Difference between revisions of "Team:UofC Calgary/Integrated Practices"

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     </p>
 
     </p>
 
<p style="float:left;"><img src="https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2016/0/0a/UofC_Calgary_Cancer_Radiation.png" width="350" height="300"/></p>
 
<p style="float:left;"><img src="https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2016/0/0a/UofC_Calgary_Cancer_Radiation.png" width="350" height="300"/></p>
     <p class="c3"><span>While researching potential topics for the season, the team was introduced to soybean derived radio protective peptides by Dr. Aaron Goodarzi (</span><span class="c9">a professor at the Charbonneau Institute of Cancer Research)</span><span>. </span><span class="c9">Dr. Goodarzi mentioned the importance of these peptides by emphasizing the damaging effects of ionizing radiation and he stated that the </span><span>largest sources of ionizing radiation on earth are in radiotherapy and imaging</span><span class="c9">.</span><br><br>
+
     <p class="c3"><span>While researching potential topics for the season, the team was introduced to soybean-derived radioprotective peptides by Dr. Aaron Goodarzi, a professor at the Charbonneau Institute of Cancer Research</span><span>. </span><span class="c9">Dr. Goodarzi shared with us the importance of these peptides, specifically the Bowman Birk Protease Inhibitor (BBI), by emphasizing the damaging effects of ionizing radiation, explaining that the </span><span>largest sources of human exposure to ionizing radiation on earth result from radiotherapy and imaging</span><span class="c9">.</span><br><br>
 
     </p>
 
     </p>
     <p class="c3"><span>In order to learn more about the significance of this issue in the medical field, we interviewed many professionals </span><span class="c9">who either utilize ionizing radiation or are exposed to it in their daily lives.</span><span>&nbsp;</span><span>This included meeting with researchers, radiation oncologists, medical physicists and a radiation safety officer. Additionally, we received a tour of the Tom Baker Cancer Centre where most cancer research in southern Alberta is conducted to understand the process of receiving ionizing radiation in radiotherapy. These consultations revealed that ionizing radiation poses only a small risk in medicine for patients and staff, and that the number of cancer </span><span>cases</span><span>&nbsp;caused by medical uses of ionizing radiation is also very low. The engineered controls in medical facilities are also both cost effective and work well. From these conclusions, we began researching other sources of ionizing radiation and found that another area of high ionizing radiation exposure was in space. From NASA&rsquo;s report for the Mars Mission for 2035, an astronaut will face 1200 mSv of ionizing radiation on a three-year mission &ndash; the equivalent of 120 full body CT scans. Although NASA was currently researching methods of shielding astronauts from most of the radiation, many were not cost or space effective.We decided to shift the focus of our project from radiation therapy to space travel. </span>
+
     <p class="c3"><span>In order to learn more about the significance of this issue in the medical field, we interviewed many professionals </span><span class="c9">who either utilize ionizing radiation or are exposed to it in their daily lives.</span><span>This included meeting with researchers, radiation oncologists, medical physicists, and a radiation safety officer. Additionally, we received a tour of the Tom Baker Cancer Centre at Foothills Hospital in Calgary. This is where most cancer research in southern Alberta is conducted, and from our tour we began to understand the process of receiving ionizing radiation in radiotherapy. These consultations revealed that ionizing radiation poses only a small risk in medicine for patients and staff, and that the rate of cancer </span><span>cases</span><span>&nbsp;caused by medical uses of ionizing radiation is very low. The engineered controls in medical facilities are also both cost-effective and efficient protection methods. From these conclusions, we began researching other sources of ionizing radiation. We found another area of exposure to high ionizing radiation: space! From NASA&rsquo;s report for the Mars Mission for 2035, an astronaut will face 1200 mSv of ionizing radiation on a three-year mission &ndash; the equivalent of 120 full body CT scans. Although NASA is currently researching methods of shielding astronauts from most of the radiation, many were not cost- or space-effective.We decided to shift the focus of our project from radiation therapy to long-term space travel. </span>
 
     </p>
 
     </p>
 
<p style="float:right;"><img src="https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2016/7/76/UofC_Calgary_Delivery_System.png" width="350" height="300"/></p>
 
<p style="float:right;"><img src="https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2016/7/76/UofC_Calgary_Delivery_System.png" width="350" height="300"/></p>
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     <p class="c3"><span class="c1">Conceptualizing a Biological and Physical Delivery System</span><br><br>
 
