Difference between revisions of "Team:Lethbridge"

Project Description:

Our goal this season is to create modular, easily attainable, and cost-effective cell-free transcription and translation systems to make synthetic biology accessible to not only scientists and other iGEM teams, but also to the masses including educators. Ex vivo systems are ideal for a variety of applications for they are easily contained, non-proliferating, non-toxic, and allow for the precise control of molecular interactions. Such systems can be lyophilized for use in paper-based applications or encapsulated in lipid vesicles (liposomes), providing advantages over bulk solution by minimizing issues with diffusion. With increased modularity, predictability and freedom of design, these modular cell-free expression units have been explored for use in bioremediation, prototyping, directed evolution of proteins, design of a synthetic minimal cell, and biosensor development. These studies have shown great potential in cell-free expression systems but continued advancements and innovations are required for the widespread use of these devices. The creation of this system can be tailored to specific reactions by removal of unnecessary components depending on the designed construct.