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| </div> | | </div> |
| + | |
| + | <h2 id="Part II: When you build a team with people from all over the world every meeting become an Integrated Human Practices" |
| + | class="big-head">Part II: When you build a team with people from all over the world every meeting become |
| + | an Integrated Human Practice</h2> |
| + | |
| + | <div class="text"> |
| + | |
| + | |
| + | <p> As one can imagine, when you bring together people from 10 different countries, all with different |
| + | backgrounds, every meeting and decision becomes very well discussed in its diverse aspects. This is |
| + | how we managed to have so many different areas within SynBio covered by Friendzymes. It is because |
| + | of the expertise of the group's Software Engineers and Bioinformaticians that we have been able to |
| + | develop work in the Software section that goes through different levels of programming knowledge: |
| + | The Friendzymes Cookbook, for beginner programmers, and Friendzymes Actions for large-scale circuit |
| + | design analysis for those more advanced (see <a |
| + | href="https://2021.igem.org/Team:Open_Science_Global/Software"> Software </a> and <a |
| + | href="https://2021.igem.org/Team:Open_Science_Global/Communication"> Education </a> for more |
| + | details). This diversity also opens us to members who are interested in hardware development, which |
| + | has allowed us to build two different types of bioreactors. Once these two bioreactors are developed |
| + | and the problem areas fixed, we intend to analyze and compare their quality and feasibility (see <a |
| + | href="https://2021.igem.org/Team:Open_Science_Global/Hardware"> Hardware </a>). Finally, it is |
| + | because one of the leaders (and creator of the project) and also our PI Scott were previously |
| + | associated with Free Genes and the Open Bioeconomy Lab that we already had a library available (see |
| + | <a |
| + | href="https://stanford.freegenes.org/collections/all/products/b-subtilis-protein-secretion-toolkit#bionet"> |
| + | the B. subtilis Protein Secretion Toolkit </a>), which also provides shipping around the world. |
| + | </p> |
| + | <p>As you can see, the more our team grew in numbers and consisted of a wider audience, the more our |
| + | project began to develop a global perspective. During meetings and co-working, we noticed that a |
| + | single question arose time and time again: “what does democratized biotechnology mean?” While this |
| + | was a single question, there was no single answer. This was where we saw that “democratized |
| + | biotechnology” could mean different things, since each person saw it in a different light, depending |
| + | on where s/he was from. </p> |
| + | <p>Those from high-income countries viewed “Democratized Biotechnology” as a means to provide community |
| + | labs or biohacking spaces with cheaper alternatives for their work since they often don't have |
| + | funding from large institutions. This perspective is exciting as it can introduce many niches in |
| + | biotechnology.</p> |
| + | <p>However, that was a completely different view from our members who were from resource-constrained |
| + | areas (e.g. Brazil, Philippines) where the currency was weaker than the USD dollar - the most common |
| + | currency for purchasing laboratory supplies. For them, democratizing Biotechnology meant giving even |
| + | their biggest labs' possibility to have the very basic tools, as these places suffered not only with |
| + | the currency but also with a general lack of financing; the difficulty of importation (including |
| + | high shipping rates); and the difficulties of transporting biological materials, e.g. if the product |
| + | has to be kept at low temperatures. Thus, in these places, the amount paid can be around double in |
| + | comparison to what labs in the US/Europe pay for reagents; and the ability to manufacture some |
| + | reagents locally through synthetic biology relieves this problem.</p> |
| + | <p>Friendzymes as a whole soon realized the importance of those exchanges as both views provided insight |
| + | on what impact our project will have depending on the country; therefore, perspectives are taken |
| + | into consideration when attempting to democratize biotechnology for all. Given the international, |
| + | diverse, and heterogeneous nature of Friendzymes (see <a |
| + | href="https://2021.igem.org/Team:Open_Science_Global/Inclusivity"> Diversity section </a>), we |
| + | were able to see this vividly. We found ourselves with priceless resources, our team. Everyone had |
| + | something they could teach, enthusiasm to learn, and diversity so beneficial as to help all learn |
| + | more about the world we live in.</p> |
| + | </div> |
| + | |
| <h2 id="Part III: The journey continues - People who were essential for the further development of the iGEM | | <h2 id="Part III: The journey continues - People who were essential for the further development of the iGEM |
| Project" class="big-head">Part III: The journey continues - People who were essential for the further | | Project" class="big-head">Part III: The journey continues - People who were essential for the further |
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| section. </a> and available for use.</p> | | section. </a> and available for use.</p> |