     <p class="c3"><span class="c1">Conceptualizing a Biological and Physical Delivery System</span><br><br>
 
     </p>
 
     </p>
     <p class="c3"><span>When conceptualizing a project design, we realized through our research there were multiple design requirements that were specific for use in space. The system had to be lightweight to reduce the launch cost, sustainable to reduce the amount of waste produced, and able to be stored for the entire duration of a mission if need be. Biologically, the system had to continuously deliver BBI into the bloodstream at a high enough concentration to confer radioprotection even under changing environmental conditions. With these specifications we designed a biological system that would use bacteria to continuously produce BBI, meeting our biological requirements. Drawing inspiration from previous NASA inventions such as the biocapsule, we designed a patch system that was portable, durable and would facilitate the diffusion of BBI through a microneedle array directly into the body.</span><br><br>
+
     <p class="c3"><span>When conceptualizing a project design, we realized through our research that there were multiple design requirements specific for use in space. Our system had to be lightweight to reduce the launch cost, sustainable to reduce the amount of waste produced, and able to be stored for the entire duration of a mission if need be. Biologically, the system had to continuously deliver our modified radioprotective peptide, mBBI, into the bloodstream at a high enough concentration to confer radioprotection even under changing environmental conditions. With these specifications, we designed a biological system that would use bacteria to continuously produce mBBI, meeting our biological requirements. Drawing inspiration from previous NASA inventions such as the biocapsule, we designed our first patch system. It was portable, durable, and would facilitate the diffusion of mBBI through a microneedle array directly into the body.</span><br><br>
 
     </p>
 
     </p>
 
     <p class="c0"><span class="c1"></span>
 
     <p class="c0"><span class="c1"></span>
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     </p>
 
     </p>
 
<p style="float:right;"><img src="https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2016/b/bb/UofC_Calgary_Wet_Lab.png" width="350" height="300"/></p>
 
<p style="float:right;"><img src="https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2016/b/bb/UofC_Calgary_Wet_Lab.png" width="350" height="300"/></p>
     <p class="c3"><span>Our choice of chassis to deliver the BBi peptide also needed to fulfill several specific requirements. One of the largest concerns for the chassis was whether it could be stored for long durations. After discussions with previous UCalgary iGEM team members, we narrowed the choices down to </span><span class="c4">B. subtilis </span><span>and </span><span class="c4">D. radiodurans. B. subtilis </span><span>provided easy integration and sporulation, while</span><span class="c4">&nbsp;D. radiodurans </span><span>had high desiccation survivability and naturally competent. </span><span class="c4">B. subtilis</span><span>&nbsp;was chosen for its biocompatibility with humans, chromosomal integration capabilities, robust spores that resist high levels of radiation, and the ability of the spores to survive in long term storage under suboptimal conditions, which met our outlined requirements. To understand what effect changing the environmental conditions had on the production of BBI, a growth assay was performed to simulate the temperature conditions of </span><span class="c4">B. subtilis </span><span>in our patch. Bacterial growth in 10 mL of Luria-Bertani (LB) broth over the course of 24 hours at varying temperatures of 35&deg;C (average skin temperature), 22&deg;C (average room temperature on board the International Space Station) and 4&deg;C (negative control) were tested.  
+
     <p class="c3"><span>Our bacterial chassis of choice, which would deliver mBBI to the user, also needed to fulfill several specific requirements. One of the largest concerns for the chassis was whether it could be stored for long durations. After discussions with previous UCalgary iGEM team members and research into many bacteria, we narrowed the choices down to </span><span class="c4">Bacillus subtilis </span><span>and </span><span class="c4">Deinococcus radiodurans. B. subtilis </span><span>provided easy integration and sporulation, while</span><span class="c4">&nbsp;D. radiodurans </span><span>had high ionizing radiation survivability. </span><span class="c4">B. subtilis</span><span>&nbsp;was chosen because it met all of our requirements: it is known for its biocompatibility with humans, chromosomal integration capabilities, robust spores that resist high levels of radiation, and the ability of these spores to survive long-term storage under extreme conditions. To understand what effect changing the environmental conditions had on the production of mBBI, a growth assay was performed to simulate the temperature conditions of </span><span class="c4">B. subtilis </span><span>in our patch. Bacterial growth in 10 mL of Luria-Bertani (LB) broth over the course of 24 hours at varying temperatures of 35&deg;C (average skin temperature), 22&deg;C (average room temperature on board the International Space Station) and 4&deg;C (negative control) were tested.  
 
