We are excited to share some of the great things that are happening in the BioBuilderClub community!
Final Assembly - March 9
It's almost time...to celebrate! View the invitation and RSVP for the Final Assembly! Virtual attendance and in-person at LabCentral in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
This year we are doing something new. Each team will give a "lightening talk", a 1-minute talk accompanied by 1 slide with which to summarize their project. After that, we will have 2 poster sessions (40 minutes each) during which electronic poster boards will display team projects.
During the poster sessions, in-person teams will stand in front of their screens, talking and receiving feedback from those in the room. Virtual teams will have their presentations displayed on screens, with tablets available for those in the room to offer feedback.
A link will be shared with virtual participants so that they may also view and offer feedback for all team presentations. This is another opportunity for the larger BioBuilder community to offer feedback!
We are excited to celebrate the journey and accomplishments of BioBuilderClub teams at this fun event!
Team Spotlight - Sinarmas World Academy (SWA)
BSD City, Indonesia
Sinarmas World Academy (SWA), located in Indonesia, has a deep commitment to developing its STEM disciplines. SWA registered its first BioBuilder cohort this year (2016) and is determined to keep working towards the goals of publishing a paper in the high school synthetic biology journal BioTreks and attending the International Genetically Engineered Machines (iGEM) competition.
The SWA international high school team is working under the guidance of Harvard iGEM mentor Dr. David Lips. Feedback and guidance from SWA’s mentor has been “key to the success of the group at SWA,” says Chris Hayden, the group’s teacher advisor. Support and feedback from Dr. Lips has not only guided the SWA BioBuilder team to an exciting and realistic project idea, exploring how gut bacteria may be designed to help reduce levels of substances in the blood tied to atherosclerosis, but his status as a professional scientist mentor has helped students see the connections of the project they are engaged in with ‘real-world’ science and give them a context that promotes their engagement.
“The connection with our mentor has made a huge difference in terms of not only student interest in our group but also in our ability to confidently move forward”, said Hayden.
BioBuilder High School Apprenticeship Challenge this spring in Boston / Cambridge.Priority for participation will be given to students from under-represented backgrounds and those in under-served local high schools. Apply by February 28.
BioBuilder will open a Learning Lab this summer at LabCentral. Join us on March 2 in Roxbury, MA for a press release where our grant award will be announced!
BioBuilder Professional Development Workshops at MIT and around the country for STEM Teachers. Register here!
“I think the biggest innovations of the 21st century will be at the intersection of biology and technology. A new era is beginning.”
- Steve Jobs
Mentor Spotlight: Dr. Elyse Hope, Ph.D.
Postdoctoral Researcher at the University of Washington
Elyse’s first research project was in 6th grade, but she didn’t attend her first biological engineering conference until the final year of her PhD program. She began studying physics, then computer science, and ultimately switched to biology, as she saw how biology was becoming more computational. Eventually she had an opportunity in her doctoral work to explore synthetic biology.
Elyse works in a yeast genetics lab where biotechnology techniques are used to modify yeast strains to study their traits or their genomes. One of the most common experiments is an evolution experiment in which yeast cells are grown in media that is very low in something they need to grow, like an essential nutrient. The cells that survive and multiply the best are the ones that get a mutation in their genome that lets them adapt to the low nutrient — perhaps by creating another copy of a gene that encodes a transporter to bring that low nutrient into the cell. Then they use biotechnology techniques to add or remove genes and see how that changes the outcome. Commonly used molecular cloning techniques include restriction digests, PCR, and cell transformations, as well as genome sequencing.
Elyse's advice for students who think they want to have a career in biotechnology:
If you like science, get involved with research through programs like BioBuilder or anything else that will help you develop and test your own novel ideas. Collaboration and teamwork are incredibly important, and learning how to work well with others and communicate your science can be just as essential as being a good researcher. Elyse says that one of the most useful things she did for her career in science was taking acting classes. It made her really comfortable with public speaking and meeting new people.
REMINDER
Next virtual group meeting:
February 23, 2017
GoToMeeting login details posted under Team Resources.
5:30 - 6:30 pm EST - All Massachusetts teams and East Coast teams
8:00 - 9:00 pm EST - International, West Coast, and Mid-West teams
our partners, who make a world of difference! Their support keeps the BioBuilderClub innovating and growing. Donations and partnership expand the scope, scale, and impact of our development. Together we’re transforming education.
