Westminster iGEM 2015 - Electrocoli
Donation protected
THE WESTMINSTER TEAM NEEDS YOUR HELP!
***FRIENDS AND FAMILY***
The Westmister iGEM team - your son’s, daughter’s, grandchildren and cousin’s- need your help! Every summer, the iGEM (International Genetically Engineered Machine) foundation organises a Synthetic Biology competition for university undergraduates. Students are expected to work on a group project over the summer term and present their findings at the competition. This year the competition is being held in Boston, Massachusetts, 24th-28th September, and we need your help to get us there.
We have been working really hard all summer on an independent project that involves the development of an alternative energy source. Alongside all the laboratory work we have been conducting, we have also done outreach projects with local colleges, collaborations with other UK iGEM teams, and fundraising for the laboratory work.
This project is really important to us, as it will give us the opportunity to end our university education with some work/research experience. We have raised the money for the laboratory work and any outreach programmes we have planned but the fund for the airplane tickets and accommodation is still empty! We want to get to Boston and show the US teams what Westminster is all about! We are the future scientists of our nation and our education should not be limited to our degrees. Attending an event where teams all over the world will present their work is also a chance for us to expand out knowledge and discover new pathways our degrees can take us down.
We managed to get funding for four team members- including flights and accommodation- but we need funding for further five people, which amounts to £3,500. Please help us get to the competition by donating some/any money you have spare.
***THE SCIENCE PART AND FURTHER DETAILS***
THE PROJECT
The iGEM competition encourages undergraduates to design new biological systems either by constructing their own genetic parts or improving already existing parts in the iGEM Registry. Our project involves isolating an electron transport pathway called MtrCAB from Shewanella oneidensis MR-1 and introducing it into Escherichia coli. Shewanella oneidensis is an exoelectrogen bacteria, meaning they have the ability to convert chemical energy such as organic carbon sources into electrical energy, and the MtrCAB pathway, along side protein components CymA and OmcA, is what enables them to do so. By introducing this pathway into E.coli, we hope to increase the transfer of electrons and thus the level of electricity produced. The modified E.coli would then be placed in a bio-electrochemical device- microbial fuel cell (MFC)- where the electrical energy would be harvested.
Figure 1: Common MFC design, indicating requirements and products from electricity production.
This energy is renewable as the bacteria reproduce naturally, and are kept alive with a constant supply of nutrients present in the surrounding environment. For example, when used in wastewater treatment, the bacteria feed off the chemicals found in wastewater, purifying the water in the process and producing electricity as a result. In developing countries, this renewable source of energy could provide a lifeline for villages that do not have access to clean water and electricity.
EDUCATIONAL AND CAREER DEVELOPMENT
This competition gives us, the students, a chance to develop essential skills needed to work in our chosen science fields. Working on an independent research project allows us to develop skills in leadership, group work, project management, fundraising, public speaking and networking. Whether we wanted to apply for a job within the industry, or study on a master or doctoral level, we can say that we have the skill sets to do so.
We have spent the last few months:
Organising outreach programmes-
We spoke to college students about our project, Synthetic Biology and ways in which they can enrich their university experience and gain valuable work experience during their studies.
Fundraising-
The sponsorship we managed to obtain has enabled us to actually conduct our research. The reagents and gene sequences don’t come cheap!
Current sponsors:
Collaborating with other UK iGEM teams-
We, the Westminster iGEM team, will be organising the UK meet-up of all UK iGEM teams in September. Two hundred students from all parts of the UK will be coming to London to present their work, and most importantly support and appreciate the effort each team has made to show what the next generation of UK scientist has to offer.
So think of this competition as the SCIENCE OLYMPICS- we are training our minds and are ready to take home the GOLD. Please help us get there by donating any money you have spare!
iGEM, OTHER UK TEAMS- CURRENT AND PAST
iGEM Main Page
https://www.igem.org/Main_Page
2015 iGEM Teams
http://igem.org/Team_List.cgi?year=2015
http://igem.org/Team_Wikis?year=2014
http://igem.org/Team_Wikis?year=2013
Westminster iGEM page- still under construction :
http://2015.igem.org/Team:Westminster
https://twitter.com/WestminsteriGEM
https://www.facebook.com/WestminsteriGEM2015
https://instagram.com/westminsterigem2015/
***FRIENDS AND FAMILY***
The Westmister iGEM team - your son’s, daughter’s, grandchildren and cousin’s- need your help! Every summer, the iGEM (International Genetically Engineered Machine) foundation organises a Synthetic Biology competition for university undergraduates. Students are expected to work on a group project over the summer term and present their findings at the competition. This year the competition is being held in Boston, Massachusetts, 24th-28th September, and we need your help to get us there.