     </p><br><br>
 
     </p><br><br>
 
     <p class="c0"><span class="c1"></span>
 
     <p class="c0"><span class="c1"></span>
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     </p>
 
     </p>
 
<p style="float:left;"><img src="https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2016/0/02/UofC_Calgary_Device_mod.png" width="350" height="275"/></p>
 
<p style="float:left;"><img src="https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2016/0/02/UofC_Calgary_Device_mod.png" width="350" height="275"/></p>
     <p class="c3"><span>For the initial physical delivery system, a microneedle system array patch was developed. In the initial design, the patch contained a backing layer that protected the contents from external factors and contamination, a drug reservoir containing bacteria and media, and a size and rate controlling membrane that let peptides through while holding bacteria back. The patch designed with use of microneedles would allow direct delivery of the peptide, ease of application by the user, and easy storage due to its small size and weight. After discussions with Dr. Colin Dalton (a professor researching microneedle arrays), we learned that microneedles are used to disperse the force of injections over a larger area and are NOT intended for use for long durations, as we had initially planned. Keeping the microneedles in the skin long term can lead to infection and skin irritation, and may result in microneedles breaking and becoming imbedded in the skin. Wanting to keep the ease of application, we kept the general design but removed the microneedle array. In its place, we integrated an adhesive layer that would stick to the skin for a duration of seven days. </span>
+
     <p class="c3"><span>For the initial physical delivery system, we decided on a microneedle array for the method of delivery. In the initial design, the patch contained a backing layer that protected the contents from external factors and contamination, a drug reservoir containing bacteria and growth media, and a size- and rate-controlling membrane that let peptides through while holding bacteria back. The patch design with use of microneedles would allow direct delivery of the peptide, ease of application by the user, and easy storage due to its small size and weight. After discussions with Dr. Colin Dalton, a professor researching microneedle arrays, we learned that microneedles are used to disperse the force of injections over a larger area and are not intended for use for long durations as we had initially planned. Keeping the microneedles in the skin long-term can lead to infection and skin irritation, and may result in microneedles breaking and becoming imbedded in the skin. Wanting to ensure ease of application and maintain long-term wearability, we kept the general design of our patch but removed the microneedle array. In its place, we integrated an adhesive layer that would stick to the skin for a duration of seven days. </span>
 
     </p>
 
     </p>
 
     <p class="c0"><span class="c1"></span>
 
     <p class="c0"><span class="c1"></span>
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     </p>
 
     </p>
 
<p style="float:right;"><img src="https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2016/9/92/UofC_Calgary_Manufacturing.png" width="350" height="300"/></p>
 
<p style="float:right;"><img src="https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2016/9/92/UofC_Calgary_Manufacturing.png" width="350" height="300"/></p>
     <p class="c3"><span>To simulate the patch in real conditions, we furthered our design and researched materials for testing. By better understanding the behavior of our cells within the materials, we can optimize the material for cell growth and production. The requirements outlined were also utilized to find materials such as a rigid backing layer to prevent breakage and an adhesive layer that provides flexibility for movement. To determine what types of materials were suitable for our purposes, we contacted representatives from 3M and Dow Corning, two companies that specialize transdermal drug delivery. Through our discussions, we gained a better understanding of the materials currently used for transdermal drug delivery and how we could modify them for our use, and modified our design based on the available materials. </span>
+
     <p class="c3"><span>To simulate the patch in real conditions, we furthered our design and researched materials for testing. By better understanding the behavior of our bacterial cells within the material, we could optimize the material for cell growth and production. The requirements for our bacterial chassis also influenced the materials we used such as the rigid backing layer to prevent breakage and cellular leakage, and the adhesive layer that provides flexibility for movement. To determine what types of materials were suitable for our purposes, we contacted representatives from 3M and Dow Corning, two companies that specialize transdermal drug delivery. Through our discussions, we gained a better understanding of the materials currently used for transdermal drug delivery and how we could modify them for our use, and we changed our design based on the best available materials. </span>
 
