Difference between revisions of "Team:BostonU HW/HP/Silver"

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<title>Silver Human Practices</title>
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<title>Gold Human Practices</title>
 
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<img src="https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2017/0/02/MARSbackground.png" id="BACKGROUND">
 
<img src="https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2017/0/02/MARSbackground.png" id="BACKGROUND">
 
<img src="https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2017/2/22/MARSLogo2.png" id="MARS">
 
<img src="https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2017/2/22/MARSLogo2.png" id="MARS">
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<img src="https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2017/c/c7/MARS_Silver_HP.png" id="TITLE">
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<img src="https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2017/0/01/MARS_Gold_HP.png" id="TITLE">
 
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<div class="main main-raised">
 
<div class="main main-raised">
 
<div class="container text_box">
 
<div class="container text_box">
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      <h1 class="title text-center">Understanding Microfluidics</h1>
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      <h1 class="title text-center">Integrating Our Microfluidics Knowledge</h1>
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The key goal of MARS is to make microfluidics as accessible and and understandable as possible to the synbio community. From our poll results it was obvious that most people had not heard of microfluidics before or only had a limited understanding of their application in a lab. This highlighted the need for more education on our hardware and created the perfect basis for our human practices and public outreach.
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<div class="text_section" style="margin-bottom:3%;">
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<br>
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<div class="text">
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<br>
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As our work on MARS progressed, many of the interactions we engaged in over the Summer had a direct impact on the project. Specific areas that were developed and modified as a result of our synthetic biologist and industry interactions are influencing the structure and content of our MARS chip archive, increasing accessibility to researchers through Microfluidics 101, and building the fluid functionality checklist. Through integrating the feedback, comments and advice received from various sources, we were able to significantly improve and refine MARS as a whole.
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We worked together with STEM Pathways at Boston University in order to engage and inspire High school girls to pursue careers or higher education in STEM fields. This event was particularly well suited to our project as our activity would be happening in conjunction with many others relating to synthetic biology. This helped prep the students as they received a good understanding of synbio prior to arriving at our microfluidics station.
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<div class="text-center text">
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<div style="text-align:center; margin:auto; vertical-align:middle;" >
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<a href="#Community">
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<button class="btn btn-round btn-danger">Community Engagement</button>
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</a>
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</div>
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<div style="text-align:center; margin:auto; vertical-align:middle; margin-bottom:3%;" >
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<a href="#Community">
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<button class="btn btn-round btn-danger">Industry</button>
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</a>
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<div class="main main-raised" id="Community">
 
<div class="main main-raised" id="Community">
 
<div class="container text_box">
 
<div class="container text_box">
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<h2>1. Community Engagement</h2>
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<h2>Biological Design Center and iGEM Outreach</h2>
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<div class="row" >
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<div class="row">
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<h3><u>STEM Pathways</u></h3>
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<div class="text_section" style="margin-bottom:3%;">
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<div class="text_section">
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In order to determine what would make microfluidics more practical and accessible for synthetic biologists we reached out to the Biological Design Center at Boston University. The BDC promotes collaboration between scientists in order to create new biological innovations. We asked the BDC researchers what types of biological protocols are performed day-to-day in the lab. Based on their feedback we were able to identify eight common protocols performed by synthetic biologists:
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<div class="text">
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<ol>
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Our activity aims to give the students a basic explanation of microfluidics and then push them to test this understanding through designing their own synbio chip using cardboard primitives.
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<div class="col-md-5 col-md-offset-1" style="margin-bottom:3%;">
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<li>
 +
<a href="https://2017.igem.org/Team:BostonU_HW/Lysis">
 +
<button class="btn btn-round btn-danger">Cell Lysis</button>
 +
</a>
 +
</li>
 +
 
 +
<li>
 +
<a href="https://2017.igem.org/Team:BostonU_HW/Digestion">
 +
<button class="btn btn-round btn-danger">DNA Digestion</button>
 +
</a>
 +
</li>
 +
 