| | | |
− | </div>
| |
− | </div>
| |
| </div> | | </div> |
| + | </div> |
| + | </div> |
| | | |
| | | |
− | <div class="option">
| + | <div class="option"> |
− | <input type="checkbox" id="toggle4" class="toggle" />
| + | <input type="checkbox" id="toggle4" class="toggle" /> |
− | <label class="title-drop" for="toggle4">Community</label>
| + | <label class="title-drop" for="toggle4">Community</label> |
− | <div class="content">
| + | <div class="content"> |
− | <div class="text">
| + | <div class="text"> |
− | <p>
| + | <p> |
− | <b>Thomas Landrain, Leo Blondel, Paige Perillat-Piratoine and Heloisa
| + | <b>Thomas Landrain, Leo Blondel, Paige Perillat-Piratoine and Heloisa |
− | Oss-Boll from JOGL</b>
| + | Oss-Boll from JOGL</b> |
− | <p>
| + | <p> |
− | As our name - Friendzymes - suggests, we like to make friends around the
| + | As our name - Friendzymes - suggests, we like to make friends around the |
− | world, because building a strong and active community is an essential part
| + | world, because building a strong and active community is an essential part |
− | of achieving our goal of democratizing Synthetic Biology. </p>
| + | of achieving our goal of democratizing Synthetic Biology. </p> |
− | <p>We decided to open up the scope of the project beyond the usual platforms and
| + | <p>We decided to open up the scope of the project beyond the usual platforms and |
− | use JOGL (Just One Giant Lab), an open community filled with people from all
| + | use JOGL (Just One Giant Lab), an open community filled with people from all |
− | over the globe who want to do collaborative scientific work. We created a
| + | over the globe who want to do collaborative scientific work. We created a |
− | space for the project that can be accessed by anyone who is interested;
| + | space for the project that can be accessed by anyone who is interested; |
− | additionaly, we opened a challenge - proposing that anyone interested in
| + | additionaly, we opened a challenge - proposing that anyone interested in |
− | building low-cost plate-readers can create their own model and participate
| + | building low-cost plate-readers can create their own model and participate |
− | in our goal.</p>
| + | in our goal.</p> |
− | <p>None of this would have been possible without the idea and encouragement of
| + | <p>None of this would have been possible without the idea and encouragement of |
− | Thomas Landrain (Co-Founder and CEO) and Leo Blondel (Co-Founder and CTO)
| + | Thomas Landrain (Co-Founder and CEO) and Leo Blondel (Co-Founder and CTO) |
− | who drove the creation of the Friendzymes’ JOGL Space.
| + | who drove the creation of the Friendzymes’ JOGL Space. |
− | Paige Perillat-Piratoine (Community and Outreach) was essential for tips on
| + | Paige Perillat-Piratoine (Community and Outreach) was essential for tips on |
− | how to improve our space in the future to get more engagement with other
| + | how to improve our space in the future to get more engagement with other |
− | people and Heloísa Oss-Boll (Intern Community and Outreach) was an important
| + | people and Heloísa Oss-Boll (Intern Community and Outreach) was an important |
− | partner who proposed that we host an event to talk about frugal biofoundries
| + | partner who proposed that we host an event to talk about frugal biofoundries |
− | with people around the world using the JOGL platform. This inspired us to do
| + | with people around the world using the JOGL platform. This inspired us to do |
− | it in the format of a hackathon so that we could interact with and meet
| + | it in the format of a hackathon so that we could interact with and meet |
− | everyone! Heloísa and Paige helped Friendzymes as we embarked on the journey
| + | everyone! Heloísa and Paige helped Friendzymes as we embarked on the journey |
− | of making the hackathon happen by giving us several tips. Shrestha Rath
| + | of making the hackathon happen by giving us several tips. Shrestha Rath |
− | (Intern Community and Outreach) is also one of the organizers of the Global
| + | (Intern Community and Outreach) is also one of the organizers of the Global |
− | Policy Mapping Hackathon at After iGEM also provided us with good insights,
| + | Policy Mapping Hackathon at After iGEM also provided us with good insights, |
− | primarily related to good documentation and guides for hackathon
| + | primarily related to good documentation and guides for hackathon |
− | participants, as well as picking a winner because it would encourage
| + | participants, as well as picking a winner because it would encourage |
− | participants to develop good project concepts.</p>
| + | participants to develop good project concepts.</p> |
− | <p>Finally, Chris LB Graham (Co-founder of Helpful Engineering and JOGL
| + | <p>Finally, Chris LB Graham (Co-founder of Helpful Engineering and JOGL |
− | Community based Grant Review) was instrumental in how we decided on the
| + | Community based Grant Review) was instrumental in how we decided on the |
− | winning project at the hackathon. Chris is the creator of a Community Peer
| + | winning project at the hackathon. Chris is the creator of a Community Peer |
− | Review system and guided us on how to do this with the projects developed at
| + | Review system and guided us on how to do this with the projects developed at |
− | the hackathon.
