Team:Queens Canada

This year, our team is investigating new methods of increasing the efficiency of bioremediation and biosynthesis using modified bacteria. The development of the oil sands in Alberta, has resulted in the build up of toxic byproducts stored in massive tailings ponds. To help resolve these issues, our goals can be divided up into three main categories: the binding of pollutants, adhesion and aggregation of bacteria, and catalysis.

Most bacteria possess tail-like appendages called flagella, which can be genetically altered for novel functions. Each flagella is made up of a number of polymerizing proteins, often called flagellin. By making chimeric insertions in the variable domain of the flagellin, we can incorporate metal binding proteins, enzymes, adhesive proteins as well as scaffolding proteins to further extend the possible applications.

There are a lot of considerations that need to be made in the design of chimeric proteins. To help introduce future teams to chimeric proteins and their standard design, we have summarized our work into a resourceful guide that covers all (or almost all) of the considerations that need to be made in designing a chimeric protein from start to finish.

SynthetiQ Experimental Dance is a group devoted to creating, testing and analyzing movement, in the form of dance, as a means of explaining scientific concepts. Inspired by Dr. John Bohannon's “Dance Your PhD Contest” and his TEDxBrussels talk in 2011, our first project will be partnered with the Queen's Genetically Engineered Machine (QGEM) Team. Because our research and learning goals align perfectly with those of the QGEM team, we will be researching and presenting together at the International Genetically Engineered Machine Competition in the fall.

As a part of our 2012 iGEM project, we plan on using dance to explain concepts associated with synthetic biology, as well as our own research.

We will make dance into our own unique tool for teaching others scientific concepts, as an alternative to use powerpoint presentations.

QGEM is an undergraduate team composed of both full-time members and volunteers. All faculties of the university are eligible to participate in the iGEM team and previous members have from the departments of Chemical and Mechanical Engineering, Engineering Chemistry, Biology, Biochemistry, Life Science and Computing.

We would like to thank our sponsors who have supported us financially, allowing us to pursue this project. In particular, we would like to thank Queen's University and the Oil Sands Leadership Initiative.

More coming soon.....