Difference between revisions of "Team:TecCEM/Description"

We are designing a biosensor for the detection of Endocrine Disruptive Compounds (EDCs) in samples of bottled water. This biosensor will work through the immobilization of protein receptor hER alpha on a quartz, which is part of a piezoelectric sensor. The protein will capture these chemicals, while the piezoelectric sensor will sense the change of mass through a change of the natural resonance of the quartz. This signal will be received and interpreted by a circuit of our own design and will give us information about the concentration of EDCs on the sample of water. We are going to focus on the enzymatic degradation of these compounds as well, through the expression of a Laccase. We plan on introducing this step as part of the purification process of fresh water. Our main goal is to guarantee EDC-free water to the general population, reducing the risk of developing any serious illness.
In addition, we want to design a novel selection marker which includes the use of glycerol and a modified strain of E. coli which can’t metabolize this compound without a selection cassette. The proposed design will allow us to reduce the antibiotic selection markers used in laboratory protocols by instead using glycerol; diminishing the risk to human health by an accidental release of antibiotic resistant bacteria.