Team:BGU Israel/Attributions
Attributions
Overview
At the Ben-Gurion University, iGEM was recently established as a General University course under the auspices of the Faculty of Natural Sciences, Department of Life Sciences. The course is offered to students from all faculties in their last year of studies of their undergraduate degree. Only students that excel in their studies and have passed a personal interview with the course advisers are accepted and admitted to the course. The course takes place over a full academic year, beginning in the academic year preceding the competition (Fall Semester) and ending after the iGEM Jamboree in the following Fall. The first assignment for the course was given during the summer vacation, when each student prepared an original idea for an iGEM project and presented it to the rest of the team. After all the ideas were presented, a team vote decided what will be the team’s choice project for that year. The next part of the course, which lasts approximately three months, involved intensive literature review and research to prepare a detailed research proposal. Each student thoroughly studied a specific element of the project and taught the information to the rest of the team. The last part of the course, involved lab work. The team established the lab themselves, ordered the necessary equipment and materials necessary for their project. From then on, the team has been working in the lab, applying their idea through experiments towards a proof of concept and demonstration of the viability of the proposed approach. The goal of the iGEM course is to teach the students how to pursue independent scientific research. The students learn how to choose a research topic, whether it be a purely scientific question or one with practical applications. Then they learn how to choose experimental methods and plan experiments with the available equipment and knowledge, if necessary the team has consulted with experts in the field. Additionally, the students learn how to manage ongoing research through team meetings. The students experience real time problem solving, risk evaluation, writing research proposals, and experimental analysis. In addition to the scientific aspect of the course, there is also the Human Practice aspect. Throughout the course the students work on presenting the project to the public through many different social and media platforms, as well as creating contacts with local and international researchers.
OriginALS Team
Mor Pasi
Ben Gurion University
Team leader, plasmid designer and synthesis, biobricks design and synthesis.
Mor Sela
Ben Gurion University
Astrocyte activation, promoter assays, cytokine validation via ELISA, collaboration, lab logistics.
Avital Bailen
Ben Gurion University
Human practices, plasmids preparation, qPCR experiments and Wiki content.
Sagi Angel
Ben Gurion University
Transfection experiments (calcium phosphate), plasmids mutagenesis, Interlab, social media and collaboration.
Einan Farhi
Ben Gurion University
Transfection experiments (electroporation), cell growth calibrations, cells selection, infection via lentivirus and genotyping.
Ori Tulchinsky
Ben Gurion University
Transfection experiments (reagents), calibrations and infection via lenti virus & AAV, packaging and patent writing and application.
Liat Tsoran
Ben Gurion University
Project idea, cells handling, infection via lenti virus and AAV, apoptosis assay, human practices, public media and IsrALS contact.
Nitzan Keidar
Ben Gurion University
Promoter assay experiments and promoters validation, plasmids preparation, human practices, Interlab and vlog content.
Daniel Deitch
Ben Gurion University
Plasmids preparation, patent, poster, presentation, animation, website design and content, team designer.
Supervisors and Instructors
Prof. Lital Alfonta
Ben Gurion University
Project management, scientific guidance and consulting, critical project evaluation, lab facility and equipment.
Dr. Ramon Birenbaum
Ben Gurion University
Project management, scientific guidance and consulting, critical project evaluation, lab facility and equipment.
Dror Aizik
Ben Gurion University
Scientific guidance, assistance in the design and implementation of experiments and protocols.
Dr. Orr Schlesinger
Ben Gurion University
Scientific guidance, assistance in the design and implementation of experiments and protocols.
Eden Ozer
Ben Gurion University
Scientific guidance, assistance in the design and implementation of experiments and protocols.
Naama Hirsch
Ben Gurion University
Scientific guidance, assistance in the design and implementation of experiments and protocols.