p>
 +
                                                Dr. Eric P. Lee, Senior member of Technical Staff at Maxim Integrated
 +
                                            </p>
 +
                                        </div> 
 +
                                    </div>
 +
                                    <div class="row">
 +
                                        <p>
 +
                                            According to Dr. Wu current cataracts surgery methods are efficient and effective, but are not without their issues. Besides the issue of high cost of surgery, there can also be several different post-surgery complications such as infection, hemorrhaging, or secondary glaucoma. In regards to our project, he said one of the biggest issues we would face is non-invasive delivery. Currently, injections and incisions are the only methods for delivery because all current potential methods of noninvasive delivery either lack efficiency or induce with side effects.
 +
                                        </p>
 +
                                    </div>
 +
                                </div>
 +
                               
 +
                               
 +
                               
 +
                     
 +
                            </div>
 +
                          <br><br>
 +
                          <div class="row">
 +
                                <div class="col-sm-12">
 +
                               
 +
                                <h3 id="ConstructPrevention">Public Opinion</h3>
 +
                                        <br>
 +
                                    <h4>Bioethics Panel</h4>
 +
                                    <p>
 +
                                        We hosted a bioethics panel, where we invited teachers from various fields to engage in a conversation about bioethics and thoughts on our project in particular. The reason for including teachers from different fields is to allow our project and the topic of bioethics to be discussed from different aspects. Since we did this at the start of our project, the opinions shared and advice given during the panel shaped the direction of our project. 
 +
 
 +
                                    </p>
 +
                                </div>
 +
                          </div>
 +
                            <div class="row">
 +
                                <figure class = "col-sm-6">
 +
        <img src="https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2016/f/f7/T--TAS_Taipei--EthicsPanel.png">
 +
                                     <figcaption class='darkblue'><b>Dr. Jason Cyster </b>is a professor of Microbiology and Immunology at University of California, San Francisco; School of Medicine.</figcaption>
 
                                 </figure>
 
                                 </figure>
 
                                 <figure class = "col-sm-6">
 
                                 <figure class = "col-sm-6">
        <img src="https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2016/4/41/T--TAS_Taipei--PurificationAnimation.gif">
+
        <img src="https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2016/6/6a/T--TAS_Taipei--TeamPhotoHP.png">
                                     <figcaption class='darkblue'><b>Figure 3.4: &nbsp;</b>Purified proteins can be encapsulated in chitosan nanoparticles.</figcaption>
+
                                     <figcaption class='darkblue'><b>Dr. Jason E. Gestwicki </b>is an associate professor in the Department of Institute of Neurodegenerative Diseases at University of California, San Francisco; School of Medicine. </figcaption>
 
                                 </figure>
 
                                 </figure>
                             </div>                        
+
                               
 +
                               
 +
                             </div>
 
                            
 
                            
                           <br><br>
+
                           <div class="row">
 +
                                <div class="col-sm-12">
 +
                           
 +
                                    <h4>Survey</h4>
 +
                                    <p>
 +
                                        During TAS’s Spring Fair we conducted a survey, from which we derived a general sense of how willing people are going to buy products that are produced by GMOs, and our eyedrops in specific.
 +
                                    </p>
 +
                                </div>
 +
                          </div>
 +
                           
 +
                          <div class="row">
 +
                                <div class="col-sm-12">
 +
                           
 +
                                    <h4>Interviews with Cataracts Patients</h4>
 +
                                    <p>
 +
                                        We did interviews with two cataracts patients about their past experiences in different cataracts treatment, and extracted this information along with the responses from survey, and incorporated into some of the ideas in our marketing plan. Something in common that the two people we interviewed had was that they both suffered from inconveniences due to the lens options, which would either make one nearsighted or farsighted. Furthermore, complications due to the surgery varied among individual cases; one suffered from dryness and irritation of the eye, while the other had no complications at all. Nevertheless, both of them stated that the surgery process was efficient and effective; however, if given the choice to apply effective eye drops instead of surgery, they’d be willing to use it despite some may fear the idea of having nanoparticles in one's eyes. 
 +
                                    </p>
 +
                                </div>
 +
                          </div>
 +
                          <div class="row">
 +
                                <figure class = "col-sm-6">
 +
        <img src="https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2016/f/f7/T--TAS_Taipei--Patient1.png">
 +
                                    <figcaption class='darkblue'><b>Dr.  Jason Cyster </b>is a professor of Microbiology and Immunology at University of California, San Francisco; School of Medicine.</figcaption>
 +
                                </figure>
 +
                                <figure class = "col-sm-6">
 +
        <img src="https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2016/d/d3/T--TAS_Taipei--Patient2.png">
 +
                                    <figcaption class='darkblue'><b>Dr. Jason E. Gestwicki </b>is an associate professor in the Department of Institute of Neurodegenerative Diseases at University of California, San Francisco; School of Medicine. </figcaption>
 +
                                </figure>
 +
                               
 +
                               
 +
                            </div>
 +
                         
 +
                         
 +
                         
 +
               
 +
                         
 +
                    </div>
 +
                </div>
 +
                    <br><br>
 +
               
