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Team:Cambridge-JIC
From 2014.igem.org
Here, you can find out all about our project, results and adventures.
Follow the links to enter the world of the iGEM Cambridge team and be ready to be captivated!
You can contact us at: igemcambridge2014@gmail.com
Project Description: an Open-Source BioSensor
We are establishing the first Open-Source Biosensor with a plug n' play philosophy using the new upcoming multicellular chassis, Marchantia Polymorpha.
Our aim is to use the primitive plant Marchantia Polymorpha as a flexible hackable bio-sensor. A plant can contain any input, processing and output module which are parcelled independently into modules and linked together using metabolites and inducible promoters. The modules can easily be interchanged and added, using biotechnology or simple mendelian genetics, allowing many plant-based devices to be constructed from the same library of components. It isthe Arduino of Biology: plug and play!
Sensing is critical to all living things. Sensing allows us to detect to our environment, adapt to it and know the effects our our own actions and learn from them. With detection comes an ability to predict the effects of actions, an understanding of the mechanism and ultimately a lead into controlling the system. Without sensing, all units of life would act as independent unit. Ideal sensors are reliable, accurate and unobtrusive. Plants as bio-sensors fulfil these requirements and have the further benefit of being inexpensive and self-reproducing.Our vision is to produce input, processing and output plants which can be combined through Mendelian crossing. We want to make home plant biosensors accessible and fun to the public in the same way as the Arduino has popularized electronic hacking.
