Team Member Contributions
Nicola Zamboni
Primary PI
Tasks:
Other
Specific tasks:
Administrative support for our team
Emmanuel Matabaro
Instructor
Tasks:
Investigation, Safety, Conceptualization
Specific tasks:
(1) Safety - Introduction into protocols, lab equipment and safety. (2) Conceptualization - suggested the use of the BY4741 strain for yeast engineering (3) Investigation - Guidance on experimental debugging and material/instrument usage and choice, ordering (Lab manager), provided protocols for making competent yeast.
Michelle Scharte
Instructor
Tasks:
Investigation, Safety, Background Research
Specific tasks:
(1) Safety - Introduction into protocoling, lab equipment and safety. (2) Investigation, Background Research - Guidance for experiments and navigating the lab, guidance on Tecan usage and debugging Tecan measurement problems, providing media protocols.
Tsvetan K
Advisor
Tasks:
Analysis, Conceptualization, Fundraising, Other
Specific tasks:
(1) Analysis - Support and guidance for cloning-related parts of the project. Contributed the oxyR plasmid (2) Conceptualization - discussing project ideas, application and design (3) Fundraising - Sponsoring brochure review
Herta Elina Jansone
Student Leader
Tasks:
Conceptualization, Background Research, Investigation, Notebook/record keeping, Data Curation, Project Administration, Public Engagement, Fundraising, Entrepreneurship, Software, Wiki Coding, Writing, Visualization, Safety
Specific tasks:
(1) Conceptualization - Discussing ideas, researching biocontrol and biocontainment methods. (2) Investigation - Planning and conducting experiments in the lab until September (3) Fundraising - Contacting possible sponsors (4) Project administration - organizing advisors and lab space (4) Public Engagement - Wyss BioStars workshop participation and collaboration organizer, participation in expert/HP meetings (5) Entrepreneurship - Sponsoring brochure editor (6) Notebook, Wiki coding, Writing, Visualization - writing of the lab notebook, wiki coding, filmed footage for the promotional and presentation video, developed the initial concept of the promotional video. (6) Safety - writer of the check-in forms and safety forms; writing of the safety page; discussing GMO product and lab safety concerns with instructors and advisors; biocontainment / kill-switch method research for further applications
Tanaïs Moreau
Student Leader
Tasks:
Analysis, Background Research, Data Curation, Investigation, Conceptualization, Notebook/record keeping, Project Administration, Public Engagement, Fundraising, Visualization, Writing, Wiki Coding, Entrepreneurship
Specific tasks:
(1) Conceptualization - General project ideas and development (2) Background research - Research on fireblight and its prevention (also other ROS-linked blights), plant immunity, Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS), ROS-sensitive transcription factors in yeast plant and bacteria, quorum-sensing of infections, biocontrol strains, IBD etc (2) Investigation - Wet lab lead, design of all plasmids, new parts and primers, conducting experiments in the lab until September (3) Fundraising - Contacting possible sponsors (French and Swiss) (4) Project Administration - Wet lab lead, organizing advisors, Human Practices (5) Public Engagement - Wyss BioStars workshop participation, organizing and part of all expert meetings (6) Entrepreneurship - Main sponsoring brochure editor (7) Notebook, Wiki coding, Writing, Visualization - writing of the lab notebook, parts registry, coding and writing pages (home page, description, design, human practices, attributions)
Camille Membrez
Student
Tasks:
Analysis, Background Research, Conceptualization, Investigation, Notebook/record keeping, Data Curation, Writing, Visualization, Fundraising
Specific tasks:
(1) Conceptualization - Discussing ideas (2) Background research - Research on ROS-sensitive bacteria and yeasts transcription factors, biocontrol strains (3) Investigation - Planning and conducting experiments in the lab until September, helping with primers and parts design (4) Public Engagement - organizing and participating in meetings with experts (5) Notebook, Writing, Visualization - writing of the lab notebook, and parts registry, writing of wiki pages.