 +
                    <div class = "row">
 +
              <div class="col-sm-12">
 +
        <h2 id = 'construct'>Education and Outreach</h2>
 
                             <div class="row">
 
                             <div class="row">
 
                                 <div class="col-sm-12">
 
                                 <div class="col-sm-12">
 +
                                    <p>
 +
                                    Science is often intimidating to many, but with little explanation and some experience, it isn’t scary at all. Thus, aside from the goal to raise awareness of cataracts, the promotion of science and synthetic biology in particular, are also topics we aim elucidate.  Here are a list of activities and programs that serve our purpose.
 +
                                    </p>
 +
                                </div>
 +
                          </div>
 +
                            <div class="row">
 +
                               
 +
                                <div class="col-sm-12">
 +
                                <h3 id="ConstructPrevention"></h3>
 +
                                    <br>
 +
                                <h3>Kindergarden</h3>
 
                                 <p>
 
                                 <p>
                                     Below is a video of our nanoparticle synthesis procedure.
+
                                     Science is often intimidating to many, but with little explanation and some experience, it isn’t scary at all. Thus, aside from the goal to raise awareness of cataracts, the promotion of science and synthetic biology in particular, are also topics we aim elucidate.  Here are a list of activities and programs that serve our purpose.  
 
                                 </p>
 
                                 </p>
 
                                 </div>
 
                                 </div>
 +
                               
 +
                            </div>
 +
                          <br><br>
 +
                            <div class="row">
 +
                                <figure class = "col-sm-6">
 +
        <img src="https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2016/0/08/T--TAS_Taipei--Kinder1.png">
 +
                                    <figcaption class='darkblue'><b>Figure X. </b>Full Construct.</figcaption>
 +
                                </figure>
 +
                                <figure class = "col-sm-6">
 +
        <img src="https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2016/e/ed/T--TAS_Taipei--Kinder2.png">
 +
                                    <figcaption class='darkblue'><b>Figure X. </b>Full Construct.</figcaption>
 +
                                </figure>
 
                             </div>
 
                             </div>
 
                           <div class="row">
 
                           <div class="row">
                                  
+
                                 <figure class = "col-sm-6">
                              <figure class = "col-sm-12">
+
        <img src="https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2016/7/74/T--TAS_Taipei--Kinder3.png">
        <img src="https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2016/4/4e/T--TAS_Taipei--NPAnimation.gif">
+
                                    <figcaption class='darkblue'><b>Figure X. </b>Full Construct.</figcaption>
                                      
+
                                </figure>
 +
                                <figure class = "col-sm-6">
 +
        <img src="https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2016/6/67/T--TAS_Taipei--GSR_Construct_Experimental.jpg">
 +
                                     <figcaption class='darkblue'><b>Figure X. </b>Full Construct.</figcaption>
 
                                 </figure>
 
                                 </figure>
 
                             </div>
 
                             </div>
 
                           <br><br>
 
                           <br><br>
                          <div class="row">
+
                            <div class="row">
 +
                               
 
                                 <div class="col-sm-12">
 
                                 <div class="col-sm-12">
 +
                               
 
                                 <p>
 
                                 <p>
                                    Following the procedure of Quan and Wang (2007), we made nanoparticles and imaged them using scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy (figure 3.5). This revealed our nanoparticles to be spherical and at the optimal size of 200-600 nm (figure 3.6 and 3.7).
+
                                  We designed some easy experiments to let the Kindergarten students try playing with. We did this for several times, and the kids loved it. The experiments were usually very simple yet demonstrates important scientific concepts, for instance, we teached them how to use the microscope, why light reflects through prisms, how static electricity works etc.
 
                                 </p>
 
                                 </p>
 
                                 </div>
 
                                 </div>
 +
 +
                               
 
                             </div>
 
                             </div>
                                                    <br><br>
+
                            <div class="row">
                           <div class="row">
+
                               
                              <div class="col-sm-1"></div>
+
                                <div class="col-sm-12">
                                 <figure class = "col-sm-10">
+
                                <h3 id="ConstructPrevention"></h3>
        <img src="https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2016/7/7f/T--TAS_Taipei--MakingNP.png">
+
                                    <br>
                                     <figcaption class='darkblue'><b>Figure 3.5: &nbsp;</b> Team members imaging nanoparticles on the scanning electron microscope and atomic force microscope. </figcaption>
+
                                <h3>7th Grade</h3>
 +
                                    <p>
 +
                                        ???
 +
                                    </p>
 +
                                </div>
 +
                               
 +
                            </div>
 +
                           <br><br>
 +
                            <div class="row">
 +
                                <figure class = "col-sm-6">
 +
        <img src="https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2016/8/8e/T--TAS_Taipei--Seven1.png">
 +
                                    <figcaption class='darkblue'><b>Figure X. </b>Full Construct.</figcaption>
 +
                                </figure>
 +
                                 <figure class = "col-sm-6">
 +
        <img src="https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2016/f/f8/T--TAS_Taipei--Seven2.png">
 +
                                     <figcaption class='darkblue'><b>Figure X. </b>Full Construct.</figcaption>
 