 +
<li>
 +
<a href="https://2017.igem.org/Team:BostonU_HW/Ligation">
 +
<button class="btn btn-round btn-danger">Ligation</button>
 +
</a>
 +
</li>
 +
 
 +
<li>
 +
<a href="https://2017.igem.org/Team:BostonU_HW/Transformation">
 +
<button class="btn btn-round btn-danger">Transformation</button>
 +
</a>
 +
</li>
 +
</div>
 +
 
 +
<div class="col-md-5 col-md-offset-1" style="margin-bottom:3%;">
 +
<li>
 +
<a href="https://2017.igem.org/Team:BostonU_HW/PCR">
 +
<button class="btn btn-round btn-danger">PCR</button>
 +
</a>
 +
</li>
 +
 
 +
<li>
 +
<a href="https://2017.igem.org/Team:BostonU_HW/Lysis">
 +
<button class="btn btn-round btn-danger">Fluorescence Testing</button>
 +
</a>
 +
</li>
 +
 
 +
<li>
 +
<a href="https://2017.igem.org/Team:BostonU_HW/Antibiotic">
 +
<button class="btn btn-round btn-danger">Antibiotic Resistance Testing</button>
 +
</a>
 +
</li>
 +
 
 +
<li>
 +
<a href="https://2017.igem.org/Team:BostonU_HW/Culturing">
 +
<button class="btn btn-round btn-danger">Cell Culturing</button>
 +
</a>
 +
</li>
 +
</div>
 +
 
 +
</ol>
 
<br>
 
<br>
 +
These eight common protocols informed both the layout of our MARS Repository into Isolation, Modification, and Quantification, as well as the chips within it. Of our nine MARS chips, eight were designed to each perform one of these synbio protocols.
 
<br>
 
<br>
−
The event opened with a video explaining the basics of synthetic biology and how it impacts the world we live in. Following this, the girls broke off into smaller groups and rotated between the different activities planned for the day.
 
 
<br>
 
<br>
 +
We also reached out to the iGEM community via a poll; to see this poll, click here. (LINK) The purpose of this poll was to gauge how much the iGEM community knows about microfluidics, what procedures they perform every day in the lab, and what would get them interested in microfluidics. In total, we received 42 responses from teams all across the world. The results from this poll are summarised below.
 
<br>
 
<br>
−
Our activity began with a discussion of what microfluidics are and how our work can aid research in synthetic biology. Although we were limited to ten minutes, the student’s curiosity pushed us to explain microfluidics in way that was simple but did not lose the potential and universal applicability of the hardware.
 
 
<br>
 
<br>
 +
POLLLLLLLLLL
 
<br>
 
<br>
−
Next, we handed out two synbio protocols, cardboard primitives and a primitive key. The students immediately began working on translating protocols to microfluidic chips and created a variety of creative designs. While the students worked, we engaged with each group individually answering questions, discussing designs and challenging them to include features such as shared inputs or valves geometries.
 
 
<br>
 
<br>
−
<br>
+
These results validated our educational components of MARS. The introduction to microfluidics and video tutorials serve to educate the iGEM and greater synbio community about what microfluidics are and how to use them. Furthermore, this poll validated our choice of nine synthetic biology protocols to move onto microfluidic devices housed in the MARS archive.
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During this time we were also able to ask the students what opinions or thoughts they had regarding microfluidics and their applications in the wider world. Many students were intrigued by the possibility of automating basic experiments they performed in class as well as applications in medical diagnostics, chemistry and pharmaceuticals. Some students were curious about our manufacturing process and how we were able to prototype and fabricate chips at a fast rate. After hearing our breakdown of the process and the relative prices of our equipment, some girls were excited about the possibility of setting up a chip manufacturing space in their high school. The student’s excitement about our hardware and its various potential applications illustrated to us how our project can go on to impact synthetic biologists in the future.
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</div>
 
</div>
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</div>
 
 
</div>
 
</div>
 
</div>
 
</div>
 
</div>
 
</div>
  
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<div class="main main-raised" style="margin-top:5%;" id="Industry">
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<div class="main main-raised" id="Community">
 
