Contribution

Hardware

We have designed a 3D printed handheld device that can perform the necessary heating steps to carry out a recombinase polymerase amplification (RPA) reaction. Our hardware will significantly reduce the amount of time it takes to perform an RPA reaction by having an all encompassing tool, especially for detecting bovine respiratory disease (BRD) pathogens. The device utilizes an Arduino system, meaning the specific temperatures can be adjusted if needed for different primers. Because of this specificity, future iGEM teams can use this heating device for their own RPA reactions. More information about our design can be found on our engineering (link) and hardware pages (link).

Upload the 3D print design somewhere?

Overall, we hope that this design is a helpful contribution to future iGEM teams and the industry.

Laboratory Protocols

This year, we have developed protocols to efficiently prepare samples to perform RPA reactions. The traditional preparation method for DNA collected from nasopharyngeal swabs of cattle is using commercial DNA extraction kits. Based on a study from Priti, Jangra et al. (2021), we believe this step to be unnecessary and a heating step will suffice for sample preparation. To find more information about our specific protocols, please visit our wet laboratory page (link).

References

Priti, Jangra, S., Baranwal, V.K. et al. A rapid field-based assay using recombinase polymerase amplification for identification of Thrips palmi, a vector of tospoviruses. J Pest Sci 94, 219–229 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10340-020-01284-w

Community Outreach

Our team has participated in events throughout the year to facilitate community outreach and public reducation. Tech Futures Challenge presentation. Farmers market