Team Selection December 20th, 2023, the day our iGEM adventure began! To take part in this project, we first submitted an application including our iGEM project proposal, cover letter and resume in November. Some of us were called in for an interview to defend our idea and show why we were the most motivated to take part in the competition. After an unbearable wait, the answer finally arrived on that cold December day: you are iGEM Toulouse!
First brainstorming This meeting started with explanations about finances and organization. We also divided our roles as follows: Emma was organization leader, Laura was communication leader, Léa was wet lab leader, Lou-Sahra was wiki leader, Matthieu was finance leader, Nathan was human practice leader, Rebecca was dry lab leader and Yohann was entrepreneurship leader. We all presented a project idea, including biofilm degradation, biodegradation of aromatic hydrocarbon, bioleaching, a diagnostic method using volatile organic compounds, sustainable fibers using bacteria, and a synthetic microbiota using plasmids.
INSA Open House day We participated in the "open house day" of INSA Toulouse and presented iGEM to highly motivated high schoolers and their families. We had great fun explaining how the competition works and discussing the previous Toulouse INSA-UPS team’s projects.
Our first financing requestWe held our first funding request meeting at INSA Toulouse, where we sought a grant of €5,000. Our finance leader successfully navigated this initial challenge, presenting the iGEM competition and leading a Q&A session. Well done, Matthieu!
We officially registered to the iGEM CompetitionWe have officially registered for the iGEM competition! We kept on discussing fundraising. Two promising new ideas were introduced: bio-production of human milk oligosaccharides and the use of LAMP technique to detect microorganisms. We kept on discussing the idea of using insect odorant receptors for detection of volatile organic compounds.
Welcome to our two PhD advisors
We were very pleased to meet the two PhD students who joined us as supervisors to help us with our project: Iker and Marvin! This week, we have continued brainstorming and also had our first course on cell-free methods. We learned a lot about this subject, with which none of us were familiar.
We chose our project
This week was THE decisive week for our project. After much deliberation and input, we voted on which project we would work on for the rest of the competition, and it was the lunar biofertilizer project that we chose to develop! From that week on, we all devoted ourselves to building our project.
We have a team name and logoEach of us worked on its dedicated topic and we kept on researching the genes we wanted to use. We also started to think about experiments and protocols. And this week we finally all agreed on our logo and mascot for the BioMoon project!
Discussing our modeling strategyWe started brainstorming ideas for the modeling strategy, defined the tools and started learning about the use of Genome Scale Metabolic Models (GSMM), Flux Balance Analysis (FBA), and cobrapy.
Finding our plasmidsAfter several weeks of intensive searching, we finally identified and selected the optimal expression plasmids for our bacterial transformation experiments. We opted for the pSEVA244 and pSEVA438 plasmids. These plasmids stood out due to their compatibility with our bacterial strains and their ability to efficiently drive gene expression. With these tools in hand, we are now well-equipped to move forward with our experiments and achieve our research goals!
First day in the labThis was our first week in the lab! We started our journey in the lab ordering genes and biobricks, writing protocols and planning experiments. We are excited and we look forward to performing our first experiments.
We participated to the Toulouse Expo Science We participated to the “Expo Science,” an event that brings together young innovators who have undertaken projects using a scientific approach. At the event, we had the opportunity to present our iGEM project to the public, sharing our research and engaging with attendees about the scientific process and real-world applications. It was a valuable experience to showcase our work and connect with other passionate people about science and innovation.
Obtaining P. fluorescens metabolic modelWe obtained the first metabolic model of P. fluorescens and started performing simulations on it to reproduce the laboratory results reported in literature.
Meeting Agronutris plant experts We met with Agronutris to gather insights on optimal conditions for the bacteria and plants we should use, as well as the experiments necessary to test plant growth on regolith using our future engineered strain.
We received our first gBlocks! We've been impatiently waiting for the arrival of our gBlocks to start our cloning experiments, and here they are at last!
Growing our strain is fun!Look at our beautiful fluorescent Pseudomonas!
