Difference between revisions of "Team:ETH Zurich/Results"

Line 81: Line 81:
  
  
 +
<!---
 
<section>
 
<section>
 
<h1>Future Perspectives</h1>
 
<h1>Future Perspectives</h1>
  
 
     <h2>DIY FUS Transducer</h2>
 
     <h2>DIY FUS Transducer</h2>
     <p>To test the Effector module as described in the <a href="/Team:ETH_Zurich/Description">project description</a>, we had initially thought of building a Magnetic-resonance guided Focused Ultra-sound transducer (MRgFUS) to test the functioning of the thermal bio-switch with FUS.</p>
+
     <p>To test the <a href="/Team:ETH_Zurich/Circuit/Fd_Heat_Sensor">Heat Sensor</a>, we had initially thought of building a Magnetic Resonance-guided Focused Ultrasound transducer (MRgFUS).</p>
  
 
     <p>This was motivated by some recent articles like <a href="#bib1" class="forward-ref">[1]</a> by the FUS Foundation that talks about an open source DIY – MRIgFUS device proposed by Vanderbilt University <a href="#bib2" class="forward-ref">[2]</a>, and shares access to detailed instructions on the hardware and software requirements for building it. Compared to commercial options, this is much cheaper although less powerful in terms of precision and less sensitive in terms of control. The idea was to demonstrate a proof-of-concept that would contribute to the <em>cost-effectiveness</em> and <em>feasibility</em> of the bacterial cancer therapy CATE.</p>
 
     <p>This was motivated by some recent articles like <a href="#bib1" class="forward-ref">[1]</a> by the FUS Foundation that talks about an open source DIY – MRIgFUS device proposed by Vanderbilt University <a href="#bib2" class="forward-ref">[2]</a>, and shares access to detailed instructions on the hardware and software requirements for building it. Compared to commercial options, this is much cheaper although less powerful in terms of precision and less sensitive in terms of control. The idea was to demonstrate a proof-of-concept that would contribute to the <em>cost-effectiveness</em> and <em>feasibility</em> of the bacterial cancer therapy CATE.</p>
Line 117: Line 118:
 
     </ol>
 
     </ol>
 
</section>
 
</section>
 +
--->
  
 
</main>
 
</main>
 
</html>
 
</html>
 
{{ETH_Zurich/Footer_N}}
 
{{ETH_Zurich/Footer_N}}

Revision as of 14:39, 1 November 2017

Results

Wet Lab Achievements

Tumor Sensor

  • Built a hybrid promoter that implements AND-gate logic evaluation of L-lactate and AHL and leads to expression of a gene under its control.
  • Tuned the AND-gate such that it is capable of distinguishing lactate levels associated with healthy and tumor tissue as well as taking into account the bacterial population density.

Description

Experiments

MRI Contrast Agent

  • Characterized and tuned expression of a genetically encoded MRI contrast agent bacterioferritin in E. coli Nissle 1917.
  • Showed that the contrast agent indeed leads to a marked decrease in the MRI signal which demonstrates its usability as an MRI contrast agent in vitro and confirms the potential to use it as an in vivo reporter of tumor sensing.

Description

Experiments

Anti-Cancer Toxin

  • Developed an assay to characterize killing of cells in a cell line when supplemented with supernatant of lysed bacteria expressing azurin.

Description

Experiments

Heat Sensor

  • Built and characterized a thermoresponsive system that induces expression of a controlled gene at 45 °C but not at 37 °C.
  • Built an RBS library for the Heat Sensor, whereby we reduced leakiness far enough to transform the potent lysis-inducing protein E under its control.

Description

Experiments

Cell Lysis

  • Showed that we can induce lysis of the bacteria when transformed with protein E under the thermosensitive promoter and induced at 45° C.

Description

Experiments

Dry Lab Achievements

  1. “Open source Focused Ultrasound system now available to researchers around the world.” Focused Ultrasound Foundation, 24 May 2016. URL
  2. Poorman, Megan E., et al. “Open-Source, Small-Animal Magnetic Resonance-Guided Focused Ultrasound System.” Journal of Therapeutic Ultrasound, BioMed Central, 5 Sept. 2016, doi.org/10.1186/s40349-016-0066-7.
  3. “DIY Guide Converts Imaging Machines into Focused Ultrasound.” EDN Asia, 5 July 2016. URL
  4. Dalton, L. “Engineers Use Two Magnets Instead of One to Build a Lower-Cost MRI Scanner.” Stanford Report, 21 Mar. 2001. URL
  5. Pacella, Rena M. “Affordable DIY MRI Shows How We Really Breathe.” Popular Science, 22 Oct. 2010. URL
  6. Chandler, David L. “A New Contrast Agent for MRI.” MIT News, 14 Feb. 2017. URL
--->