Team:Marburg/Communication/GASB
GASB
To surpass the standard work of an educational iGEM project, our team aimed to make a long lasting change in the curriculum of German schools using BioBits Kits.
BioBits are easily handleable kits especially made for schools to show the simple way of using cell-free systems. Precisely because the kits have been developed for schools, we brought them to two classes and used the BioBits kits there. As we proceeded there we saw a lack of knowledge in synthetic biology. Our team worked out a cooperation with the German Association for Synthetic Biology (GASB) in order to provide a better education for students even beyond iGEM 2021. The association is committed to establish synthetic biology as a key discipline in Germany - also in relation to education. For starters, we had to get GASB onboard by introducing our concept. The idea is to help students to easier comprehend the concept of synthetic biology, including how cell-free systems work with a focus on transcription and translation. So far, to our knowledge, there has never been an easier and more accessible way to bring synthetic biology to class rooms.
Foremost, we want to use the BioBit Kits sponsored by miniPCR to show students the dogma of molecular biology. These proved successful in our iGEM project where we went to schools to do the experiment together with the students. The materials are costly, thereby it would surpass what a regular school could provide. That implies that once per month GASB would send out 3 packages to 3 different schools who applied beforehand. Then the responsible teachers will send back the package after a maximum time span of 2 weeks.
Due to the fact that the kits are storable for up to 6 months in the freezer, the kits should be handled and stored by GASB within that time frame. Foreseeably once every 6 months a big order will be placed at miniPCR to prevent additional shipment costs and ensure an easier access to the kits for the educators.
The reaction mixtures of the biobit kits have to be stored in a freezer. We would need to find storage capabilities for the kits and the pipettes. Furthermore this storage capabilities should be near the person who is taking care of this within GASB. Sara Gilles, member of the iGEM team Marburg will take responsibility to cover organisational matters, for example to which school each package has to be shipped and sending them out once a month.
Furthermore, the advertisement is planned to involve VBIO and MINT-EC, both institutions revolving around supporting biology teachers, that will serve as multipliers. The person responsible for networking purposes, Kerstin Elbig, has already been in contact with our iGEM team and is known to the GASB committee.
Most importantly, we can happily announce GASB agreed to the following cost proposal! The price range to supply a classroom with BioBits kits would be 80€, though a small discount might be possible if requested in a bulk order at miniPCR. As proposed, the maximum of kits provided would be 18 in a span of 6 months, counting 3 each month. Apart from the kits, Glow Racks to see the results of the experiment in an orange filter, pipettes and pipette tips are required. The cost would be composed of the materials that need to be bought only once, like Glow Racks and Pipettes, costing 639€, and the recurring costs of buying new BioBits Kits and Pipette tips for 1541€ biannually. The initial purchase cost for the first time amounts to 2180€ for the pilot phase.
This cost estimate was introduced to the Board of Directors of GASB by means of a short presentation held by Tamina Kirsch and Sara Gilles. These two particularly committed members of our iGEM team will act as mediators and contact persons to ensure the long-term establishment of BioBits in German schools even after the end of the 2021 project. The next meeting with GASB will determine when and how this plan will be exactly initiated, but either spring or summer 2022 the kits shall be introduced to the schools nationwide. Stay tuned until then!