Team:Penn/Biomeme

In our goal to raise synthetic biology awareness to the community, our team partnered with a local Philadelphia biotechnology startup called Biomeme. Biomeme is a young company specializing in on-the-go DNA diagnostics. Biomeme is building portable RT-qPCR thermocyclers that can be connected to the iPhone for rapid DNA analysis. Throughout the summer we worked with Biomeme's product to test the accuracy and quality of the device, providing them feedback for their next design iteration. In the future, we expect Biomeme will be an invaluable tool for iGEM teams who would not otherwise have access to expensive qPCR equipment. We were particularly excited by its environmental applications, as it makes it possible for any novice scientist to quantify DNA in their environment – whether that entails an investigation of invasive species prevalence or local microbial diversity.