                                 </figure>
 
                                 </figure>
                              <div class="col-sm-1"></div>
 
 
                             </div>
 
                             </div>
                        <br><br>
 
 
                           <div class="row">
 
                           <div class="row">
                                 <figure class = "col-sm-4">
+
                                 <figure class = "col-sm-6">
        <img src="https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2016/3/30/T--TAS_Taipei--SEMChitosan%28C%29.png">
+
        <img src="https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2016/8/8b/T--TAS_Taipei--Seven3.png">
                                     <figcaption class='darkblue'><b>Figure 3.6: &nbsp;</b>Scanning electron microscope image of chitosan nanoparticles</figcaption>
+
                                     <figcaption class='darkblue'><b>Figure X. </b>Full Construct.</figcaption>
 
                                 </figure>
 
                                 </figure>
                              <figure class = "col-sm-8">
+
                                <figure class = "col-sm-6">
        <img src="https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2016/2/27/T--TAS_Taipei--AtomicForceMicroscopeImage%28D%29.png">
+
        <img src="https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2016/6/67/T--TAS_Taipei--GSR_Construct_Experimental.jpg">
                                     <figcaption class='darkblue'><b>Figure 3.7: &nbsp;</b>We imaged chitosan nanoparticles using atomic force microscopy. On the left is the empty silica plate. On the right is an image of the chitosan nanoparticles, which were placed on the silica plate</figcaption>
+
                                     <figcaption class='darkblue'><b>Figure X. </b>Full Construct.</figcaption>
 
                                 </figure>
 
                                 </figure>
 
                             </div>
 
                             </div>
                         
 
 
                           <br><br>
 
                           <br><br>
                          <h3 id="step2i"></h3>
+
                            <div class="row">
                                    <br>
+
                               
                          <h3 style="text-transform: none"><i>Protein Encapsulation</i></h3>
+
                                <div class="col-sm-12">
                         
+
                               
 +
                                    <p>
 +
                                      For 7th Grade we decided to touch on synthetic biology more in depth, and therefore aside from teaching the 7th grade students the general idea of how synthetic biology works, we also introduced them to some of the basic laboratory techniques essential to synthetic biology. We conducted games where students had to identify RBS and promoters in order to test their understanding of the topic, and for the experiments they learned how to run gels and how to use the pipette.
 +
                                    </p>
 +
                                </div>
 +
 
 +
                               
 +
                            </div>
 
                           <div class="row">
 
                           <div class="row">
                              <div class="col-sm-6">
 
                                  <p>Next, we wanted to load our purified proteins into the nanoparticles. We first used colored proteins to qualitatively test whether proteins could be successfully encapsulated. To do so, we lysed bacteria expressing green fluorescent protein (GFP), red fluorescent protein (RFP), and green pigment (from pGRN, Bba_K274003). We then add the proteins to the chitosan solution. After nanoparticles were made, our results showed that we successfully encapsulated the colored proteins. When we further viewed the nanoparticles under blue light, the GFP- and RFP-containing pellets glowed (figure 3.8), suggesting that the proteins remain functional. Thus, our nanoparticles can serve as protein carriers to enhance drug delivery. </p>
 
                              </div>
 
                                <figure class = "col-sm-6">
 
        <img src="https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2016/2/21/T--TAS_Taipei--ProteinPellets.png" style="width:100%">
 
                                    <figcaption class='darkblue'><b>Figure 3.8: &nbsp;</b> Proteins were successfully encapsulated into nanoparticles. Figure shows nanoparticle pellets containing no protein, GFP, RFP, and pGRN (left to right) under white light (top) and blue light (bottom). Fluorescence of GFP and RFP-containing pellets shows that proteins are still functional.  </figcaption>
 
 
                                  
 
                                  
 +
                                <div class="col-sm-6">
 +
                                <h3 id="ConstructPrevention"></h3>
 +
                                    <br>
 +
                                <h3>IBSL</h3>
 +
                                    <p>
 +
                                        During the school year when we were brainstorming for potential project ideas, our team members were divided into several groups and gave presentations on those topics. This not only ensured thorough research on each topic, but also allowed us to receive feedback on those topics from both students and teachers. This really helped us decide on our final project idea. 
 +
                                    </p>
 +
                                </div>
 +
                                <figure class = "col-sm-6">
 +
        <img src="https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2016/4/4a/T--TAS_Taipei--IBSL1.png">
 +
                                    <figcaption class='darkblue'><b>Figure X. </b>Full Construct.</figcaption>
 
                                 </figure>
 
                                 </figure>
                                   
+
                               
 
                             </div>
 
                             </div>
                        <div class="row">
+
                          <div class="row">
                            <div class="col-sm-12">
+
                               
                                 <p>In order to quantitatively determine encapsulation efficiency, we measured protein concentration in the supernatant before and after nanoparticle formation. We started with 1 mg/mL of bovine serum albumin (BSA). After nanoparticle formation, we performed a Bradford assay and found that the concentration decreased to 0.28 mg/mL. As shown in figure 3.9, the encapsulation efficiency was 72%.</p>
+
                                <div class="col-sm-12">
 +
                                 <h3 id="ConstructPrevention"></h3>
 +
                                    <br>
 +
                                <h3>Science Research Symposium  </h3>
 +
                                    <p>
 +
                                        During the school year when we were brainstorming for potential project ideas, our team members were divided into several groups and gave presentations on those topics. This not only ensured thorough research on each topic, but also allowed us to receive feedback on those topics from both students and teachers. This really helped us decide on our final project idea.
 +
                                    </p>
 +
                                </div>
 
