Difference between revisions of "Team:WLC-Milwaukee/Notebook"

 
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           <div class="container"><div class="row centered header-image-container" style="background-image: url(https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2018/9/9e/T--WLC-Milwaukee--TimelineHeader.jpeg)">
 
                 <img id="img" src="https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2018/9/9e/T--WLC-Milwaukee--TimelineHeader.jpeg">
 
                 <img id="img" src="https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2018/9/9e/T--WLC-Milwaukee--TimelineHeader.jpeg">
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                <div class="header-image-text">
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                <h1>Project Timeline</h1>
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             <h1>Project Timeline</h1>
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     <p>
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     <p>Summarized below is the sequence of events that led to the completion of our project, from brainstorming ideas to finally submitting our parts and finishing the wiki!
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<h2>Project Decisions!</h2>
 
<h2>Project Decisions!</h2>
 
<h4>February 2018</h4>
 
<h4>February 2018</h4>
<img alt="Parts" src="https://via.placeholder.com/400x300">
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<img alt="Parts" src="https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2018/8/8e/T--WLC-Milwaukee--ProjectDecisions.jpeg">
 
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Based on Judge feedback and our desire to bring the 2017 WLC-Milwaukee project to fruition, we decided to continue our 2017 project detecting <i>E. coli</i> in contaminated water supplies using Lambda Phage tail proteins. We began laying out the ways we would improve our past project and complete the areas where it had fallen short and been unsuccessful in 2017.
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                                                <div style="height: 3em"></div>
 
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<h2>Began Cloning parts into pTrc99a</h2>
 
<h2>Began Cloning parts into pTrc99a</h2>
 
<h4>March 2018</h4>
 
<h4>March 2018</h4>
<img alt="Parts" src="https://via.placeholder.com/400x300">
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<img alt="Parts" src="https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2018/1/12/T--WLC-Milwaukee--StartedCloning.jpeg">
 
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With the help of our advisor, we designed primers and began the frustrating process of amplifying and cloning our parts from the pETail4 plasmid (containing the Lambda Phage tail protein genes) into pTrc99a in order to control protein expression levels using the pTrc99a IPTG inducible trc-promoter (also called Ptac).
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                                                <div style="height: 3em"></div>
 
<h2>MUBRC</h2>
 
<h2>MUBRC</h2>
 
<h4>April 2018</h4>
 
<h4>April 2018</h4>
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A number of our team members participated in MUBRC (The Milwaukee Undergraduate Biological Research Conference) by volunteering and helping facilitate setup for this event while Jack presented a poster of our past work and hopeful project improvements in order to gain feedback from other undergraduate researchers and PIs in attendance. </p>
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                                                <div style="height: 5em"></div>
 
<h2>Started Human Practices Investigation</h2>
 
<h2>Started Human Practices Investigation</h2>
 
<h4>June 2018</h4>
 
<h4>June 2018</h4>
<img alt="Parts" src="https://via.placeholder.com/400x300">
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<img alt="Parts" src="https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2018/3/31/T--WLC-Milwaukee--MicroscopeGraphic.png" style="width: 50%">
 
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<p>As a team we began investigating issues relating to water quality and testing, how our project may fit into the market, how our project could fulfill a need for water testing in certain areas, and could be designed to reduce waste and eliminate any environmental hazards.
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                                                <div style="height: 15em"></div>
 
<h2>Organization Outreach Day</h2>
 
<h2>Organization Outreach Day</h2>
 
<h4>August 2018</h4>
 
<h4>August 2018</h4>
<img alt="Parts" src="https://via.placeholder.com/400x300">
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In August Jack and Laura presented a poster and posterboard at the Organization Outreach day, welcoming new freshman students to our campus and talking with various students about bioengineering, synbio, and our project. Through this event we made contact with a number of students who were very interested in joining iGEM and have already gotten involved with our team!
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                                                <div style="height: 20em"></div>
 
<h2>Confirmed Clones in pTrc99a</h2>
 
<h2>Confirmed Clones in pTrc99a</h2>
 
<h4>September 2018</h4>
 
<h4>September 2018</h4>
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We finally obtained our clones in the pTrc99a backbone and confirmed their presence by diagnostic digest and sequencing. This was a major step as we could now clone our parts into pSB1C3 and include the trc-promoter for IPTG induction in our parts.
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                                                <div style="height: 15em"></div>
 