| + | the hackathon. |
− | </p>
| + | </p> |
− | <p>
| + | <p> |
| | | |
− | <b>Robert Lee Read
| + | <b>Robert Lee Read |
− | </b>
| + | </b> |
− | <p>
| + | <p> |
− | Robert is the Head Coach of Public Invention, a nonprofit that invents in
| + | Robert is the Head Coach of Public Invention, a nonprofit that invents in |
− | the public, for the public. They make collaborative teams that make new
| + | the public, for the public. They make collaborative teams that make new |
− | inventions possible with free and open hardware. Rob is also from the board
| + | inventions possible with free and open hardware. Rob is also from the board |
− | of directors of Helpful Engineering, a global non-profit community whose
| + | of directors of Helpful Engineering, a global non-profit community whose |
− | mission is to collectively engineer rapid and open solutions to
| + | mission is to collectively engineer rapid and open solutions to |
− | sustainability challenges worldwide. Rob connected us wonderful people at
| + | sustainability challenges worldwide. Rob connected us wonderful people at |
− | Helpful Engineering to help our hardware side of the team to brainstorm
| + | Helpful Engineering to help our hardware side of the team to brainstorm |
− | prototypes further! He also gave Friendzymes good advice on how to conduct
| + | prototypes further! He also gave Friendzymes good advice on how to conduct |
− | funding request meetings, provided input on frugal materials we could use
| + | funding request meetings, provided input on frugal materials we could use |
− | for our bioreactors, and we got to learn about ways to fund our hardware
| + | for our bioreactors, and we got to learn about ways to fund our hardware |
− | prototypes as we were introduced to a community of hardware tinkerers with
| + | prototypes as we were introduced to a community of hardware tinkerers with |
− | whom we will be continuing our hardware explorations beyond iGEM. </p>
| + | whom we will be continuing our hardware explorations beyond iGEM. </p> |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
− | </div>
| |
− | </div>
| |
− | </div>
| |
| </div> | | </div> |
| + | |
| </div> | | </div> |
| + | </div> |
| | | |
| + | <h2 id="Part IV: looking into the future and beyond" class="big-head"> Part IV: looking into the future |
| + | and beyond</h2> |
| + | <div class="text"> |
| + | <p>We had the opportunity to meet with Alexis Casas, from the London Biofoundry. He talked about how |
| + | he had been advising the <a href=”https://2021.igem.org/Team:Paris_Bettencourt”>iGEM 2021 |
| + | Paris Bettencourt</a> (and <a href=”https://2021.igem.org/Team:Marburg”>iGEM 2021 |
| + | Marburg</a>) teams on making a network of distributed biofoundries and remote labs, and |
| + | the differences between implementations related to Friendzymes distributed laboratories |
| + | and London Biofoundry. This actually culminated in a collaboration after the |
| + | Computational Modeling in Biology Network (COMBINE) meeting to create executable and |
| + | unified standard protocols (PAML) that could be easily integrated into different |
| + | lab/biofoundry setups, including the 4 Friendzymes laboratories, the London Biofoundry, |
| + | and Tim Dobbs from CRI Paris.</p> |
| + | <p>Also, after the hackathon that we organized with JOGL <a |
| + | href="https://2021.igem.org/Team:Open_Science_Global/Education"> (see more detail in the |
| + | Education section)</a>, we found ourselves leaning closer and closer to the conclusion |
| + | that the mass manufacturing of enzymes, and the research on how to produce low-cost equipment |
| + | for Biofoundries, could have a greater impact than previously imagined. The number of people |
| + | that participated in the event let us realize that many people were interested in our |
| + | proposition and that the Friendzymes’ objectives resonated with a global audience. A proposal |
| + | raised by Devin Camenares suggested that one application of free enzyme production could be the |
| + | introduction of biotechnological tools and methodologies in high schools, bringing new light to |
| + | science apprenticeship. </p> |
| + | <p>The ideas proposed during the Hackathon have not had time to show their impact on the project; |
| + | however, the proposed applications that were presented helped Friendzymes to understand that our |
| + | low-cost Frugal Biofoundries goal could be useful to address many modern issues, more than we |
| + | ever imagined. We’ve worked alongside the teams to see how they came up with ideas to make |
| + | bioengineering more accessible, and we couldn’t be happier with the results. </p> |
| + | <p>Then, the enzymes and low-cost equipments we made during the project will serve as the foundation |
| + | for friendzymes teammates’ future projects, and we’re sure that we’ll look into the future with |
| + | the vision of using the tools and knowledge learned here to build a better world.</p> |
| + | </div> |
| | | |
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| + | </div> |
| + | </div> |
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| + | <footer> |
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| + | </footer> |
| + | |
| + | </div> |
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