     </p>
 
     </p>
 
     <p class="c0"><span></span>
 
     <p class="c0"><span></span>
 
     </p>
 
     </p>
     <p class="c3"><span>In addition to researching materials, we looked at small scale production to see if our device could be manufactured cost effectively. We met Dr. </span><span class="c9">Uttandaraman (U.T.) Sundararaj, a professor in polymer manufacturing and learned methods used in industry for common polymers. One suggested method was </span><span>thermoforming which required the use of a two part mold and heating our materials to conform to the molds. By injecting the media between the molds and heating sealing them, we can quickly produce many patches for applications. We also talked to Dr. Amir</span><span class="c9">&nbsp;Sanati Nezhad, a professor on micro and nano technology to better understand the manufacturing of technologies similar to ours. From these interviews, we developed a small scale mold to manufacture patches for the use in our mouse study. </span>
+
     <p class="c3"><span>In addition to researching materials, we looked into small-scale production to see if our device could be manufactured at an effective cost. We met Dr. </span><span class="c9">Uttandaraman (U.T.) Sundararaj, a professor in polymer manufacturing, and learned about methods used in industry for using common polymers. One suggested method was </span><span>thermoforming, which required the use of a two-part mold and heating our materials to conform to the mold's shape. By injecting the media between the molds and heating sealing them, we could quickly produce many patches for applications. We also talked to Dr. Amir</span><span class="c9">&nbsp;Sanati Nezhad, a professor on micro and nanotechnology, to better understand the manufacturing of technologies similar to ours. From these interviews, we developed a small-scale mold to manufacture patches for the use in our mouse study. </span>
 
     </p>
 
     </p>
 
     <p class="c0 c2"><span></span>
 
     <p class="c0 c2"><span></span>
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     </p>
 
     </p>
 
<p style="float:left;"><img src="https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2016/3/31/UofC_Calgary_Feedback.png" width="350" height="300"/></p>
 
<p style="float:left;"><img src="https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2016/3/31/UofC_Calgary_Feedback.png" width="350" height="300"/></p>
     <p class="c3"><span>The results of the initial growth curves showed that the bacteria could sustain itself for 16 hours with the initial quantity of media in the patch. This, however, did not meet our requirement for sustainability, as nearly 2 patches per astronaut per day would need to be taken into space.</span><br><br>
+
     <p class="c3"><span>The results of the initial growth curves showed that <i>B. subtilis</i> could sustain itself for 16 hours with the initial quantity of media in the patch (10 mL). This, however, did not meet our requirement for sustainability, as nearly 2 patches per astronaut per day would need to be transported into space.</span><br><br>
 
     </p>
 
     </p>
     <p class="c3"><span>To extend the lifetime of the patch, we modified the design of the patch to incorporate poppable pockets filled with media. When growth of the cells begins to decline, the user can pop a pocket that will release new media to provide fresh nutrients. To determine how much longer we could extend the lifetime of our patch, we redesigned the growth curves with the help of Dr. Sui-Lam Wong to compare growth with different types of media. By testing the different media and inducing further growth by adding one milliliter of the given media, we optimized the growth of the cells in the patch environment. Given the change in the delivery design from a microneedle array to a patch, we needed a new method for direct delivery of BBI into the body. Therefore in the genetic constructs for the production and secretion of BBI, a transdermal tag was added to facilitate the diffusion of BBi through intact skin.</span><br><br>
+
     <p class="c3"><span>To extend the lifetime of the patch, we modified its design to incorporate poppable pockets filled with extra media. When growth of the cells begins to decline, the user can pop a pocket that will release new media to provide additional nutrients. To determine how much longer we could extend the lifetime of our patch, we redesigned the growth curve assays with the help of Dr. Sui-Lam Wong to compare bacterial growth in different types of media. By testing the different media and inducing further growth by adding one mL of the given media, we optimized the growth of the cells in the patch environment. Given the change in the delivery design from a microneedle array to an adhesive patch, we needed a new method for direct delivery of mBBI into the body. Therefore, a transdermal tag (TD1) was added to the N-terminus of mBBI to facilitate its diffusion through intact skin.</span><br><br>
 
     </p>
 
     </p>
 
     <p class="c0"><span class="c1"></span>
 
     <p class="c0"><span class="c1"></span>
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     <p class="c3"><span class="c1">Addressing Issues Outside of the Lab</span><br><br>
 
     <p class="c3"><span class="c1">Addressing Issues Outside of the Lab</span><br><br>
 