<h2>Science Exploration Day</h2>
 
<h2>Science Exploration Day</h2>
 
<h4>September 2018</h4>
 
<h4>September 2018</h4>
<img alt="Parts" src="https://via.placeholder.com/400x300">
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<img alt="Parts" src="https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2018/b/b2/T--WLC-Milwaukee--ScienceExplorationDay.jpeg">
 
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This event was a great Outreach event and was an awesome way to interact both with almost 20 grade school aged students and their parents from the local community and provide various lab activities and opportunities to these bright young students. The students participated in hands on explorations of some of the numerous areas within STEM.
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                                                <div style="height: 15em"></div>
 
<h2>Protein Purification and Analysis</h2>
 
<h2>Protein Purification and Analysis</h2>
 
<h4>October 2018</h4>
 
<h4>October 2018</h4>
<img alt="Parts" src="https://via.placeholder.com/400x300">
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<img alt="Parts" src="https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2018/3/39/T--WLC-Milwaukee--ProteinPurification.jpeg">
 
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After obtaining successful clones of our parts into pSB1C3 we were finally able to start protein purification using Nickel column purification methods and analyze our parts for successful protein production.  
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<h2>System Prototyping and Continued Testing</h2>
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<h2>Bacteriophages for High Schoolers</h2>
 
<h4>October 2018</h4>
 
<h4>October 2018</h4>
<img alt="Parts" src="https://via.placeholder.com/400x300">
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<img alt="Parts" src="https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2018/f/f9/T--WLC-Milwaukee--VirusesforHighschoolers.jpeg">
 
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After analyzing substrate-HRP ratios and which methods would suit our test kit system, we began a system prototype, conjugated HRP to our proteins, and performed some testing to optimize system operation both in controlled ideal lab circumstances and in more realistic circumstances to determine the viability of our product.
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<h2>Submitted Parts and finished the Wiki!</h2>
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<h4>October 2018</h4>
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<img alt="Parts" src="https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2018/7/74/T--WLC-Milwaukee--SubmittingParts.jpeg">
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<p>We submitted our parts to the Registry and started working on finishing our Wiki, confirming our results, and completing our project prototype!
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                                                <div style="height: 10em"></div>
 
<h2>Young Women in Science Program</h2>
 
<h2>Young Women in Science Program</h2>
 
<h4>March 3rd 2018</h4>
 
<h4>March 3rd 2018</h4>
<img alt="Parts" src="https://via.placeholder.com/400x300">
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<img alt="Parts" src="https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2018/a/ab/T--WLC-Milwaukee--YWSPpic.png">
 
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<p> We were able to continue our relationship with the Young Women in Science Program (YWSP) providing lab activities for 13 young women interested in STEM examining bacterial membranes, membrane permeability, and bioengineering in the real world.
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                                                <div style="height: 20em"></div>
 
<h2>Planned Outreach Events</h2>
 
<h2>Planned Outreach Events</h2>
 
<h4>April 2018</h4>
 
<h4>April 2018</h4>
<img alt="Parts" src="https://via.placeholder.com/400x300">
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We began laying out and deciding on some of our larger scale Outreach events for the fall and considering additional ways we could engage and educate our surrounding community in a holistic way.
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<h2>New Cloning Primers</h2>
 
<h2>New Cloning Primers</h2>
 
<h4>May 2018</h4>
 
<h4>May 2018</h4>
<img alt="Parts" src="https://via.placeholder.com/400x300">
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<img alt="Parts" src="https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2018/6/61/T--WLC-Milwaukee--NewPrimers.jpeg">
 
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Due to what appeared to be inconsistencies in our gene amplification we added a single base onto some of our cloning primers and increased our annealing time which allowed for better gene amplification and aiding in our cloning efforts.  
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<h2>Jack Tours Cornell Lab Spaces</h2>
 
<h2>Jack Tours Cornell Lab Spaces</h2>
 
<h4>August 2018</h4>
 
<h4>August 2018</h4>
<img alt="Parts" src="https://via.placeholder.com/400x300">
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<img alt="Parts" src="https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2018/1/1d/T--WLC-Milwaukee--WeillHall.jpeg">
 
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Over the summer, our team lead Jack was able to attend the Cornell SILS (Summer Institute of Life Sciences) symposium and meet members of the Cornell iGEM Team. He was able to speak with some of their members, particularly their team lead Rahul and tour their lab spaces. We greatly appreciate the openness and collaborations of the Cornell iGEM Team and Jack enjoyed seeing what it would be like to have an entire lab space dedicated to iGEM research!
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                                                <div style="height: 7em"></div>
 
