Archive for 16. March 2010

Want to build

So guys what do you think about building one of these - An inkjet based Open Source MicroArray

http://genomebiology.com/2004/5/8/R58/

David wrote me about the upcoming Maker Faire Robot Competition that will be down in Linthicum towards the end of April. I agree with him that it could be a unique opportunity to interface with other DIY minded individuals and think we might want to jockey a booth.

Also if you haven’t checked out the primer lately definately click through and check out this wonderful intro that SynBerc has put together http://www.biobuilder.org/ it really brings the concepts of synthetic biology component system into a layman’s frame of reference.

Virginia’s been busy and are responsible for this opensource designer for synthetic biologicals.

GenoCad OpenSource Synbio Design Software from VBI http://www.genocad.org/

Some DNA Origami OpenSource Software

http://cadnano.org/gallery.html

And another OpenSource Software tool for Nanosynthesis with DNA

http://www.nanoengineer-1.com/content/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=34&Itemid=35

Great Audio Podcasts on SynBio from Keck Futures

I’ve been listening to this series of podcasts all night. Joe Palka from NPR talks with a number of Lead Scientists in the field of Synthetic Biology. They’re great.

I’ve already written a few of the folks to see if we can create some lines of communication.

One week in and first deadline looming in the distance

3/15/10

It’s been one week since our exploratory meeting and we have one more week to try and meet the initial $1750 iGEM Registration deadline. As of the moment we seem to be running into a few hitch’s with institutional supports. NSF funding usually requires much more planning, and the Howard County Community College has denied the request to become involved in the competition as far as offering access to facilities and/or funding. We look forward to hearing from any Biotech Start-ups, Educational Outreach programs or similar Institutions of Learning that would like to partner with us in growing a firm base of operations for Synthetic Biology enthusiasts here in Central Maryland.

We’ve arranged to partner up with Agent You of the WMD preparedness branch of the FBI, to help define reasonable guidelines for safety and security protocols in the field of SynBio and DIY-Bio community science. With a little more feedback, we can begin to plot out a series of workshops and activities to prepare us for the fun to come.

Stay up to date at  THE ENDORFF INN

If interested contact Ryan: admin@GenoBlasts.com

Printing body parts

The Economist puts an eye on the future of HistoBots and Personalized Medicine.

http://www.economist.com/science-technology/displaystory.cfm?story_id=15543683

International Team Sequences Hydra Genome

From Genome Web 3/15/10 - “Researchers from the US Department of Energy’s Joint Genome Institute, the J. Craig Venter Institute, the University of Heidelberg, the University of California, and elsewhere have sequenced the genome of Hydra magnipapillata, a freshwater cnidarian capable of asexual reproduction and tissue regeneration.”

Obviously there is some handy code in here. Especially if you’re making self-healing organisms. Hydra huh… Anyone remember any myths associated with that name?

GMO’s and promises of Biotechnology reviewed on NPR’s Science Friday

This past weeks Science Friday featured a look at the Science of Biotech and in particular Genetically Modified Agrobusiness.

Click Here to Checkout the story and listen to the mp3 of the broadcast.

New Cell Fusion Techniques

“MIT engineers have developed a new, highly efficient way to pair up cells so they can be fused together into a hybrid cell.

The new technique should make it much easier for scientists to study what happens when two cells are combined.  For example, fusing an adult cell and an embryonic stem cell allows researchers to study the genetic reprogramming that occurs in such hybrids.” - Science News

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