Team:Valencia/Project/Results



Achievements


We have:  Designed and constructed the first Lightning Cell Display (iLCD), a fast and responsive digital imaging system based on living cells, which is able to produce an animated image of up to 144 pixels from a given electrical stimulus. Built the first Light Emitting Cell (LEC), opening the gate to the use of electricity as a signal mediator in Synthetic Biology works. Developed an integrative experimental system to control the LECs, which is able to apply a precise voltage (between 0V-24V) during a precise period of time (with intervals as small as 20 ms.) controlled by a computer. The experimental device was integrated with a continuous luminometer in order to measure the light emission as a function of these parameters.  Precisely characterized the LEC, studying the factors that can be tuned (like voltage and shock time) and proving in a wide range of experiments that aequorin-engineered yeast can be stimulated with electric current. From these works we have established that the refreshing time of our LEC is of about 10 seconds placing lots of importance on our thoroughfully detailed BioBrick regarding future works. Built a model to describe the calcium dynamics in yeast, and its response to electrical stimuli. The model demonstrate its capability to describe the performed experiments and and allows the determination of critical parameters of the process like membrane impendancy or conductance. Additionally, a stochastic model was developed in order to study posible aleatory process that could have an influence in the performance of the system.  Developed an impressive Human Practices part of the project. Resulting in the publication of the book Sins, Ethics and Biology. Result of the review of more than 50 Human Practices articles and the interview to experts.  Achieved the largest survey ever made on Synthetic Biology, which is a good occasion to thank each single contributor to the survey, specially those who described their definition of Synthetic Biology.  Helped TUDelft and NTU-Singapore whith their respectives surveys, as well as helped Paris Team answering their questions about their iPhone application. </li>

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