Elias Nehring
Student
Tasks:
Analysis, Data Curation, Fundraising, Software, Wiki Coding, Visualization, Writing, Conceptualization, Background Research, Project Administration
Specific tasks:
(1) Analysis - Analysis of experimental data, analysis of modeling results (2) Background research - Research on computational methods (3) Conceptualization - Developing dry lab plan, discussing ideas (4) Project Administration - Dry lab lead, team treasurer (5) Fundraising - Contacting possible sponsors (6) Software - Implementation of data analysis, modeling, and visualization (7) Entrepreneurship - Sponsoring brochure editor (8) Public Engagement - Participation in expert meetings (9) Wiki coding, Writing, Visualization - Wiki coding, writing of the dry lab page.
Tim Andermann
Student
Tasks:
Conceptualization, Investigation, Background Research, Notebook/record keeping, Public Engagement, Writing, Data Curation, Entrepreneurship, Fundraising, Project Administration, Analysis
Specific tasks:
(1)Conceptualisation - General project ideas and development (2) Background research - Research on fireblight, possible quorum-sensing approach, ROS-sensitive bacteria transcription factors, medical application (IBD, chronic inflammatory diseases), antioxidants (3) Investigation - Planning and conducting experiments in the lab (4) Public Engagement - Wyss BioStars workshop participation, bioengineering presentations and tutorials at schools, participation in expert meetings (5) Entrepreneurship - Sponsoring brochure editor (6) Notebook, Writing, Visualization - writing of the lab notebook, wiki and parts registry, filmed footage for the promotional video and presentation video, voiced the promotional and presentation video.
Tim Lennart Appel
Student
Tasks:
Background Research, Investigation, Notebook/record keeping, Data Curation, Writing, Public Engagement, Conceptualization, Visualization, Wiki Coding
Specific tasks:
(1) Conceptualization - Discussing ideas (2) Background research - Research on ROS-sensitive bacteria transcription factors (3) Investigation - Planning and conducting experiments in the lab until September (4) Fundraising - Contacting possible sponsors (5) Entrepreneurship - editor of the promotional video and main contents documenter (6) Public Engagement - Wyss BioStars workshop participation, bioengineering presentations and tutorials at gymnasiums, participation in expert meetings before labwork start (7) Notebook, Writing, Visualization - writing of the lab notebook, and parts registry, wiki coding, filmed footage for the promotional video and presentation video. Creation of logos and animations.
External Contributions
TWIST
Institution Type:
Industry
Relationship to Team:
Sponsor
Tasks:
Other
Specific tasks:
Synthesized DNA fragments for cloning; iGEM partner offer
Association Nationale Pommes-Poires
Institution Type:
Nonprofit
Relationship to Team:
Sponsor
Tasks:
Schweizer Früchte
Institution Type:
Nonprofit
Relationship to Team:
Sponsor
Tasks:
ETH Zürich
Institution Type:
Academic
Relationship to Team:
Sponsor
Tasks:
NCCR Molecular Systems Engineering
Institution Type:
Academic
Relationship to Team:
Sponsor
Tasks:
Cosima Pelludat
Institution Type:
Academic
Relationship to Team:
External Advisor
Tasks:
Conceptualization, Safety
Specific tasks:
(1) Conceptualization - discussion of our project idea and pertinent strains, mentionned using a short-lived Pantoea agglomerans strain for the safety aspect
Zhihui Li
Institution Type:
Other
Relationship to Team:
Other
Tasks:
Wiki Coding
Specific tasks:
Description page
Jenny Schmidt
Institution Type:
Other
Relationship to Team:
Other
Tasks:
Conceptualization, Project Administration
Specific tasks:
(1) Conceptualization - initial brainstorming (2) Project Administration - former project lead
Giovanni Broggini
Institution Type:
Academic
Relationship to Team:
External Advisor
Tasks:
Conceptualization, Safety
Specific tasks:
Conceptualization: Expert on fireblight with knowledge of the mechanisms of bacterial infection in plants, gave us leads about how to combine our sensor with relevant effector genes in our gene circuits. Safety: Discussed GMO regulations and how they affect bioengineered pesticide product development and testing, including ideas how to add a killswitch.
IDT
Institution Type:
Industry
Relationship to Team:
Other
Tasks:
Other
Specific tasks:
Synthesized DNA oligos for BS-x and OG-x sequences of the promotor used in latter stages of labwork; iGEM partner offer
Eric Allard
Institution Type:
Government
Relationship to Team:
External Advisor
Tasks:
Background Research
Specific tasks:
Sharing information on current approaches in fighting and monitoring fireblight in southern France, southern Germany and northern Italy.
