iGEM WPI Worcester – Biofilm assay protocol

Because we both worked on biofilms disruption, we exchanged with iGEM WPI Worcester on our methods. They develop antifreeze proteins that have anti-biofilm properties, when on our side, we also integrated into our interface a strategy to disrupt biofilm formation. To test the effect of our proteins on biofilms, we both performed biofilm assay on microtiter plates, and decided to exchange our protocols of biofilm culture and quantification in order to compare them.

iGEM Sorbonne U Paris – Interlab

We also collaborated with the french IGEM team Sorbonne U Paris. They graciously offered us some E. coli DH5α for the Interlab study. We also helped them when they started their experiments for the Interlab by responding to some of their interrogations.

iGEM UNSW Australia – Law

We collaborated with iGEM UNSW Australia who was looking to produce a discussion about patenting for science at a global scale. They contacted us to see our interpretation of EU law since they have a training in Australian law.
Our legal team, composed of 2 Master students in Intellectual Property law skyped with their team to share on problematics surrounding patent law, such as reconciling new biological inventions with the law, the issues with diagnostic technology, the European legal system concerning patent law, the organization of courts in France, etc.

iGEM Düsseldorf – Postcards

iGEM is not only about experiments and labwork, but also about bringing the topic of “synthetic biology” closer to the public, and iGEM Düsseldorf perfectly understood that. Each year, a bunch of iGEM teams is joining this project by promoting synthetic biology using self-designed postcards. We designed a postcard which shows our project’s logo on the front (Cf. Figure 1), and a small information text on the back.

Hi mysterious team,
Have you ever thought about bionic prostheses and nerve control? This year, we want to improve the living conditions of amputees by giving them the opportunity to connect their limb to a functional machine! To do so, we are developing an interface between nerves and prosthesis thanks to synthetic biology. Hope your project is going well!
See you at the Giant Jamboree in October!
iGEM Pasteur 2018 team

iGEM US_AFRL_CarrollHS – Mike the Microbe

Talking about fun experience, we collaborated with iGEM US EFRL CarrollHS with their project Mike the Microbe! Mike loves to travel the world and loves sciences! He worked with us in the lab and kept company to our bacteria, especially during the night, when we left our cultures all alone in the dark (Cf. Figure 2)

iGEM IIT-Madras – Language project

We helped iGEM IIT-Madras with their educational Synthetic Biology video (Cf. Figure 3) by translating it into French. By doing so, we’re hoping that their video will go viral in the French YouTube community, allowing the spreading of their video and maybe, the sparkle of new vocations among the viewers.

iGEM TecMonterrey_GDL - #ScienceEverywhere

We participated in the project of iGEM TecMonterrey Campus Guadalajara in their project #ScienceEverywhere that aims to show the diversity between all iGEM teams. For this, we designed a sign saying how far from Boston we are, and took a photo of it in front of the old French subway named after the Institut Pasteur (Cf. Figure 4), which was funded by Louis Pasteur and inaugurated on November 14th 1888 by the president at the time, Sadi Carnot. For over a century now, the Institut Pasteur has been at the forefront of the battle against infectious diseases.

For the 4th time since the creation of the iGEM Pasteur team, we hosted the annual Parisian Meet-up (Cf. Figure 5). Despite its name, all iGEM teams from France (Aix-Marseille Université, Bordeaux, Evry Paris-Saclay, GO Paris-Saclay, Grenoble-Alpes, Montpellier, Paris Bettencourt, Sorbonne U Paris and Toulouse-INSA-UPS) participated.

After a homemade lunch, very appreciated by the French teams, we organized round tables about bioethics, and how regulations may be a restraint to innovation. We had the great pleasure to welcome:

• Dr. Pascal Boireau, on micro-organisms ranked for bioterrorism, OGM and dual research
• Mr. Didier Coeurnelle, on the ethics of experiments linked to the end of life
• Mrs. Valérie Dépadt, on medically assisted procreation
• Mr. Térence Ericson, on Artificial Intelligence and genetic modification
• Dr. Deshmukh Gopaul, on ethical problems raised by the projects of the iGEM French teams
• Mr. Alexei Grinbaum, on the responsibility of the researchers and use of stories to think about ethical questions
• Mrs. Joanna Trouchaud, on the use of animal models in research
• Mr. Will Wright, the European Ambassador of iGEM was our special guest. He presented and talked to the teams on the experience of iGEM and After iGEM.

Organized by the iGEM Aix Marseille Université team, the summer Mediterranean Meet-Up took place in the CNRS lab of Marseille, gathering 8 French teams and two Spanish teams.
On Thursday, the event started with a 180-second presentation of each project, followed by questions by the Jury. Unfortunately, the weather changed the afternoon plans, instead of visiting Marseille under the hail, we got to know each other around card games.
On Friday, we attended a round table on bioethics to question the risks of our project. We also had the chance to meet the Ambassador Thea Chrysostomou (Cf. Figure 8) and discuss with her about our project. In the afternoon, we presented our project to various researchers during the poster session. It was a very interesting and challenging task.

We participated to the Biotech4Change conference in the European Parliament in Brussels where biotech speakers were present (Cf. Figure 9). We met other iGEM teams and presented our project in 3 minutes under a TedX format! Then, international renowned researchers who launched their biotech start up spoke about their background and professional journeys.