<h2>Spoke with Experts to Analyze our System</h2>
 
<h2>Spoke with Experts to Analyze our System</h2>
 
<h4>September 2018</h4>
 
<h4>September 2018</h4>
<img alt="Parts" src="https://via.placeholder.com/400x300">
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<img alt="Parts" src="https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2018/2/24/T--WLC-Milwaukee--Experts.jpeg">
 
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<p>
Modified our project design, usability, and scope of its application based on feedback and re-analysis of our system.
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In September we began communicating with experts in environmental testing and the water safety industry. Due to their feedback we modified our initial project design to make it more user friendly, and altered the intended scope of our project application after re-analyzing the testing systems in place within the large scale water management industry.
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</p>
 
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                                                <div style="height: 5em"></div>
 
<h2>Tested HRP and Substrates based on new system goals</h2>
 
<h2>Tested HRP and Substrates based on new system goals</h2>
 
<h4>September 2018</h4>
 
<h4>September 2018</h4>
<img alt="Parts" src="https://via.placeholder.com/400x300">
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<img alt="Parts" src="https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2018/c/c1/T--WLC-Milwaukee--HRPGraphicNEW.png">
 
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After re-examining our system impact and applicability we also needed to change the substrates and ratio of HRP-Substrate we had been intending on using with our test kit to better suit the niche our kit best fills. Based on these changes we began testing new combinations and concentrations of our substrates and HRP to optimize our kit in terms of both efficiency and accuracy.
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                                                <div style="height: 10em"></div>
 
<h2>Obtained clones in pSB1C3</h2>
 
<h2>Obtained clones in pSB1C3</h2>
 
<h4>October 2018</h4>
 
<h4>October 2018</h4>
<img alt="Parts" src="https://via.placeholder.com/400x300">
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<img alt="Parts" src="https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2018/e/e1/T--WLC-Milwaukee--ClonesinpSB1C3.jpeg">
 
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After much frustration we finally succeeded in obtaining successful clones of our parts both with and without the trc-promoter (also known as Ptac) in pSB1C3!
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                                                <div style="height: 20em"></div>
 
<h2>Visited MMSD treatment plant</h2>
 
<h2>Visited MMSD treatment plant</h2>
 
<h4>October 2018</h4>
 
<h4>October 2018</h4>
<img alt="Parts" src="https://via.placeholder.com/400x300">
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<img alt="Parts" src="https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2018/6/6a/T--WLC-Milwaukee--WastewaterTreatmentVisit.jpeg">
 
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As another layer to our system design investigations we visited and toured the Milwaukee Municipal Sewer District (MMSD) wastewater treatment plant to learn whether or not our project would be viable on the large scale of Municipal Sewer Effluent management. Additionally, we sought to compare how our project could be used at small scale wastewater treatment facilities versus massive facilities such as the MMSD facilities in the Milwaukee area.  
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<h2>Submitted Parts and finished the Wiki!</h2>
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<h2>System Prototyping and Continued Testing</h2>
 
<h4>October 2018</h4>
 
<h4>October 2018</h4>
<img alt="Parts" src="https://via.placeholder.com/400x300">
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<img alt="Parts" src="https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2018/5/5b/T--WLC-Milwaukee--PrototypeTesting.jpeg">
 
<hr class="left-bar"><br>
 
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<p>After analyzing substrate-HRP ratios and which methods would suit our test kit system, we began a system prototype, conjugated HRP to our proteins, and performed some testing to optimize system operation both in controlled ideal lab circumstances and in more realistic circumstances to determine the viability of our product. </p>
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Latest revision as of 03:36, 18 October 2018

PLACEHOLDER

WLC iGEM 2018 | Timeline

Project Timeline

Summarized below is the sequence of events that led to the completion of our project, from brainstorming ideas to finally submitting our parts and finishing the wiki!



Project Decisions!

February 2018

Parts

Based on Judge feedback and our desire to bring the 2017 WLC-Milwaukee project to fruition, we decided to continue our 2017 project detecting E. coli in contaminated water supplies using Lambda Phage tail proteins. We began laying out the ways we would improve our past project and complete the areas where it had fallen short and been unsuccessful in 2017.

Began Cloning parts into pTrc99a

March 2018

Parts

With the help of our advisor, we designed primers and began the frustrating process of amplifying and cloning our parts from the pETail4 plasmid (containing the Lambda Phage tail protein genes) into pTrc99a in order to control protein expression levels using the pTrc99a IPTG inducible trc-promoter (also called Ptac).