<div class="container text_box">
 
<div class="container text_box">
−
<h2>2. Industrial Connection</h2>
+
<h2>Biological Design Center and iGEM Outreach</h2>
 
<div class="row">
 
<div class="row">
 
<div class="text_section" style="margin-bottom:3%;">
 
<div class="text_section" style="margin-bottom:3%;">
 
<div class="text">
 
<div class="text">
−
While working on MARS we wanted to connect with individuals in industry to understand how they approached microfluidic fabrications and what input they had for us regarding a DIY microfluidics setup. We were also curious to see what potential impacts our work could have on the existing field.
+
In order to determine what would make microfluidics more practical and accessible for synthetic biologists we reached out to the Biological Design Center at Boston University. The BDC promotes collaboration between scientists in order to create new biological innovations. We asked the BDC researchers what types of biological protocols are performed day-to-day in the lab. Based on their feedback we were able to identify eight common protocols performed by synthetic biologists:
−
</div>
+
<ol>
−
</div>
+
<div class="col-md-5 col-md-offset-1" style="margin-bottom:3%;">
−
</div>
+
<li>
 +
<a href="https://2017.igem.org/Team:BostonU_HW/Lysis">
 +
<button class="btn btn-round btn-danger">Cell Lysis</button>
 +
</a>
 +
</li>
  
−
<div class="row">
+
<li>
−
<h3><u>Phenomyx</u></h3>
+
<a href="https://2017.igem.org/Team:BostonU_HW/Digestion">
−
<div class="text_section" style="margin-bottom:3%;">
+
<button class="btn btn-round btn-danger">DNA Digestion</button>
−
<div class="text">
+
</a>
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During the course of the Fall semester the team also had to opportunity to tour Phenomyx, a microfludics startup located at LabCentral in Boston. The tour was led by Salil Desai, their founder and Chief Technology Officer, who took us through their fabrication and testing space. During the course of the tour we were able to learn from his industry experience in microfluidic devices.
+
</li>
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<br>
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<br>
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Some key points of the tour were suggestions regarding microfluidic fabrication, for example the extra step of filtering PDMS to minimize dust and other obstructions when setting it. Another interesting topic discussed was utilizing general metrics, instead of protocol specific metrics, when grading a chip using our fluid functionality checklist. This way we can ensure that our system can be applied to chips at large without being specific to individual designs. Besides discussing chip fabrication, we were able to engage in a discussion regarding the potential to use software systems to view and analyse microfluidic functionality remotely. Although this goal is out of reach at present, it provides an exciting new challenge to the next generation of microfluidic researchers.
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</div>
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</div>
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−
</div>
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−
<div class="row">
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<li>
−
<h3><u>ALine</u></h3>
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<a href="https://2017.igem.org/Team:BostonU_HW/Ligation">
−
<div class="text_section" style="margin-bottom:3%;">
+
<button class="btn btn-round btn-danger">Ligation</button>
−
<div class="text">
+
</a>
−
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Cras lacinia urna ut lectus dictum ultricies. Phasellus euismod tellus quis felis condimentum ullamcorper. Aenean blandit rutrum viverra. Nam at nisl feugiat, gravida magna non, porttitor libero. Suspendisse at purus mattis, ullamcorper odio at, fringilla mi. Sed ultrices viverra est, eu fermentum justo feugiat vitae. Nunc sed egestas enim. Sed sed eros ac mauris suscipit aliquam. Class aptent taciti sociosqu ad litora
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</li>
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</div>
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</div>
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</div>
+
  
−
<div class="row">
+
<li>
−
<h3><u>Fraunhofer Lab</u></h3>
+
<a href="https://2017.igem.org/Team:BostonU_HW/Transformation">
−
<div class="text_section" style="margin-bottom:3%;">
+
<button class="btn btn-round btn-danger">Transformation</button>
−
<div class="text">
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</a>
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During the last weeks of summer we had the opportunity to tour the Fraunhofer Center for Manufacturing Innovation located on BU’s campus. Through this tour we were able to better understand how they approached designing and implementing microfluidic technology for research purposes, and how this translated to mass manufacturing. We were able to see chips housed on-site such as  a rapid diagnostics chip for septicemia and a PCR chip being designed for mass scale manufacturing.
+
</li>
 +
</div>
 +
 
