As a team, one of our favourite parts in iGEM are collaborations. They remind us that iGEM is not only a competition but a chance to share and let other teams be a part of our project, and that is wonderful. Next universities have collaborated with us:
Harvard University
Universidad de las Fuerzas Armadas ESPE
Philipps-Universität Marburg
Imperial College London
Harvard
Team Project
When explaining Printeria to people, we see they are reticent to use it because of the genetically modified bacteria that we do. A part of our project is to fight the stigma against Synthetic Biology and Harvard was claiming for teams disposed to do so.
Collaboration
Their collaboration was about doing a report of our project to create a series of newsletters and articles to show how we are using bacteria and demonstrate that we are doing it taking into account demanding security measures.
Ecuador
Team Project
Ecuador iGEM team has been working on the development of a new biomaterial to speed up the healing in bone injures. This biomaterial called (C-lastine), is based on the cross-linking of bacterial cellulose and Elastin-like polypeptides. This cross-linking is mediated by a carbohydrate binding domain and a BMP2 protein (an osteoblasts differentiation inducer). To achieve this objective they are using E.Coli as a biofactory, specifically C41 strain which is resistant to Cellulose synthase operon protein D, codified by gene bcsD and responsible of pore formation in the membrane allowing cellulose to exit the cell. The final result is a bandage matrix that can be applied to the wound during a surgical intervention.
Collaboration
If we think about it, Printeria is a kind of biofactory so, we thought that trying to make Ecuador’s biomaterial in Printeria would be a good trial to show that Printeria is ready to become something greater in the biotechnological industry and why not, it could be used in hospitals as well. However, due to the fact that there were problems with the size of the parts for Golden Gate and with the customs, it could not become a reality. This idea would be developed with Imperial College. Instead, we did several things.
We did a survey to get some feedback from the potential users of both projects. It consisted in a video in spanish and then a survey to fill out.In our case, the survey was made to know what users thought about Printeria and Synthetic Biology. In no case this surveys represents the collective of users (only 15 people were surveyed) it was just made to have an idea.
Furthermore, we did a model for Ecuador based on ().
And finally we provide them with a special strain called C41. This was really important for them due to the fact that without it, they couldn’t continue with their iGEM project.
Marburg
Team Project
Do you know that there is something that grows faster than a Bacteria? If it grows faster...Why not use it as a chassis to do pharmaceuticals and chemicals? This is the fantastic idea that Marburg team has developed. They want to demonstrate that working with V.Natriegens is cheaper, faster and possible with today’s methods.
Collaboration
Initially, they requested us to do the interlab study with V.Natriegens and to annotate how fast V.Natriegens grows but this gave us a really good idea. Why don't we try to use V.Natriegens in Printeria? If all goes well, it would mean that Printeria is ready to work with other organisms, not only E.coli.
Imperial College
Team Project
This collaboration was born when Ismael (Imperial College iGEM team supervisor) came to Valencia to have a meeting with Diego Orzaez one of our instructors. Taking advantage of that situation we met with him and he explained us the I.C project called PixCell.
PicCell aims to get electronics and Synthetic Biology closer designing an innovative sistem where the culture is controlled by voltage.
Collaboration
As they are using Golden Gate grammar we thought that it could be a good opportunity to do what we couldn’t do with Ecuador team, try their construction in Printeria and compare results handmade and Printeria made.