We have been working really hard all summer on an independent project that involves the development of an alternative energy source. Alongside all the laboratory work we have been conducting, we have also done outreach projects with local colleges, collaborations with other UK iGEM teams, and fundraising for the laboratory work.
This project is really important to us, as it will give us the opportunity to end our university education with some work/research experience. We have raised the money for the laboratory work and any outreach programmes we have planned but the fund for the airplane tickets and accommodation is still empty! We want to get to Boston and show the US teams what Westminster is all about! We are the future scientists of our nation and our education should not be limited to our degrees. Attending an event where teams all over the world will present their work is also a chance for us to expand out knowledge and discover new pathways our degrees can take us down.
We managed to get funding for four team members- including flights and accommodation- but we need funding for further five people, which amounts to £3,500. Please help us get to the competition by donating some/any money you have spare.
***THE SCIENCE PART AND FURTHER DETAILS***
THE PROJECT
The iGEM competition encourages undergraduates to design new biological systems either by constructing their own genetic parts or improving already existing parts in the iGEM Registry. Our project involves isolating an electron transport pathway called MtrCAB from Shewanella oneidensis MR-1 and introducing it into Escherichia coli. Shewanella oneidensis is an exoelectrogen bacteria, meaning they have the ability to convert chemical energy such as organic carbon sources into electrical energy, and the MtrCAB pathway, along side protein components CymA and OmcA, is what enables them to do so. By introducing this pathway into E.coli, we hope to increase the transfer of electrons and thus the level of electricity produced. The modified E.coli would then be placed in a bio-electrochemical device- microbial fuel cell (MFC)- where the electrical energy would be harvested.
Figure 1: Common MFC design, indicating requirements and products from electricity production.This energy is renewable as the bacteria reproduce naturally, and are kept alive with a constant supply of nutrients present in the surrounding environment. For example, when used in wastewater treatment, the bacteria feed off the chemicals found in wastewater, purifying the water in the process and producing electricity as a result. In developing countries, this renewable source of energy could provide a lifeline for villages that do not have access to clean water and electricity.
EDUCATIONAL AND CAREER DEVELOPMENT
This competition gives us, the students, a chance to develop essential skills needed to work in our chosen science fields. Working on an independent research project allows us to develop skills in leadership, group work, project management, fundraising, public speaking and networking. Whether we wanted to apply for a job within the industry, or study on a master or doctoral level, we can say that we have the skill sets to do so.
We have spent the last few months:
Organising outreach programmes-
We spoke to college students about our project, Synthetic Biology and ways in which they can enrich their university experience and gain valuable work experience during their studies.
Fundraising-
The sponsorship we managed to obtain has enabled us to actually conduct our research. The reagents and gene sequences don’t come cheap!
Current sponsors:
Collaborating with other UK iGEM teams-
We, the Westminster iGEM team, will be organising the UK meet-up of all UK iGEM teams in September. Two hundred students from all parts of the UK will be coming to London to present their work, and most importantly support and appreciate the effort each team has made to show what the next generation of UK scientist has to offer.
So think of this competition as the SCIENCE OLYMPICS- we are training our minds and are ready to take home the GOLD. Please help us get there by donating any money you have spare!
iGEM, OTHER UK TEAMS- CURRENT AND PAST
iGEM Main Page
https://www.igem.org/Main_Page
2015 iGEM Teams
http://igem.org/Team_List.cgi?year=2015
http://igem.org/Team_Wikis?year=2014
http://igem.org/Team_Wikis?year=2013
Westminster iGEM page- still under construction :
http://2015.igem.org/Team:Westminster
https://twitter.com/WestminsteriGEM
https://www.facebook.com/WestminsteriGEM2015
https://instagram.com/westminsterigem2015/
Organizer
Tom Leggo-Bridge
Organizer