Dr. Alexander Klotz
Institution Type:
Academic
Relationship to Team:
External Advisor
Tasks:
Background Research
Specific tasks:
Guidance on measuring fluorescence and controlling for autofluorescence in bacteria and yeast; ideas for further ROS high-pass filter improvements
Xavier Leclanche
Institution Type:
Nonprofit
Relationship to Team:
External Advisor
Tasks:
Fundraising, Background Research, Other
Specific tasks:
Informed about economic aspects of fireblight, referred to further researchers of fireblight. Organized funding from the French Pear and Apple Association
Prof. Dr. Pablo Fuentes
Institution Type:
Academic
Relationship to Team:
External Advisor
Tasks:
Background Research, Conceptualization
Specific tasks:
Guidance on selection of target for ROS sensing, current approaches for molecular ROS capture and signaling; directed evolution approaches discussion; optimal sensor and fluorophore considerations; suggestions to use the protein interaction modeling tool RosettaFold All-Atom
Prof. Dr. Randall Platt
Institution Type:
Academic
Relationship to Team:
External Advisor
Tasks:
Conceptualization, Background Research
Specific tasks:
(1) Conceptualization - discussion of mutagenesis methods including error-prone PCR, saturation mutagenesis and protocol optimization; (2) Brainstorming - calprotectin as potential target combinable with the sensor in the treatment of IBD
Prof. Dr. Theo Smits
Institution Type:
Academic
Relationship to Team:
External Advisor
Tasks:
Conceptualization
Specific tasks:
Brainstorming - enviromental factors influencing sensor activity and sensitivity for ROS in the case of fireblight; selection of optimal chassis for biocontrol product for fireblight
Prof. Dr. Gregory Velicer
Institution Type:
Academic
Relationship to Team:
External Advisor
Tasks:
Conceptualization
Specific tasks:
Potential plant disease targets for ROS sensing beyond fireblight - wheat blotch and other grain diseases caused by fungi as other potential targets. Fungal chassis selection for biocontrol: Aureobasidium pullulans as established engineerable organism and Myxococcus xanthus as a high-potential biocontrol agent which is currently difficult to engineer.
Dr. Clara Torres-Barcelo
Institution Type:
Academic
Relationship to Team:
External Advisor
Tasks:
Background Research
Specific tasks:
Information on resistance development pace of E. amylovora against phages and other known biocontrol agents. Usage of bacterial biocontrol agents as hosts for developing and constantly producing Ea phages.
Dr. Lukas Roth
Institution Type:
Academic
Relationship to Team:
External Advisor
Tasks:
Conceptualization, Background Research
Specific tasks:
Advice on UAV (unmanned aerial vehicles) use for signal observation purposes. Current trends and applications of drone-based technologies; environmental, social and economic considerations for drone applications at a commune level.
Perrine Gravalon
Institution Type:
Academic
Relationship to Team:
External Advisor
Tasks:
Conceptualization
Specific tasks:
Information on known resistances and applications to improve resilience against fireblight that are used by farmers in Switzerland
Céline Gilli
Institution Type:
Academic
Relationship to Team:
External Advisor
Tasks:
Background Research
Specific tasks:
Current economic situation in fireblight monitoring and R&D, cost-effective social and organic approaches for fireblight biocontrol, including commune-level private tree monitoring and trimming.
Dr. Aurélie Floch
Institution Type:
Industry
Relationship to Team:
External Advisor
Tasks:
Background Research, Entrepreneurship
Specific tasks:
Researcher at ANTI OXIDANT POWER, an industry lab investigating promising antioxidants for application in biopharmaceuticals and cosmetics. Described the market situation for over-the-counter antioxidant-containing treatments and cosmetics, as well as pros and cons of current approaches for IBD treatment.
Prof. Dr. med. Dr. phil. Gerhard Rogler
Institution Type:
Academic
Relationship to Team:
External Advisor
Tasks:
Conceptualization
Specific tasks:
Director of the Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology at the University Hospital Zurich. Information on the impact of ROS on IBD severity and how they could be targeted and neutralized. Currently used and developed probiotic approaches for IBD treatment and where our high-pass sensor could fit.
Prof. Dr. Markus Künzler
Institution Type:
Academic
Relationship to Team:
Collaborator
Tasks:
Other, Safety
Specific tasks:
Providing labspace for the Wyss BioStars camp workshop on 26.07.
