Team:Stanford-Brown/HellCell/Introduction

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<li><a href="/Team:Stanford-Brown/AboutUs/Team" id="project">About Us:</a></li>
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<li><a href="/Team:Stanford-Brown/HellCell/Introduction" id="project">Hell Cell:</a></li>
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<li id="active"><a href="#" id="current">Team</a></li>
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<li id="active"><a href="#" id="current">Introduction</a></li>
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<li><a href="https://igem.org/Team.cgi?id=847">Official Profile</a></li>
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<li><a href="/Team:Stanford-Brown/HellCell/Plasmid">Test Plasmid</a></li>
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<li><a href="/Team:Stanford-Brown/AboutUs/Collaboration">Collaboration</a></li>
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<li><a href="/Team:Stanford-Brown/HellCell/Cold">Cold</a></li>
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<li><a href="/Team:Stanford-Brown/AboutUs/Sponsors">Sponsors</a></li>
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<li><a href="/Team:Stanford-Brown/HellCell/Desiccation"> Desiccation </a></li>
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<li><a href="/Team:Stanford-Brown/AboutUs/Attributions">Attributions</a></li>
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<li><a href="/Team:Stanford-Brown/HellCell/Radiation">Radiation</a></li>
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<li><a href="/Team:Stanford-Brown/HellCell/pH">pH</a></li>
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<li><a href="/Team:Stanford-Brown/Parts">BioBricks</a></li>
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<li><a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Pe9voM2l_nrVJk0hwzJ6z6tCCMn9ckykVNX5nLZ8qGg/edit">Lab Notebook</a></li>
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<li><a href="/Team:Stanford-Brown/Protocols">Protocols</a></li>
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== '''About Us''' ==
 