                                  
 
                                  
 
                             </div>
 
                             </div>
                              
+
                          <div class="row">
                        </div>
+
                                <figure class = "col-sm-6">
                        <br><br>
+
        <img src="https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2016/6/67/T--TAS_Taipei--GSR_Construct_Experimental.jpg">
 +
                                    <figcaption class='darkblue'><b>Figure X. </b>Full Construct.</figcaption>
 +
                                </figure>
 +
                                <figure class = "col-sm-6">
 +
        <img src="https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2016/6/67/T--TAS_Taipei--GSR_Construct_Experimental.jpg">
 +
                                    <figcaption class='darkblue'><b>Figure X. </b>Full Construct.</figcaption>
 +
                                </figure>
 +
                             </div>
 +
                          <div class="row">
 +
                                <figure class = "col-sm-6">
 +
        <img src="https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2016/6/67/T--TAS_Taipei--GSR_Construct_Experimental.jpg">
 +
                                    <figcaption class='darkblue'><b>Figure X. </b>Full Construct.</figcaption>
 +
                                </figure>
 +
                                <figure class = "col-sm-6">
 +
        <img src="https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2016/6/67/T--TAS_Taipei--GSR_Construct_Experimental.jpg">
 +
                                    <figcaption class='darkblue'><b>Figure X. </b>Full Construct.</figcaption>
 +
                                </figure>
 +
                            </div>
 +
                          <br><br>
 +
                          <div class="col-sm-12">
 +
                                <h3 id="ConstructPrevention"></h3>
 +
                                    <br>
 +
                                    <p>
 +
                                        We invited two science researchers to come to our school and give presentations on their research. This allowed us to learn how scientists conduct actual scientific research and also expanded our knowledge in other areas of science. Below are the science researchers that came.   
 +
                                    </p>
 +
                                </div>
 
                         <div class="row">
 
                         <div class="row">
                            <div class="col-sm-2"></div>
+
                               
                             <figure class = "col-sm-8">
+
                                <div class="col-sm-12">
        <img src="https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2016/a/ad/T--TAS_Taipei--EncapEfficiency.png" style="width:100%">
+
                                <h3 id="ConstructPrevention"></h3>
                                <figcaption class='darkblue'><b>Figure 3.9: &nbsp;</b>The encapsulation efficiency is 72%. Using a Bradford assay, we created a standard curve of known BSA protein concentrations by measuring absorbance at 595 nm. <b>Top</b>: graph shows absorbance values of the supernatant after nanoparticle formation. <b>Bottom</b>: cuvettes containing standard solutions (left) and the sample solution (right). </figcaption>
+
                                    <br>
 +
                                <h3>Club</h3>
 +
                                    <p>
 +
                                        ???
 +
                                    </p>
 +
                                </div>
 +
                             <figure class = "col-sm-6">
 +
        <img src="">
 +
                                    <figcaption class='darkblue'><b>Figure X. </b>Full Construct.</figcaption>
 
                                 </figure>
 
                                 </figure>
                            <div class="col-sm-2"></div>
 
                        </div>
 
                       
 
                              <br><br>
 
                                                         
 
 
                                  
 
                                  
                       
+
                            </div>
                           <h3 id="step2ii"></h3>
+
                            
 +
                          <div class="row">
 +
                               
 +
                                <div class="col-sm-12">
 +
                                <h3 id="ConstructPrevention"></h3>
 
                                     <br>
 
                                     <br>
                          <h3 style="text-transform: none"><i>Protein Release</i></h3>
+
                                <h3>iGEM Club</h3>
                          <div class="row">
+
                                    <p>
 +
                                  The iGEM Club was established X years ago, and the purpose of it is to raise awareness of synthetic biology in the TAS community. Club activities allow underclassmen to experience iGEM related activities and develop potential team members. 
 +
                                    </p>
 +
                                </div>
 
                                  
 
                                  
 +
                            </div>
 +
                          <br><br>
 +
                            <div class="row">
 
                                 <figure class = "col-sm-6">
 
                                 <figure class = "col-sm-6">
        <img src="https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2016/1/17/T--TAS_Taipei--BSATempComp.png" style="width:100%">
+
        <img src="https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2016/8/88/T--TAS_Taipei--Club.png">
                                     <figcaption class='darkblue'><b>Figure 3.10: &nbsp;</b>BSA proteins are released from chitosan nanoparticles at 37℃, but almost no change occurred at 4℃. </figcaption>
+
                                     <figcaption class='darkblue'><b>Figure X. </b>Full Construct.</figcaption>
 
                                 </figure>
 
                                 </figure>
                                 <div class="col-sm-6">
+
                                 <figure class = "col-sm-6">
 +
        <img src="https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2016/4/45/T--TAS_Taipei--FBTwitter.png">
 +
                                    <figcaption class='darkblue'><b>Figure X. </b>Full Construct.</figcaption>
 +
                                </figure>
 +
                            </div>
 +
                          <div class="row">
 +
                               