 +
<div class="col-md-5 col-md-offset-1" style="margin-bottom:3%;">
 +
<li>
 +
<a href="https://2017.igem.org/Team:BostonU_HW/PCR">
 +
<button class="btn btn-round btn-danger">PCR</button>
 +
</a>
 +
</li>
 +
 
 +
<li>
 +
<a href="https://2017.igem.org/Team:BostonU_HW/Lysis">
 +
<button class="btn btn-round btn-danger">Fluorescence Testing</button>
 +
</a>
 +
</li>
 +
 
 +
<li>
 +
<a href="https://2017.igem.org/Team:BostonU_HW/Antibiotic">
 +
<button class="btn btn-round btn-danger">Antibiotic Resistance Testing</button>
 +
</a>
 +
</li>
 +
 
 +
<li>
 +
<a href="https://2017.igem.org/Team:BostonU_HW/Culturing">
 +
<button class="btn btn-round btn-danger">Cell Culturing</button>
 +
</a>
 +
</li>
 +
</div>
 +
 
 +
</ol>
 
<br>
 
<br>
 +
These eight common protocols informed both the layout of our MARS Repository into Isolation, Modification, and Quantification, as well as the chips within it. Of our nine MARS chips, eight were designed to each perform one of these synbio protocols.
 
<br>
 
<br>
−
Over the course of the tour we were able to discuss their goal of moving research into mass manufacturing and industry, as well as what types of barriers need to be overcome in order to do so. Many of the points they covered, such as lack of documentation, high levels of specialization and lack of standardised manufacturing, were all barriers we have been looking to overcome. Although we were interested in solving similar issues, our workflow would not necessarily impact the microfluidic fabrication industry directly. Our workflow would have an impact, however, through allowing synthetic biologists to:
 
−
<ul>
 
−
<li>Rapidly replicate and prototype chips designs</li>
 
−
<li>Easily, quickly and cheaply produce iterations without reaching out to industry manufacturing</li>
 
−
<li>Keep standardised design files and documentation to pass on to companies for mass manufacturing</li>
 
−
</ul>
 
−
</div>
 
−
</div>
 
−
</div>
 
−
 
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<div class="row">
 
−
<h3><u>Blacktrace - Dolomite</u></h3>
 
−
<div class="text_section" style="margin-bottom:3%;">
 
−
<div class="text">
 
−
Blacktrace are a company involved with designing and manufacturing modular microfluidics for research and industry. Our conversation with them revolved around how they approached quality control, as well as what types of problems they encountered when handing off microfluidics to consumers.
 
 
<br>
 
<br>
 +
We also reached out to the iGEM community via a poll; to see this poll, click here. (LINK) The purpose of this poll was to gauge how much the iGEM community knows about microfluidics, what procedures they perform every day in the lab, and what would get them interested in microfluidics. In total, we received 42 responses from teams all across the world. The results from this poll are summarised below.
 
<br>
 
<br>
−
This led to an in depth conversation regarding the types of educational materials they have designed for first time microfluidics users. If a complex microfluidics setup is being installed in a lab, Blacktrace typically hosts a two day training seminar covering the basics of using and maintaining the hardware. For smaller scale chips and devices, they include detailed information in the form of manuals and web support.
 
 
<br>
 
<br>
 +
POLLLLLLLLLL
 
<br>
 
<br>
−
Throughout the conversation, Blacktrace stressed the importance of easy to understand educational materials and gave a few suggestions regarding what we should include in our own project. What we were able to take away from this outreach was the relevance of our first MARS branch, Microfluidics 101. Providing this easy to access information for anyone interested in microfluidics would be positively impacting the synthetic biology community but also the scientific community at large. Especially when we have coupled it to our rapid prototyping and manufacturing methods.
+
<br>
 +
These results validated our educational components of MARS. The introduction to microfluidics and video tutorials serve to educate the iGEM and greater synbio community about what microfluidics are and how to use them. Furthermore, this poll validated our choice of nine synthetic biology protocols to move onto microfluidic devices housed in the MARS archive.
 