Dr. Matthias Gstaiger
Institution Type:
Academic
Relationship to Team:
Collaborator
Tasks:
Safety
Specific tasks:
Providing consumables and instruments for the Wyss BioStars camp workshop.
Carolin Fleck
Institution Type:
Nonprofit
Relationship to Team:
Collaborator
Tasks:
Public Engagement, Other, Fundraising
Specific tasks:
Administration of the Wyss BioStars camp, early communication regarding the camp workshop timeline, covered workshop reagent and consumable costs
Dr. Ryan Separovich
Institution Type:
Academic
Relationship to Team:
External Advisor
Tasks:
Investigation, Conceptualization, Safety
Specific tasks:
Member of the Beltrao lab working on the same floor as us. Provided guidance on cloning, gel and PCR clean-ups, took out plates from the incubators and sent data from measured by the Tecan devices to us if the assays and incubations were running over the weekend.
Maria Zwyssig
Institution Type:
Academic
Relationship to Team:
Other
Tasks:
Safety, Other, Conceptualization
Specific tasks:
PhD Student at the Plant Pathology (Maurhofer) lab in the Department of Environmental Systems Science at ETH Zurich. Provided us with Pseudomonas fluorescens strain Pf-5. Gave us information about currently known autofluorescence issues and biocontrol successes from the research done in her lab, as well as informed us about innate antibiotic resistances of Pseudomonas, media for the selection of Pseudomonas, provided Pseudomonas-relevant protocols.
Louise Larsson
Institution Type:
Academic
Relationship to Team:
Other
Tasks:
Other
Specific tasks:
PhD student at the Slack lab in the department of Health Sciences and Technology at ETH Zurich. Provided us with the Nissle 1917 strain of E. coli.
Benjamin Danuser
Institution Type:
Academic
Relationship to Team:
Other
Tasks:
Other
Specific tasks:
PhD student in the Fussenegger lab in the department of Biosystems Science and Engineering. Participated in the iGEM competition as part of the ETH Zurich team in 2019, which was the last team that existed before ours. Benjamin gave tips on early team selection, task distribution and project ideation process for an iGEM team.
Cathy Marulli
Institution Type:
Academic
Relationship to Team:
Other
Tasks:
Other
Specific tasks:
PhD student in the Picotti lab in the Institute of Molecular Systems Biology of the Department of Biology at ETH Zurich. Participated in the 2019 ETH Zurich iGEM team and discussed sponsoring and fundraising strategies, from company contacts to brochure design, as well as team budget planning.
Erica Geneletti
Institution Type:
Other
Relationship to Team:
Other
Tasks:
Other
Specific tasks:
Currently Product Manager at Lunaphore in Lausanne. Participated in the 2019 ETH Zurich iGEM team and gave advice on sponsoring strategies and expected expenses.
Promega
Institution Type:
Industry
Relationship to Team:
Sponsor
Tasks:
Specific tasks:
Provided 1000 CHF of in-kind sponsoring to our team, which we used massively for minipreps and cloning.
Songyuan Zhang
Institution Type:
Academic
Relationship to Team:
Other
Tasks:
Conceptualization, Background Research
Specific tasks:
PhD student in the Zipfel lab at the University of Zurich. Forwarded us to the first experts in fireblight and general plant pathology, greatly helping us in kickstarting the plant application research.
Student Biolab Zurich
Institution Type:
Nonprofit
Relationship to Team:
Collaborator
Tasks:
Project Administration, Other
Specific tasks:
Formal parent organization to the ETH and UZurich iGEM teams. Helped in recruiting the team and setting up the bank account. Provided interim feedback on project progress.
Timeline
Building the Team Wiki
Start:
2024 June 1st
End:
2024 October 2nd
Total time:
18 weeks
Dry Laboratory Activities
Start:
2024 June 1st
End:
2024 September 6th
Total time:
14 weeks
Wet Laboratory Activities
Start:
2024 June 2nd
End:
2024 October 18th
Total time:
20 weeks
Recruit Team Members
Start:
2023 December 1st
End:
2024 April 30th
Total time:
22 weeks
Development of Project Plan
Start:
2024 January 1st
End:
2024 June 1st
Total time:
22 weeks