 +
                                <div class="col-sm-12">
 +
                                <h3 id="ConstructPrevention"></h3>
 +
                                    <br>
 +
                                <h3>Collaborations with Other iGEM Teams</h3>
 +
                                    <p>
 +
                                  We collaborated with various iGEM teams, including NYMU, ASIJ, Tokyo technology, etc. This not only created opportunity for us to help each other with problems that each team had, but also allowed us to exchange ideas and stimulate creativity.
 +
                                    </p>
 +
                                </div>
 +
                               
 +
                            </div>
 +
                          <br><br>
 +
                            <div class="row">
 +
                                <figure class = "col-sm-4">
 +
        <img src="https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2016/0/0c/T--TAS_Taipei--Collaboration1.png">
 +
                                    <figcaption class='darkblue'><b>Figure X. </b>Full Construct.</figcaption>
 +
                                </figure>
 +
                                <figure class = "col-sm-4">
 +
        <img src="https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2016/4/4f/T--TAS_Taipei--Collaboration2.png">
 +
                                    <figcaption class='darkblue'><b>Figure X. </b>Full Construct.</figcaption>
 +
                                </figure>
 +
                                <figure class = "col-sm-4">
 +
        <img src="https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2016/1/17/T--TAS_Taipei--Collaboration3.png">
 +
                                    <figcaption class='darkblue'><b>Figure X. </b>Full Construct.</figcaption>
 +
                                </figure>
 +
                            </div>
 +
 
 +
                    </div>
 +
                    </div>
 +
                    <br><br>
 +
                   
 +
               
 +
                    <div class = "row">
 +
              <div class="col-sm-12">
 +
        <h2 id = 'prototype'>Impact</h2>
 +
                           
 +
                          <div class="row">
 +
                               
 +
                                <div class="col-sm-8">
 
                                 <p>
 
                                 <p>
                                     After proteins are encapsulated, nanoparticles should embed in the cornea and release proteins as they degrade over time. To test whether nanoparticles degrade, we measured the release of proteins. After BSA-containing nanoparticles were made, they were spun down and the solution was replaced with phosphate buffered saline (PBS) (Wilson, 2014). Using a Bradford assay, we could then measure protein concentration in the PBS over a 72-hour period.  
+
                                     The cornea is the outermost layer of the eye which protects the eye by preventing entry of foreign materials, but this function also largely prevents drugs from reaching the lens (Gaudana et al., 2010). This problem has challenged researchers and driven them to search for a way to deliver drugs through the cornea and into the lens. Currently, the most promising ocular drug delivery method is using chitosan nanoparticles as drug carriers (Cholkar et al., 2013).  
 
                                 </p>
 
                                 </p>
 +
                                </div>
 +
                              <figure class = "col-sm-4">
 +
        <img src="https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2016/9/9c/T--TAS_Taipei--Impact1.png">
 +
                                    <figcaption class='darkblue'><b>Figure C. </b>Extracted and purified CH25H and GSR with 10x Histidine tag (in yellow) encapsulated in nanoparticles to aid delivery to the lens.</figcaption>
 +
                                </figure>
 +
                               
 +
                            </div>
 +
                          <div class="row">
 +
                               
 +
                                <div class="col-sm-12">
 
                                 <p>
 
                                 <p>
                                     Trials were performed at two different temperatures: 4°C and 37°C. Our results show that proteins are released from nanoparticles at 37°C , but almost no change could be detected at 4°C (figure 3.10). This finding suggests that we can store a final functional product (e.g., eye drop) at 4°C without nanoparticle degradation, while the proteins can be released from nanoparticles when the eye drop is applied at body temperature.
+
                                     He expressed his interest and liking for our ideas, but suggested an addition of cost projections and a financial plan, for it would put us in a better position to engage with venture capitalists.  
 
                                 </p>
 
                                 </p>
 
                                 </div>
 
                                 </div>
                              
+
                             
                          </div>
+
                               
                          <br><br>
+
                             </div>
                       
+
                          <h3 id="step3"></h3>
+
                                    <br>
+
                          <h3><u>Application (EYE DROP OR CONTACT LENSES)</h3>
+
 
                           <div class="row">
 
                           <div class="row">
                              <div class="col-sm-1"></div>
+
                               
                                 <div class="col-sm-10">
+
                                <div class="col-sm-12">
                                     <p>Our goal is to package GSR and CH25H in nanoparticles to deliver these proteins to the lens using a safe and non-invasive method. We have considered two drug delivery mechanisms to administer the nanoparticles: eye drops and contact lenses. </p>
+
                                 <p>
                                    <br>
+
                                     Nevertheless, we weren’t satisfied with a potential business plan from a venture capitalist, for we wanted to make a real impact in real people’s lives who were experiencing cataracts. Hence we considered our resources and did a bake sale at our school which gave us a total of $400 USD. In addition to the bake sale we also conducted a fundraising event during the spring fair at our school. We thereby achieved three goals: we conducted a survey for research purposes, raised awareness of cataracts by explaining our project to locals, and garnered donations from generous donors. After that, we donated funds that would be equivalent to the cost of 10 cataracts surgeries through a partnership with the Himalayan Cataracts Foundation.  
                                    <b>Eye drops</b>
+
 