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[[File:Sb2012logo.jpg|200px|left]]
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== '''Introduction''' ==
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We are the combined iGEM team of Brown University and Stanford University, working together across three thousand miles and four time zones to develop synthetic biology applications for astrobiology. Over the course of summer 2012, we have managed to achieve quite some progress in this novel application for synthetic biology. We developed 6 parts that confer resistance to basicity and desiccation to explore where life is going as we move towards the stars. We created cell-cycle promoters to create remote biosensors: tools for astrobiologists to study the growth of samples without disturbing them. We engineered a standardized flagella part that can express metalbinding sites to harvest metals ''in situ''.  
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What is the scope of life on Earth and what are its limits? Is it possible for earthly life to survive the harsh conditions of space and other planets? Frigid cold, blasting radiation, withering desiccation, and corrosive pH are just a few of the extremes that would have to face. Does such a resilient life form exist?
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These are the questions that the synthetic astrobiologists of the Hell Cell squad examined. Taking inspiration from the myriad extremophilic wonders of this Earth, we investigated what is essential to their endurance and which genes can be mapped to these qualities. Armed with this information, we have attempted to create genes that can be used in synergy to custom-engineer extremophilic ''Escherichia coli''. This attempt was meant to be a first step in standardizing BioBricks for such astrobiological purposes, and the aim was to produce a robust “toolbox” of resistance-conferring genes.  
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Our team is composed of thirteen undergraduates and recent graduates working under the guidance of post-doctoral students and professors. We are always looking to share our passion for the exciting new field of synthetic biology, so please make sure to contact us with any questions. Thanks for visiting!
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[[File:HellCell.png|right|300px]]
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[[File:Team_with_pete.jpg|600px|center|thumb|The team with NASA Ames Center Director, Pete Worden]]
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'''So what did we do?'''
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* Successfully isolated and tested five parts from various organisms, for base and desiccation resistance, into our toolbox! These two parts were characterized and were submitted for future use to the Registry of Standard Biological Parts!
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* Successfully isolated four parts from various organisms for radiation and cold resistance that require further testing. These have been submitted to the Registry of Standard Biological Parts as well!
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* Isolated two parts from ''Deinococcus radiodurans'' for radiation resistance that have been deposited and we are working on their characterization!
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== '''Who Are We?''' ==
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Sources:  
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Scalice, D. (2012). About Astrobiology. In Astrobiology: Life in the Universe. Retrieved from https://astrobiology.nasa.gov/
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'''Students:'''
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Image:DebhaAmatya.jpg|'''Debha Amatya<br><br>Stanford '14<br>Bioengineering'''
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Image:BryceBajar.jpg|'''Bryce Bajar<br><br>Stanford '14<br>Bioengineering'''
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Image:GabrielBen-Dor.jpg|'''Gabriel Ben-Dor<br><br>Stanford '14<br>Neuroscience'''
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Image:JuliaBorden.jpg|'''Julia Borden<br><br>Brown '14<br>Cell Biology'''
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Image:BenjaminGeilich.jpg|'''Benjamin Geilich<br><br>Brown '12<br>Neuroscience'''
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Image:JasonHu.jpg|'''Jason Hu<br><br>Brown '15<br>Comp Bio/English'''
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Image:ChrisJackson.jpg|'''Chris Jackson<br><br>Stanford '14<br>Bioengineering'''
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Image:VisheshJain.jpg|'''Vishesh Jain<br><br>Brown '14<br>Comp Bio'''
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Image:BellaOkiddy.jpg|'''Bella Okiddy<br><br>Brown '15<br>Bioengineering'''
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Image:RashmiSharma.jpg|'''Rashmi Sharma<br><br>Stanford '14<br>Bioengineering'''
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Image:AadityaShidham.jpg|'''Aaditya Shidham<br><br>Stanford '13<br>Computer Science'''
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Image:KendrickWang.jpg|'''Kendrick Wang<br><br>Stanford '14<br>Bioengineering'''
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Image:MichelleYu.jpg|'''Michelle Yu<br><br>Stanford '14<br>Biomedical Comp'''
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'''Faculty Advisors:'''
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Image:LynnRothschild.jpg|'''Lynn Rothschild'''
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Image:GaryWessel.png|'''Gary Wessel'''
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Image:JosephShih.JPG|'''Joseph Shih'''
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'''Mentors:'''
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Image:AndreBurnier.jpg|'''André Burnier'''
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Image:KosukeFujishima.jpg|'''Kosuke Fujishima'''
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Image:DianaGentry.jpg|'''Diana Gentry'''
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Image:IvanLima.JPG|'''Ivan Lima'''
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Image:JessicaNavarrete.jpg|'''Jesica Navarrete'''
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Image:JessePalmer.jpg|'''Jesse Palmer'''
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Image:ChrisVenter.jpg|'''Chris Venter'''
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</gallery>
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Latest revision as of 08:50, 27 November 2012


Introduction

What is the scope of life on Earth and what are its limits? Is it possible for earthly life to survive the harsh conditions of space and other planets? Frigid cold, blasting radiation, withering desiccation, and corrosive pH are just a few of the extremes that would have to face. Does such a resilient life form exist? These are the questions that the synthetic astrobiologists of the Hell Cell squad examined. Taking inspiration from the myriad extremophilic wonders of this Earth, we investigated what is essential to their endurance and which genes can be mapped to these qualities. Armed with this information, we have attempted to create genes that can be used in synergy to custom-engineer extremophilic Escherichia coli. This attempt was meant to be a first step in standardizing BioBricks for such astrobiological purposes, and the aim was to produce a robust “toolbox” of resistance-conferring genes.

HellCell.png

So what did we do?

  • Successfully isolated and tested five parts from various organisms, for base and desiccation resistance, into our toolbox! These two parts were characterized and were submitted for future use to the Registry of Standard Biological Parts!
  • Successfully isolated four parts from various organisms for radiation and cold resistance that require further testing. These have been submitted to the Registry of Standard Biological Parts as well!
  • Isolated two parts from Deinococcus radiodurans for radiation resistance that have been deposited and we are working on their characterization!

Sources: Scalice, D. (2012). About Astrobiology. In Astrobiology: Life in the Universe. Retrieved from https://astrobiology.nasa.gov/

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