Team:UCSF

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Revision as of 01:02, 21 October 2009

Biological Detection and Delivery Systems

Engineering the Movement of Cellular Robots

Some eukaryotic cells, such as white blood cells, have the amazing ability to sense specific external chemical signals, and move toward those signals. This behavior, known as chemotaxis, is a fundamental biological process crucial to such diverse functions as development, wound healing and immune response. Our project focuses on using a synthetic biology approach to manipulate signaling pathways that mediate chemotaxis in two model organisms: HL-60 (neutrophil-like) cells and the slime mold, Dictyostelium discoideum. We are attempting to reprogram the movements that the cells undergo by altering the guidance and movement machinery of these cells in a modular way. For example, can we make cells move faster? Slower? Can we steer them to migrate toward new signals? Through our manipulations, we hope to better understand how these systems work, and eventually to build or reprogram cells that can perform useful tasks. Imagine, for example, therapeutic nanorobots that could home to a directed site in the body and execute complex, user-defined functions (e.g., kill tumors, deliver drugs, guide stem cell migration and differentiation). Alternatively, imagine bioremediation nanorobots that could find and retrieve toxic substances. Such cellular robots could be revolutionary biotechnological tools.

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BUILDING CELL-BOTS Step 1 - Engineering NAVIGATION New Sensors Sensor Sensitivity Step 2 - Engineering SPEED Step 3 - Carrying a PAYLOAD Our Vision of the Future

OUR TEAM Team Members Summer Experience Notebooks NEW BIOBRICK Standard RFC28 - Aar1 Cloning System Parts submitted to the Registry GOLD MEDAL Requisites

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