                                    <p>After packaging our proteins in nanoparticles, the nanoparticles can be spun down and resuspended in saline, since it is commonly used in eye drops (Falsini, 2016). </p>
+
                                </p>
                                    <br>
+
                                    <b>Contact Lenses</b>
+
                                    <p>We found a method to make chitosan nanoparticle-embedded hydrogel contact lenses (Behl, 2016). Following their protocol, we created a polymer solution containing all the necessary components, and then transferred this solution into a 3D-printed mold (figure 3.11, left). After exposure to UV for 40 minutes, we successfully made hydrogel contact lenses (figure 3.11, right). </p>
+
 
                                 </div>
 
                                 </div>
                                <div class="col-sm-1"></div>
 
 
                                
 
                                
 
                                  
 
                                  
                          </div>
+
                            </div>
                       
+
                         
                           
+
                          <br><br>
                        <div class="row">
+
                          <div class="row">
                                 <figure class = "col-sm-12">
+
                               
        <img src="https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2016/9/9b/T--TAS_Taipei--ContactLensMold.png" style="width:100%">
+
                                 <figure class = "col-sm-6">
                                     <figcaption class='darkblue'><b>Figure 3.11: &nbsp;</b>A 3D printed mold (left) used to make hydrogel lenses (right). </figcaption>
+
        <img src="https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2016/e/e7/T--TAS_Taipei--Impact2.png">
 +
                                     <figcaption class='darkblue'><b>Figure C. </b>Extracted and purified CH25H and GSR with 10x Histidine tag (in yellow) encapsulated in nanoparticles to aid delivery to the lens.</figcaption>
 
                                 </figure>
 
                                 </figure>
                        </div>
+
                                 <figure class = "col-sm-6">
                        <div class="row">
+
                                    <br><br>
                                 <figure class = "col-sm-12">
+
        <img src="https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2016/9/9c/T--TAS_Taipei--Impact3.png">
        <img src="https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2016/7/79/T--TAS_Taipei--Figure3.12a.jpeg " style="width:100%">
+
                                     <figcaption class='darkblue'><b>Figure C. </b>Nanoparticles containing GSH and CH25H embed into the cornea and degrade. The released proteins are then delivered to the cornea via a concentration gradient.</figcaption>
                                     <figcaption class='darkblue'><b>Figure 3.12: &nbsp;</b>Huiru you type the caption in. </figcaption>
+
 
                                 </figure>
 
                                 </figure>
                        </div>
+
                            </div>                        
 
+
                         
                       
+
                                               
 
                            
 
                            
 
                     </div>
 
                     </div>
 
                 </div>
 
                 </div>
                     <br><br    
+
                     <br><br>
 +
               
 
                  
 
                  
 
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Revision as of 16:30, 17 October 2016

Human Practice - TAS Taipei iGEM Wiki





Human Practice Summary

What we discovered through our findings in policy and practice helped shaped the trajectory of our project. We gathered data from researchers, medical doctors, veterinarians, cataract patients, and public opinions to find out the best way to develop our project so that it can benefit as many people as possible.

Our Policy and Practice is separated into three categories, Research, Outreach and Impact. In the Research category, we collected and analyzed data from researchers, doctors, vets, investors, patients and the general public. This information shaped the direction of every part of our project, including the construct design, nanoparticle prototype synthesis and delivery, biological modeling and the development of a marketing plan for selling our final product. In the Outreach category, we educated the public and spread awareness of our cataracts project, synthetic biology and science in general. We also collaborated and communicated with two iGEM teams to help solve problems together. Through educating and raising awareness, we hope not only to get more people involved in finding a solution to cataracts, but also to get more people involved and interested in synthetic biology research. The final category, Impact, includes working with organizations and infrastructure that is already in place to actually help people who suffer from Cataracts. We have raised funds, through bake sales and other events, to donate to the Himalayan Cataracts Project, a non-profit organization based in Nepal. With the help of our business and economics teacher, we have also created a marketing plan and started discussions with several biotech investors about the possibility of getting our project to market.



Research


Professional Help

In order to improve how we develop our research and prototype we needed to get in contact with experts in the fields of eye surgery and cataracts research. Our first step was to contact eye doctors to discuss any problems associated with current cataracts treatment. Finally, while developing our project we realized that cataracts is a major issue in pets and other animals as well as people. As a result, we contacted local veterinarians to discuss what pet owners do when their pets contract cataracts. As our project developed, we needed more specific information regarding our genes of interest, cataracts development, and our delivery mechanism. We contacted scientists doing research similar to our own to get their opinion on our projects progress.




Contact with Eye Doctors

We contacted local Taiwanese eye doctors to ask them about cataracts surgery. Here is a list of the doctors we contacted along with the information they provided:

Dr. Wei-Chi Wu is a retina specialist and an associate professor at Chang Gung memorial hospital in Taiwan.

