McGill iGEM, BIOME Book
Our team at iGEM UPF-Barcelona had the pleasure of collaborating with the McGill iGEM team for their 2024 BIOME book. The collaboration stemmed from an invitation sent by Sofian Martinais on behalf of McGill iGEM, where they asked us to contribute to their project focusing on RNA and DNA-related proteins. For our part, we shared our work with the Cry4Ba protein, explaining how it functions as a pore-forming toxin specifically targeting insect larvae.
In our iGEM project, we are addressing the persistent issue of scabies through a novel treatment involving genetically modified bacteria that produce Cry3A and Cry4Ba toxins. Cry3Aa, our chosen protein, was highlighted for its effectiveness in combating scabies by targeting the larvae of insects responsible for the condition. It was a great opportunity to contribute to McGill iGEM's synthetic biology project, and we look forward to seeing the final publication!Queen's iGEM team, Adventure Storybook
Upon receiving an invitation from the QGEM team, who were working on an exciting worldwide adventure storybook to teach synthetic biology, we were thrilled to collaborate with them. Their initiative sought to combine creativity and education by incorporating various iGEM projects into a narrative that highlights the diversity and impact of synthetic biology. Recognizing the potential of this innovative project to reach a broad audience, we eagerly accepted the opportunity to contribute.
To begin the collaboration, we shared detailed insights about our 2024 project, which focuses on developing a novel treatment for scabies using genetically modified Cutibacterium acnes to deliver Cry toxins. We emphasized the scientific underpinnings of our project, explaining how we utilize RNA thermometers to precisely control toxin production and how our approach represents a safer, more sustainable alternative to conventional treatments for scabies.
In addition to describing the project, we highlighted the contributions of key team members. Our supervisor, Guillermo Nevot, played a critical role in guiding the project, leveraging his extensive experience in synthetic biology and mentoring. We also introduced our team manager, Inés Matheu Zorrilla, who has led the team with clear direction and integrated human practices into the project to ensure community engagement.
Additionally, we provided QGEM with a unique team page that includes a picture, further personalizing our chapter in their storybook. This page highlights our project and team, helping readers visually connect with the work we are doing in the field of synthetic biology.
Through this partnership with QGEM, we were able to share our project with a global audience, contribute to an educational resource that brings together iGEM teams from around the world, and promote the understanding of synthetic biology in a fun and creative way. We look forward to seeing our chapter, along with our team page, come to life in the final storybook and how it will inspire others to explore the field of synthetic biology.
UMA IGEM, Education First
During the last months of competition, our team had the pleasure to collaborate with IGEM UMA. To achieve this successful collaboration, several meetings took place at the end of August to organize ourselves. During these meetings, both teams agreed to give workshops at the beginning of the upcoming academic year, with the goal of presenting the materials developed by the other team.
Our team focused on creating a card game called SkinBait, The Game!, designed to help young people understand the basic concepts of synthetic biology, while the University of Málaga developed an educational video game called “Los Mohocytes: una experiencia en biología sintética” to introduce synthetic biology concepts to high school students.
In September, both teams conducted classes to promote our respective games and collected feedback through evaluation surveys prepared by each team, achieving a wider reach than either team could have accomplished individually!
On one hand, this collaboration involved an educational session led by the UMA AflaxOff Team at a local institute, I.E.S. Cartima en Cártama Estación. During the session, they conducted various experiments with the students and concluded by playing SkinBait: The Game! This activity allowed the kids to engage with basic concepts of synthetic biology in an interactive and enjoyable way. After the session, they filled out a feedback form to share their opinions on the game and suggest potential new features or improvements.
On the other hand, on September 23th we went to Col·legi Claret from Barcelona, since we had already performed some educational sessions previously and they were actively looking for us to teach some more sessions. Our team performed 2 classes where we did an introduction to genetics to students from 11th grade and let the students play the videogame for the last half of the class. The session was a success and the students enjoyed the game while also learning during our class!
UCM iGEM, European Meet-Up 2024
From July 9th to 11th, 2024, our team, iGEM UPF, had the opportunity to participate in the iGEM Madrid European Meet-Up, hosted by the RePET-iGEM team at the Universidad Complutense de Madrid (UCM). This event was a fantastic platform for networking, learning, and sharing insights with other iGEM teams from across Europe.
The first day of the meet-up was packed with inspiring talks from experts in various fields. We attended conferences on diverse topics, including computational biology and epidemiology. Some of the key speakers included:
- Krzysztof Wabnik, PhD: Researcher at the Center for Plant Biotechnology and Genomics UPM-INIA. He shared his work on combining computer modeling, microscopy, and microfluidics in plant biology.
- Luis Martín Ezama: CEO and Co-founder of CancerAppy. He provided valuable insights into the world of scientific start-ups.
- Ángel Serrano Valverde: Associated professor of Design and Image at the Faculty of Fine Arts, UCM. he conducted a workshop on graphic expression, giving us a creative perspective on communicating science.
- Margarita del Val Latorre, PhD: Spanish researcher at CSIC and Member of the Spanish Society of Immunology and the Royal National Academy of Pharmacy. Her talk on epidemiology highlighted the importance of understanding the immune response to viral infections.
The second day continued with more engaging sessions, including:
- Juan Nogales Enrique, PhD: Lead Scientist of the System’s Biotechnology Group at the National Biotechnology Center, CSIC. He presented his work on biological systems, emphasizing the potential of systems biotechnology.
- Jesús Pérez Gil, PhD: Professor in the department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at UCM and director of BIOPHYS-Hub. He discussed biophysics and environmental issues, underlining the intersection between biophysics and biotechnology.
- Mónica García Salomone: Director of Communications at the National Cancer Research Center (CNIO). She led a workshop on scientific communication, providing us with tools to effectively convey our research to a broader audience.
In addition to the inspiring talks and workshops, the meet-up was a great opportunity to connect with other iGEM teams. We interacted with teams like iGEM Stockholm, iGEM IONIS, Oleovita UEM, iGEM MSP-Maastricht, iGEM UMA, and iGEM KU Leuven, exchanging ideas and discussing potential collaborations.
Overall, our participation in the iGEM Madrid European Meet-Up 2024 was an enriching experience that allowed us to expand our network, gain new knowledge, and foster collaborations with other teams. We are grateful to the RePET-iGEM Madrid UCM team for organizing such an insightful and well-structured event.
