During August we received an invitation to collaborate with the GTC Hong Kong iGEM team. This was a great opportunity to meet with another iGEM team and learn about their work. We organized a zoom meeting and presented our respective project ideas. The Hong Kong team advisor provided us with great feedback and advice for improving our methodology and meeting medal criteria. After the initial meeting, the GTC Human Practices subteam arranged a meeting schedule with our Policy & Practices subteam to offer weekly advice and mentorship. During this time our team created a brief video detailing how Cornell iGEM functions and what iGEM is. The Hong Kong team showed this meeting at their sharing sessions for high school students. Additionally, their team provided us with a video explaining what life is like as a high schooler in Hong Kong competing in iGEM. While we would have preferred to have attended these meetings in person, the 12-hour time difference between Ithaca, New York and Hong Kong, China prevented us. In addition to the video sharing, we also provided the Hong Kong GTC Human Practices team with professors at Cornell University they could interview for their recycling project. Overall we looked forward to meeting with the Hong Kong GTC iGEM team and enjoyed supporting each other over the course of the summer and into the fall.
We reached out to the HK_GTC high school iGEM team to partner on implementing an exponential feeding system for our bioreactor. Unlike the other variables considered by the bioreactor, exponential feeding could not be implemented using constant values that work well with the Arduino’s software system. Thus, we asked them for assistance with developing a pseudocode outline to implement exponential feeding for our bioreactor, based on equations derived by Curless et. al. The system simulates exponential feeding to maintain log-phase growth of our E. coli by calculating the amount of feed needed in intervals, where the volume of feed introduced to our growth chambers grows exponentially each interval. Taking Hong Kong’s outline, we then adapted it slightly to suit our specific hardware requirements and implemented a successful exponential feeding system.
Overall we greatly enjoyed partnering with the Hong Kong team. The team members were all passionate about synthetic biology and engaged in iGEM. Discussing projects and giving and receiving feedback was an enjoyable process that helped everyone grow and learn. We look forward to continuing our relationship after the competition and in the future.
Paper referenced: Design and Evaluation of a Two-Stage, Cyclic, Recombinant Fermentation Process, Curless 1991
Team:Cornell/Partnership
Hong Kong GTC iGEM