MUBRC

April 2018



A number of our team members participated in MUBRC (The Milwaukee Undergraduate Biological Research Conference) by volunteering and helping facilitate setup for this event while Jack presented a poster of our past work and hopeful project improvements in order to gain feedback from other undergraduate researchers and PIs in attendance.

Started Human Practices Investigation

June 2018

Parts

As a team we began investigating issues relating to water quality and testing, how our project may fit into the market, how our project could fulfill a need for water testing in certain areas, and could be designed to reduce waste and eliminate any environmental hazards.

Organization Outreach Day

August 2018



In August Jack and Laura presented a poster and posterboard at the Organization Outreach day, welcoming new freshman students to our campus and talking with various students about bioengineering, synbio, and our project. Through this event we made contact with a number of students who were very interested in joining iGEM and have already gotten involved with our team!

Confirmed Clones in pTrc99a

September 2018



We finally obtained our clones in the pTrc99a backbone and confirmed their presence by diagnostic digest and sequencing. This was a major step as we could now clone our parts into pSB1C3 and include the trc-promoter for IPTG induction in our parts.

Science Exploration Day

September 2018

Parts

This event was a great Outreach event and was an awesome way to interact both with almost 20 grade school aged students and their parents from the local community and provide various lab activities and opportunities to these bright young students. The students participated in hands on explorations of some of the numerous areas within STEM.

Protein Purification and Analysis

October 2018

Parts

After obtaining successful clones of our parts into pSB1C3 we were finally able to start protein purification using Nickel column purification methods and analyze our parts for successful protein production.

Bacteriophages for High Schoolers

October 2018

Parts

After analyzing substrate-HRP ratios and which methods would suit our test kit system, we began a system prototype, conjugated HRP to our proteins, and performed some testing to optimize system operation both in controlled ideal lab circumstances and in more realistic circumstances to determine the viability of our product.

Submitted Parts and finished the Wiki!

October 2018

Parts

We submitted our parts to the Registry and started working on finishing our Wiki, confirming our results, and completing our project prototype!

Young Women in Science Program

March 3rd 2018

Parts

We were able to continue our relationship with the Young Women in Science Program (YWSP) providing lab activities for 13 young women interested in STEM examining bacterial membranes, membrane permeability, and bioengineering in the real world.

Planned Outreach Events

April 2018



We began laying out and deciding on some of our larger scale Outreach events for the fall and considering additional ways we could engage and educate our surrounding community in a holistic way.

New Cloning Primers

May 2018

Parts

Due to what appeared to be inconsistencies in our gene amplification we added a single base onto some of our cloning primers and increased our annealing time which allowed for better gene amplification and aiding in our cloning efforts.

Jack Tours Cornell Lab Spaces

August 2018

Parts

Over the summer, our team lead Jack was able to attend the Cornell SILS (Summer Institute of Life Sciences) symposium and meet members of the Cornell iGEM Team. He was able to speak with some of their members, particularly their team lead Rahul and tour their lab spaces. We greatly appreciate the openness and collaborations of the Cornell iGEM Team and Jack enjoyed seeing what it would be like to have an entire lab space dedicated to iGEM research!

Spoke with Experts to Analyze our System

September 2018

Parts

In September we began communicating with experts in environmental testing and the water safety industry. Due to their feedback we modified our initial project design to make it more user friendly, and altered the intended scope of our project application after re-analyzing the testing systems in place within the large scale water management industry.

Tested HRP and Substrates based on new system goals

September 2018

Parts

After re-examining our system impact and applicability we also needed to change the substrates and ratio of HRP-Substrate we had been intending on using with our test kit to better suit the niche our kit best fills. Based on these changes we began testing new combinations and concentrations of our substrates and HRP to optimize our kit in terms of both efficiency and accuracy.

Obtained clones in pSB1C3

October 2018

Parts

After much frustration we finally succeeded in obtaining successful clones of our parts both with and without the trc-promoter (also known as Ptac) in pSB1C3!

Visited MMSD treatment plant

October 2018

Parts

As another layer to our system design investigations we visited and toured the Milwaukee Municipal Sewer District (MMSD) wastewater treatment plant to learn whether or not our project would be viable on the large scale of Municipal Sewer Effluent management. Additionally, we sought to compare how our project could be used at small scale wastewater treatment facilities versus massive facilities such as the MMSD facilities in the Milwaukee area.

System Prototyping and Continued Testing

October 2018

Parts

After analyzing substrate-HRP ratios and which methods would suit our test kit system, we began a system prototype, conjugated HRP to our proteins, and performed some testing to optimize system operation both in controlled ideal lab circumstances and in more realistic circumstances to determine the viability of our product.