Team:Tec-Chihuahua/brainstorm
Nopal against skin cancer
Worldwide, 5.4 millions of squamous cells and basal cells skin cancers are diagnosed every year. This project concept involved the generation of a nopal plant (Opuntia) designed to be a source of Bowman Birk Inhibitor and antioxidants that provide to the population with protection against skin carcinomas and other diseases, specially for people living in the arid zones of the country, where the sun radiation incidence is higher.
Long-lasting anticoagulant
This idea came from our interest in another animal, the bat (Desmodus rotundus). We wanted to create an anticoagulant to combat the three main vascular diseases: acute myocardial infarction, cerebrovascular accident and Venous thromboembolism. The proof of concept would consist in the blood transport using the desmoteplase as main agent.
Myxobacteria as chassis
Myxoccocus Xanthus has characteristics that makes it interesting to work with, like the production of secondary metabolites, its habitat, prevalence and its relatively large size. This project revolved around turning Myxoccocus Xanthus into a novel alternative chasis model to E. coli.
Axolotl's healing factor
This project originated from the research about the axolotl (Ambystoma mexicanum), an endemic mexican salamander, we were interested in this amphibian´s regeneration capacity: thanks to cellular memory, the axolotl can regenerate tissue, appendices, vital structures and even limbs.
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Selection process
At the beginning of the project, each member presented the team with a problem of national and international relevance that could, tentatively, be solved using the synthetic biology approach of iGEM.
After the first round of selection, we choose four ideas to focus on them. One of this ideas came from the uncle of one of the team´s members, an apple producer, who struggles with a disease commonly known as the bacterial fire.
After doing some research, we found out that this fire is a disease caused by the bacterium Erwinia amylovora. This blight is responsible for millionaire losses affecting the fruit growers, which sometimes lose the total crop due to this disease. Chihuahua, the team´s state, is the largest producer of apple in our country and one of the largest in Latin America, being the fire blight a major fear and concern among the producers.
In America, Mexico, Canada, and the United States are widely affected by this disease, the bacteria are distributed throughout the total area of these countries; in fact, Massachusetts is among the affected areas. Erwinia is also present throughout European countries; in France, the planting of certain types of apples is prohibited because of their vulnerability to this disease.
Then we proceeded to analyze the feasibility of a solution to this problem employing synthetic biology, adhering to the form and time established by iGEM. We took into account that it is a problem that has been addressed by different angles -not necessarily speaking of synthetic biology approaches- but that are nowadays still far from being efficient in fighting this disease. That affects not just the apple but crops of the Rosaceae family in general; thus, a solution to this dreaded disease, it's necessary and will be recognized worldwide.
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