Team:UrbanTundra Edmonton/Collaborations
Collaborations
UAlberta iGEM
As both of our teams were working within the same institution, our team was able to work extensively under the guidance of the uAlberta iGEM team. Their team was very helpful in a number of portions for our project, most notably in the InterLab study. We gave the uAlberta team our InterLab parts from our kit plate as they had a few unsuccessful transformations for a select number of the InterLab parts. In turn, after successfully transforming the remaining parts, the uAlberta team gave us purified plasmids of the InterLab parts, giving our team an easier time in doing our own transformations. As well, they gave us access to their plate reader, which was integral for us to complete the InterLab study. All through the season, the uAlberta team also provided us general mentorship in the form of lab training, help with troubleshooting our transformation, running diagnostic gels with us, and being open for discussion whenever we needed them.
iGEM TEC CEM
The iGEM TEC CEM team was very helpful in the Human Practices portion of our project. Through online video chat, we discussed possible avenues to broaden our scope and consider more perspectives for our Human Practices. They suggested to present to schools to engage our local community and see where perchlorate contamination may exist near our community.
geekStarter Workshop
On June 10, 2017, MindFuel’s geekStarter graciously hosted an event where teams sponsored by geekStarter were able to gather together, present their projects, and receive critical feedback from a panel of expert judges. Hosted at Notre Dame Collegiate High School, we were able to experience the jamboree, witnessing innovative projects of the other high schools, as well as present ours.
The next day, we got in touch we other iGEM teams at geekStarter’s iGEM meet up hosted at the University of Calgary. The UAlberta, Lethbridge, Lethbridge HS, and Calgary iGEM teams were present at the event. We were able to discuss with the other teams about a few of our problems and hear about the progress of the other teams. Overall we had a gained a newfound sense of direction for our project and were invigorated for our iGEM journey.
aGEM
In final preparations for the iGEM 2017 Giant Jamboree, five geekStarter teams from across Alberta gathered for aGEM 2017, hosted by geekStarter, occurring from September 23-24 at the University of Alberta. Again, our team is grateful to have experienced an event like aGEM. The iGEM teams present at the event were UAlberta, Calgary, Lethbridge and Lethbridge HS. We were able to practice presenting our work in a fully supportive environment. We gained invaluable ideas on how we would present at the Giant Jamboree. Furthermore, we gained insight into how other high school and undergraduate teams approached their project within the context of iGEM.