According to Dr. Wu current cataracts surgery methods are efficient and effective, but are not without their issues. Besides the issue of high cost of surgery, there can also be several different post-surgery complications such as infection, hemorrhaging, or secondary glaucoma. In regards to our project, he said one of the biggest issues we would face is non-invasive delivery. Currently, injections and incisions are the only methods for delivery because all current potential methods of noninvasive delivery either lack efficiency or induce with side effects.

Dr. Tsu Chieh Cheng is a optomologist at Chang cheng eye hospital in Taiwan.

Dr. Cheng points out that aside from possibly causing complications such as astigmatism, myopia, and hyperopia, cataracts surgeries have risks, for wound infections, dislodgement of lens, and massive bleeding during surgeries aren’t uncommon. He remarked that our project sounded very promising, but the effect the drug has on other parts of the eyes must be checked. Furthermore, he suggested us to use rabbits or dogs as animal models, because they can be observed more easily.


Contact with Veterinarians

Cataracts trouble millions of people’s lives as a result of aging and diseases; however, many pet owners come across the problem of their pets suffering from cataracts as well. To alleviate this problem, we investigated if the potential benefits of our solution for preventing and treating cataracts can be applied to domestic animals as well.

As we continue to develop our project with consideration for the application on other animals, we realize that the slight dissimilarities among the lenses of different animals must be accounted for. Therefore, we consulted with veterinarians at clinics around Taipei. We visited two veterinarian clinics, (Nicholas Animal Hospital and Tai Pu Veterinarian Hospital) and asked various others about relevant questions regarding the viability of our project solution. From the interviews we gained valuable insight on the eyedrops that pharmaceutical companies have developed to mitigate the cataracts in the lenses. One of the drugs developed is called Ocluvet(R) which we purchased and used in our experiments to compare to our treatment model.

Team members and Dr. 李國閔 from Nicholas Animal Hospital after an interview.



Science Researchers

Researchers’ firsthand knowledge, regardless of how many papers one reads on PubMed, provides a better understanding on the topic of research. Thus, in order to gain a better view of our project, we have contacted professional researchers ,via email, who have in depth knowledge on 25 hydroxycholesterol, which is the main candidate for the cause of formation of cataracts.

Dr. Jason Cyster is a professor of Microbiology and Immunology at University of California, San Francisco; School of Medicine.

Dr. Jason E. Gestwicki is an associate professor in the Department of Institute of Neurodegenerative Diseases at University of California, San Francisco; School of Medicine.

According to Dr. Wu current cataracts surgery methods are efficient and effective, but are not without their issues. Besides the issue of high cost of surgery, there can also be several different post-surgery complications such as infection, hemorrhaging, or secondary glaucoma. In regards to our project, he said one of the biggest issues we would face is non-invasive delivery. Currently, injections and incisions are the only methods for delivery because all current potential methods of noninvasive delivery either lack efficiency or induce with side effects.

Our questions were primarily focused on how 25HC works on the molecular level. We asked questions such as: what are the current researches conducted that uses 25HC? To what extent is 25 HC responsible for reversing protein aggregation? And what are effective methods for 25HC storage? Both professors gave thorough responses on these questions, which we then used to in our experiments. One response that was particularly helpful from Dr. Cyster was his suggestions on effective ways to store 25HC, in which he provided us with a recommended storage temperature. On the other hand Dr. Gestwicki provided us with two published papers that helped us understand the mechanism by which 25HC reverses cataract formation and this helped elucidate our understanding of 25HC.

Dr. Eric P. Lee, Senior member of Technical Staff at Maxim Integrated

According to Dr. Wu current cataracts surgery methods are efficient and effective, but are not without their issues. Besides the issue of high cost of surgery, there can also be several different post-surgery complications such as infection, hemorrhaging, or secondary glaucoma. In regards to our project, he said one of the biggest issues we would face is non-invasive delivery. Currently, injections and incisions are the only methods for delivery because all current potential methods of noninvasive delivery either lack efficiency or induce with side effects.



Public Opinion


Bioethics Panel

We hosted a bioethics panel, where we invited teachers from various fields to engage in a conversation about bioethics and thoughts on our project in particular. The reason for including teachers from different fields is to allow our project and the topic of bioethics to be discussed from different aspects. Since we did this at the start of our project, the opinions shared and advice given during the panel shaped the direction of our project.

Dr. Jason Cyster is a professor of Microbiology and Immunology at University of California, San Francisco; School of Medicine.
Dr. Jason E. Gestwicki is an associate professor in the Department of Institute of Neurodegenerative Diseases at University of California, San Francisco; School of Medicine.

Survey

During TAS’s Spring Fair we conducted a survey, from which we derived a general sense of how willing people are going to buy products that are produced by GMOs, and our eyedrops in specific.

Interviews with Cataracts Patients

We did interviews with two cataracts patients about their past experiences in different cataracts treatment, and extracted this information along with the responses from survey, and incorporated into some of the ideas in our marketing plan. Something in common that the two people we interviewed had was that they both suffered from inconveniences due to the lens options, which would either make one nearsighted or farsighted. Furthermore, complications due to the surgery varied among individual cases; one suffered from dryness and irritation of the eye, while the other had no complications at all. Nevertheless, both of them stated that the surgery process was efficient and effective; however, if given the choice to apply effective eye drops instead of surgery, they’d be willing to use it despite some may fear the idea of having nanoparticles in one's eyes.