Switching for P. putida metabolic modelOur experiments performed on the metabolic model of P. fluorescens failed due to the poor structure of the GSMM. The decision was made to use a well documented and properly structured GSMM of P. putida. The first experiments were conducted to verify its usability and accuracy to prove that the chosen model is optimal for our project. The modeling strategy was ultimately defined with an accurate breakdown of every step to be taken to achieve the key goals previously identified.
We confirmed the successful cloning of pTET promoterWe were excited about our first cloning success and could not t wait to integrate new metabolic pathways in our strain.
Mini Jamboree!!This was the Mini Jamboree week! On Thursday the 4th and Friday the 5th we welcomed nine teams from different European countries including Spain, Italy, Netherlands and of course France. We spent a great time together presenting our posters, our projects and visiting Toulouse. We also conducted experiments in the lab.
Meeting Sandra Bensmihen, plant expertWe had the pleasure to meet Sandra Bensmihen, a plant biology researcher at LIPME. She provided us with invaluable advice on optimizing plant cultivation and developing protocols for testing plant growth.
We validate the equipment for plant cultivationThanks to the valuable feedback from S. Bensmihen, we have been able to optimize our growth chamber, creating a more optimal environment for our plants' development.
Shooting our promotion video at Cité de l’espaceWe spent the morning filming scenes for our promotional video at the Cité de l'Espace in Toulouse, and we can't wait to show it to you!
Click here to watch our video
CNES is officially our sponsor!We were thrilled and honored to count the National Center for Space Studies among our sponsors. With a generous contribution of €12,000, they enabled us to pursue our ambitious goals and present a project of significant scale.
Modeling creatinine metabolization pathwayGrowth experiments for the creatinine metabolization pathway were performed serving as a basis for lab experiments.
Visiting CNESAs an external advisor and expert in lunar missions, Alexis Paillet warmly welcomed us to his workplace at CNES, where he gave us a tour. We had the incredible opportunity to see impressive models of lunar and Martian exploration robots and to speak with engineers who work directly with astronauts on the ISS.
Finish independent metabolic improvement modelingResults for the creatinine metabolization pathway, nitrate production pathway and oxidative stress resistance were terminated. We began the phase of combination.
We participated to the Space Meet-upWe had the pleasure of attending the space meet-up organized for the first time by iGEM. We had the opportunity to present our project and learn about the exciting projects from other teams in the space village.
Meeting Catalyseur Start-Up incubatorTo develop a strong and effective business plan for the entrepreneurship aspect of our project, we consulted with experts who provided valuable guidance. Their insights helped refine our ideas, offering us a clearer understanding of key entrepreneurial strategies, market positioning, and sustainable growth. Through these discussions, we gained a deeper perspective on how to transform our vision into a viable and successful business model.
Finishing modelingThe last results were obtained and the modeling strategy was concluded. The report for the wiki started.
Meeting with Sandra Ortega, MELiSSA expertWe had the opportunity to discuss how our project could be integrated into the space waste recycling systems planned by international space agencies, with a particular focus on the MELiSSA project. MELiSSA aims to develop a regenerative life support system that mimics the key functions of Earth's ecosystem, and we explored how our work could contribute to this groundbreaking initiative.
We validated creA crnA biobrick!We successfully engineered our P. fluorescens strain and made it able to grow on creatinine. We are proud of our work and we look forward to presenting it at the Jamboree !
Thank you to all our sponsorsThe Toulouse-based bioinformatics startup iMEAN was our latest sponsor, bringing our total funding to €29,295. We were thrilled that our project has attracted so many contributors, and we warmly thanked them for their support, without which BioMoon would not have come to life.
We organized a workshop for middle schoolersWe had the pleasure of welcoming a group of teenagers from Collège Antoine Carrère to our lab, where we introduced them to our project and shared the exciting world of biology. Through interactive activities and engaging presentations, we aimed to make learning about biology both educational and enjoyable, sparking their curiosity and interest in science.
We finished wiki redactionWe poured our hearts and souls into creating our wiki, dedicating countless hours to ensure it’s the best it can be.
