Team:TP-CC San Diego/MedalCriteria
Integrated Practices
Synthetic Biology Club Presentations
The Human Practices Team Co-Leaders, Rachel Lian and Karishma Shah, took over as Co-Presidents of the Synthetic Biology Club at the beginning of the last school year in an effort to teach students about biotechnology and recruit members for the iGEM Team. They held weekly club meetings at Torrey Pines High School, wherein they gave presentations and led lab procedures. Topics covered in the club included DNA structure, transcription and translation, gel electrophoresis, PCR, bacteria, transformation, plate streaking, restriction enzyme digests, and CRISPR/Cas9. The members gave us overwhelmingly positive feedback and expressed excitement that they could apply what they were learning in class. The club sparked interests in biotechnology and prepared the members for more extensive involvement in synthetic biology. Many also joined our iGEM team.
Intro to Biotech Presentation
In 1965, extrachromosomal DNA (ecDNA) was discovered; DNA free from its traditional homes in the nucleus was documented. One study taking a look at ecDNA by means of fluorescence in situ hybridization proposed the ecDNA’s unusual number of oncogenes, but it didn’t catch enough attention because it was considered to be a rare event. Not until recently has the importance of ecDNA been revisited. The most recent study revealed that nearly 40% of oncogenes reside on ecDNA rather than the widely accepted notion that all DNA resided only on chromosomes.
Synthetic Biology Club Presentations
The Human Practices Team Co-Leaders, Rachel Lian and Karishma Shah, took over as Co-Presidents of the Synthetic Biology Club at the beginning of the last school year in an effort to teach students about biotechnology and recruit members for the iGEM Team. They held weekly club meetings at Torrey Pines High School, wherein they gave presentations and led lab procedures. Topics covered in the club included DNA structure, transcription and translation, gel electrophoresis, PCR, bacteria, transformation, plate streaking, restriction enzyme digests, and CRISPR/Cas9. The members gave us overwhelmingly positive feedback and expressed excitement that they could apply what they were learning in class. The club sparked interests in biotechnology and prepared the members for more extensive involvement in synthetic biology. Many also joined our iGEM team.