     </p>
 
     </p>
     <p class="c3"><span>Whilst we made modifications to our designs in the lab, we also researched how our device can be integrated into society given the current political and economic landscape. In our research of biotechnology-related regulations in Canada as well as internationally, we found that there are many gaps in current regulations concerning engineered organisms’ use in drug applications. This made it very difficult for us to find applicable guidelines for our product had we wanted to bring our device to the market.  </span></p><br><br>
+
     <p class="c3"><span>Whilst we made modifications to our designs in the lab, we also researched how our device could be integrated into society given the current political and economic landscape. In our research of biotechnology-related regulations in Canada and at the international level, we found that there are many gaps in current regulations concerning the use of engineered organisms in drug applications. This made it very difficult for us to find applicable guidelines for our product had we wanted to bring our device to the market.  </span></p><br><br>
<p class="c3"><span>In order to remedy this problem, we worked with Dr. Agnes Klein - the Director of the Centre of Evaluation for Radiopharmaceuticals and Biotherapeutics - to develop a policy brief addressing some of the regulatory gaps we observed in current Health Canada regulations.  
+
<p class="c3"><span>In order to remedy this problem, we worked with Dr. Agnes Klein, the Director of the Centre of Evaluation for Radiopharmaceuticals and Biotherapeutics at Health Canada, to develop a policy brief addressing some of the regulatory gaps we observed in current Canadian regulations.  
 
</span>
 
</span>
 
     </p>
 
     </p>

Revision as of 16:49, 16 October 2016

iGEM Calgary 2016

Integrated Practices

Developing a Project Idea

While researching potential topics for the season, the team was introduced to soybean-derived radioprotective peptides by Dr. Aaron Goodarzi, a professor at the Charbonneau Institute of Cancer Research. Dr. Goodarzi shared with us the importance of these peptides, specifically the Bowman Birk Protease Inhibitor (BBI), by emphasizing the damaging effects of ionizing radiation, explaining that the largest sources of human exposure to ionizing radiation on earth result from radiotherapy and imaging.

In order to learn more about the significance of this issue in the medical field, we interviewed many professionals who either utilize ionizing radiation or are exposed to it in their daily lives.This included meeting with researchers, radiation oncologists, medical physicists, and a radiation safety officer. Additionally, we received a tour of the Tom Baker Cancer Centre at Foothills Hospital in Calgary. This is where most cancer research in southern Alberta is conducted, and from our tour we began to understand the process of receiving ionizing radiation in radiotherapy. These consultations revealed that ionizing radiation poses only a small risk in medicine for patients and staff, and that the rate of cancer cases caused by medical uses of ionizing radiation is very low. The engineered controls in medical facilities are also both cost-effective and efficient protection methods. From these conclusions, we began researching other sources of ionizing radiation. We found another area of exposure to high ionizing radiation: space! From NASA’s report for the Mars Mission for 2035, an astronaut will face 1200 mSv of ionizing radiation on a three-year mission – the equivalent of 120 full body CT scans. Although NASA is currently researching methods of shielding astronauts from most of the radiation, many were not cost- or space-effective.We decided to shift the focus of our project from radiation therapy to long-term space travel.

Conceptualizing a Biological and Physical Delivery System

When conceptualizing a project design, we realized through our research that there were multiple design requirements specific for use in space. Our system had to be lightweight to reduce the launch cost, sustainable to reduce the amount of waste produced, and able to be stored for the entire duration of a mission if need be. Biologically, the system had to continuously deliver our modified radioprotective peptide, mBBI, into the bloodstream at a high enough concentration to confer radioprotection even under changing environmental conditions. With these specifications, we designed a biological system that would use bacteria to continuously produce mBBI, meeting our biological requirements. Drawing inspiration from previous NASA inventions such as the biocapsule, we designed our first patch system. It was portable, durable, and would facilitate the diffusion of mBBI through a microneedle array directly into the body.

Chassis and Wet Lab Experimentation

Our bacterial chassis of choice, which would deliver mBBI to the user, also needed to fulfill several specific requirements. One of the largest concerns for the chassis was whether it could be stored for long durations. After discussions with previous UCalgary iGEM team members and research into many bacteria, we narrowed the choices down to Bacillus subtilis and Deinococcus radiodurans. B. subtilis provided easy integration and sporulation, while D. radiodurans had high ionizing radiation survivability. B. subtilis was chosen because it met all of our requirements: it is known for its biocompatibility with humans, chromosomal integration capabilities, robust spores that resist high levels of radiation, and the ability of these spores to survive long-term storage under extreme conditions. To understand what effect changing the environmental conditions had on the production of mBBI, a growth assay was performed to simulate the temperature conditions of B. subtilis in our patch. Bacterial growth in 10 mL of Luria-Bertani (LB) broth over the course of 24 hours at varying temperatures of 35°C (average skin temperature), 22°C (average room temperature on board the International Space Station) and 4°C (negative control) were tested.