</div>
 
</div>
 
</div>
 
</div>
 
</div>
 
</div>
−
 
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<div class="row">
 
−
<h3><u>Black Hole Lab</u></h3>
 
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<div class="text_section" style="margin-bottom:3%;">
 
−
<div class="text">
 
−
Over the summer we were also in contact with Black Hole Lab who manufacture plug and play microfluidics for researchers. As we were in the beginning stages of fabrication, our questions for them were mainly in regards to manufacturing chips and what standards they recommended in order to ensure quality control. What we were able to learn is that at the moment there are no specific “industry standard” when working in microfluidics. Quality control guidelines can be built around manufacturing methods and depend on quantifiable parameters. Through building an evaluation system for our workflow, we would be able to introduce a microfluidics “standard” for research purposes. This impacts the existing field through allowing researchers to better document, evaluate and standardise their devices.
 
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</div>
 
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</div>
 
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</div>
 
</div>
 
</div>
 
</div>
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Revision as of 16:09, 29 October 2017

BostonU_HW

Gold Human Practices

Integrating Our Microfluidics Knowledge

As our work on MARS progressed, many of the interactions we engaged in over the Summer had a direct impact on the project. Specific areas that were developed and modified as a result of our synthetic biologist and industry interactions are influencing the structure and content of our MARS chip archive, increasing accessibility to researchers through Microfluidics 101, and building the fluid functionality checklist. Through integrating the feedback, comments and advice received from various sources, we were able to significantly improve and refine MARS as a whole.

Biological Design Center and iGEM Outreach

In order to determine what would make microfluidics more practical and accessible for synthetic biologists we reached out to the Biological Design Center at Boston University. The BDC promotes collaboration between scientists in order to create new biological innovations. We asked the BDC researchers what types of biological protocols are performed day-to-day in the lab. Based on their feedback we were able to identify eight common protocols performed by synthetic biologists:

These eight common protocols informed both the layout of our MARS Repository into Isolation, Modification, and Quantification, as well as the chips within it. Of our nine MARS chips, eight were designed to each perform one of these synbio protocols.

We also reached out to the iGEM community via a poll; to see this poll, click here. (LINK) The purpose of this poll was to gauge how much the iGEM community knows about microfluidics, what procedures they perform every day in the lab, and what would get them interested in microfluidics. In total, we received 42 responses from teams all across the world. The results from this poll are summarised below.

POLLLLLLLLLL

These results validated our educational components of MARS. The introduction to microfluidics and video tutorials serve to educate the iGEM and greater synbio community about what microfluidics are and how to use them. Furthermore, this poll validated our choice of nine synthetic biology protocols to move onto microfluidic devices housed in the MARS archive.

Biological Design Center and iGEM Outreach

In order to determine what would make microfluidics more practical and accessible for synthetic biologists we reached out to the Biological Design Center at Boston University. The BDC promotes collaboration between scientists in order to create new biological innovations. We asked the BDC researchers what types of biological protocols are performed day-to-day in the lab. Based on their feedback we were able to identify eight common protocols performed by synthetic biologists:

These eight common protocols informed both the layout of our MARS Repository into Isolation, Modification, and Quantification, as well as the chips within it. Of our nine MARS chips, eight were designed to each perform one of these synbio protocols.

We also reached out to the iGEM community via a poll; to see this poll, click here. (LINK) The purpose of this poll was to gauge how much the iGEM community knows about microfluidics, what procedures they perform every day in the lab, and what would get them interested in microfluidics. In total, we received 42 responses from teams all across the world. The results from this poll are summarised below.

POLLLLLLLLLL

These results validated our educational components of MARS. The introduction to microfluidics and video tutorials serve to educate the iGEM and greater synbio community about what microfluidics are and how to use them. Furthermore, this poll validated our choice of nine synthetic biology protocols to move onto microfluidic devices housed in the MARS archive.