We created an education board game
(BioMech) developed, using feedback from two schools and two science fairs, with the
latest version sent off to schools across the country for further testing.
We validated the effectiveness of our new part KillerOrange as a kill switch by conducting CFU experiments. The outcome
of which are found on our results section.
We provided further characterisation of the leakiness of the T7 promoter for our
collaboration with Glasgow.
Contributed to the iGEM.tech database for the iGEM team from Purdue.
We aided Edinburgh iGEM through optimising methods of data mutation detection in BabbleBlocks.
Human Practices
We performed research on
equality and diversity in science, using the University of Exeter as a case study.
We have created and tested an
educational board game aimed at people between ages of 14-18, teaching the
fundamental principles of synthetic biology in an engaging way.
Desert Island...Science? podcast - interviewing academics, researchers
and public figures about synthetic biology, public engagement,
education and their research. This has been published on Youtube,
Soundcloud, our wiki and shared across social media.
Interviews with prominent academics, like
Prof. Richard Dawkins and
Prof. Richard
Titball about their thoughts on public engagement and the importance of Biosafety,
respectively.
We hosted a panel discussion on equality and diversity at the university creating a two
way conversation with the public on the topic.
The effectiveness of kill switches was discussed with academics and individuals in industry to inform our experiments. We then tested what
was discussed and designed parts to address the major concerns.
Outreach integration -
We took a different approach to integrated Human Practices by integrating the Equality and Diversity work into itself - each interview influenced the next forming a
grounded analysis of the issue.
Our board game; BioMech, integrates the principles of our lab work - biosafety and effective plasmid construction - into a fun
and engaging educational tool.
We have provided a framework for the implementation of a Synthetic Biology Module at our University in order to provide a better understanding of the field to fill the gap in knowledge we found during our human practices.
Improve a previous part or project:
We have further characterised KillerRed by testing it under a wider range of conditions and quantified the length of time for it to remain viable as a kill switch.
We have improved Lysozyme C by adding a signal peptide targeting it to the periplasm where it is most effective.
Proof of concept
We used a ministat array to test the longevity of kill switches and to simulate their real world application in an industrial chemostat setting.
Demonstrate your work:
We are bringing the latest version of our board game
(BioMech) to the Jamboree, demonstrating its gameplay and highlighting how we implemented
feedback from schools and science fairs.