Dr. Jason Cyster is a professor of Microbiology and Immunology at University of California, San Francisco; School of Medicine.
Dr. Jason E. Gestwicki is an associate professor in the Department of Institute of Neurodegenerative Diseases at University of California, San Francisco; School of Medicine.


Education and Outreach

Science is often intimidating to many, but with little explanation and some experience, it isn’t scary at all. Thus, aside from the goal to raise awareness of cataracts, the promotion of science and synthetic biology in particular, are also topics we aim elucidate. Here are a list of activities and programs that serve our purpose.


Kindergarden

Science is often intimidating to many, but with little explanation and some experience, it isn’t scary at all. Thus, aside from the goal to raise awareness of cataracts, the promotion of science and synthetic biology in particular, are also topics we aim elucidate. Here are a list of activities and programs that serve our purpose.



Figure X. Full Construct.
Figure X. Full Construct.
Figure X. Full Construct.
Figure X. Full Construct.


We designed some easy experiments to let the Kindergarten students try playing with. We did this for several times, and the kids loved it. The experiments were usually very simple yet demonstrates important scientific concepts, for instance, we teached them how to use the microscope, why light reflects through prisms, how static electricity works etc.


7th Grade

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Figure X. Full Construct.
Figure X. Full Construct.
Figure X. Full Construct.
Figure X. Full Construct.


For 7th Grade we decided to touch on synthetic biology more in depth, and therefore aside from teaching the 7th grade students the general idea of how synthetic biology works, we also introduced them to some of the basic laboratory techniques essential to synthetic biology. We conducted games where students had to identify RBS and promoters in order to test their understanding of the topic, and for the experiments they learned how to run gels and how to use the pipette.


IBSL

During the school year when we were brainstorming for potential project ideas, our team members were divided into several groups and gave presentations on those topics. This not only ensured thorough research on each topic, but also allowed us to receive feedback on those topics from both students and teachers. This really helped us decide on our final project idea.

Figure X. Full Construct.


Science Research Symposium

During the school year when we were brainstorming for potential project ideas, our team members were divided into several groups and gave presentations on those topics. This not only ensured thorough research on each topic, but also allowed us to receive feedback on those topics from both students and teachers. This really helped us decide on our final project idea.

Figure X. Full Construct.
Figure X. Full Construct.
Figure X. Full Construct.
Figure X. Full Construct.



We invited two science researchers to come to our school and give presentations on their research. This allowed us to learn how scientists conduct actual scientific research and also expanded our knowledge in other areas of science. Below are the science researchers that came.


Club

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Figure X. Full Construct.


iGEM Club

The iGEM Club was established X years ago, and the purpose of it is to raise awareness of synthetic biology in the TAS community. Club activities allow underclassmen to experience iGEM related activities and develop potential team members.



Figure X. Full Construct.
Figure X. Full Construct.


Collaborations with Other iGEM Teams

We collaborated with various iGEM teams, including NYMU, ASIJ, Tokyo technology, etc. This not only created opportunity for us to help each other with problems that each team had, but also allowed us to exchange ideas and stimulate creativity.



Figure X. Full Construct.
Figure X. Full Construct.
Figure X. Full Construct.


Impact

The cornea is the outermost layer of the eye which protects the eye by preventing entry of foreign materials, but this function also largely prevents drugs from reaching the lens (Gaudana et al., 2010). This problem has challenged researchers and driven them to search for a way to deliver drugs through the cornea and into the lens. Currently, the most promising ocular drug delivery method is using chitosan nanoparticles as drug carriers (Cholkar et al., 2013).

Figure C. Extracted and purified CH25H and GSR with 10x Histidine tag (in yellow) encapsulated in nanoparticles to aid delivery to the lens.

He expressed his interest and liking for our ideas, but suggested an addition of cost projections and a financial plan, for it would put us in a better position to engage with venture capitalists.

Nevertheless, we weren’t satisfied with a potential business plan from a venture capitalist, for we wanted to make a real impact in real people’s lives who were experiencing cataracts. Hence we considered our resources and did a bake sale at our school which gave us a total of $400 USD. In addition to the bake sale we also conducted a fundraising event during the spring fair at our school. We thereby achieved three goals: we conducted a survey for research purposes, raised awareness of cataracts by explaining our project to locals, and garnered donations from generous donors. After that, we donated funds that would be equivalent to the cost of 10 cataracts surgeries through a partnership with the Himalayan Cataracts Foundation.



Figure C. Extracted and purified CH25H and GSR with 10x Histidine tag (in yellow) encapsulated in nanoparticles to aid delivery to the lens.


Figure C. Nanoparticles containing GSH and CH25H embed into the cornea and degrade. The released proteins are then delivered to the cornea via a concentration gradient.


Citations












Prevention

GSR Eyedrop

Treatment

25HC Eyedrop

LOCS: 0      


Eyedrops




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