Physical Delivery

For the initial physical delivery system, we decided on a microneedle array for the method of delivery. In the initial design, the patch contained a backing layer that protected the contents from external factors and contamination, a drug reservoir containing bacteria and growth media, and a size- and rate-controlling membrane that let peptides through while holding bacteria back. The patch design with use of microneedles would allow direct delivery of the peptide, ease of application by the user, and easy storage due to its small size and weight. After discussions with Dr. Colin Dalton, a professor researching microneedle arrays, we learned that microneedles are used to disperse the force of injections over a larger area and are not intended for use for long durations as we had initially planned. Keeping the microneedles in the skin long-term can lead to infection and skin irritation, and may result in microneedles breaking and becoming imbedded in the skin. Wanting to ensure ease of application and maintain long-term wearability, we kept the general design of our patch but removed the microneedle array. In its place, we integrated an adhesive layer that would stick to the skin for a duration of seven days.

Looking Forward: Manufacturing

To simulate the patch in real conditions, we furthered our design and researched materials for testing. By better understanding the behavior of our bacterial cells within the material, we could optimize the material for cell growth and production. The requirements for our bacterial chassis also influenced the materials we used such as the rigid backing layer to prevent breakage and cellular leakage, and the adhesive layer that provides flexibility for movement. To determine what types of materials were suitable for our purposes, we contacted representatives from 3M and Dow Corning, two companies that specialize transdermal drug delivery. Through our discussions, we gained a better understanding of the materials currently used for transdermal drug delivery and how we could modify them for our use, and we changed our design based on the best available materials.

In addition to researching materials, we looked into small-scale production to see if our device could be manufactured at an effective cost. We met Dr. Uttandaraman (U.T.) Sundararaj, a professor in polymer manufacturing, and learned about methods used in industry for using common polymers. One suggested method was thermoforming, which required the use of a two-part mold and heating our materials to conform to the mold's shape. By injecting the media between the molds and heating sealing them, we could quickly produce many patches for applications. We also talked to Dr. Amir Sanati Nezhad, a professor on micro and nanotechnology, to better understand the manufacturing of technologies similar to ours. From these interviews, we developed a small-scale mold to manufacture patches for the use in our mouse study.

Feedback

The results of the initial growth curves showed that B. subtilis could sustain itself for 16 hours with the initial quantity of media in the patch (10 mL). This, however, did not meet our requirement for sustainability, as nearly 2 patches per astronaut per day would need to be transported into space.

To extend the lifetime of the patch, we modified its design to incorporate poppable pockets filled with extra media. When growth of the cells begins to decline, the user can pop a pocket that will release new media to provide additional nutrients. To determine how much longer we could extend the lifetime of our patch, we redesigned the growth curve assays with the help of Dr. Sui-Lam Wong to compare bacterial growth in different types of media. By testing the different media and inducing further growth by adding one mL of the given media, we optimized the growth of the cells in the patch environment. Given the change in the delivery design from a microneedle array to an adhesive patch, we needed a new method for direct delivery of mBBI into the body. Therefore, a transdermal tag (TD1) was added to the N-terminus of mBBI to facilitate its diffusion through intact skin.

Addressing Issues Outside of the Lab

Whilst we made modifications to our designs in the lab, we also researched how our device could be integrated into society given the current political and economic landscape. In our research of biotechnology-related regulations in Canada and at the international level, we found that there are many gaps in current regulations concerning the use of engineered organisms in drug applications. This made it very difficult for us to find applicable guidelines for our product had we wanted to bring our device to the market.



In order to remedy this problem, we worked with Dr. Agnes Klein, the Director of the Centre of Evaluation for Radiopharmaceuticals and Biotherapeutics at Health Canada, to develop a policy brief addressing some of the regulatory gaps we observed in current Canadian regulations.

iGEM

iGEM is an international competition promoting synthetic biology as a means to solve social, economic and humanitarian problems around the globe. The iGEM Jamboree is held in Boston annually. In 2016, over 300 teams are competing against each other.

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Fully Trained!

Our entire team received a full BioSafety education from the University of Calgary! This entailed going to classes to prepare for a final quiz that tested our ability to be safe in the lab. Several of our members also had radiation training and clearance to ensure that work done with radiation was safe!

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Located in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.

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  • igem.calgary@gmail.com