Teen spirit
fighting unpleasant smells with bacteria using synthetic biology weapons
Skills
- Synthetic biology
- Product design
- Graphical design
Summary
As a master student, I took part in an international competition of Synthetic Biology projects. As a part of an interdisciplinary team, I was using cutting-edge technology in order to design new generation products that would deal with unpleasant smell of human body, shown to accumulate on the skin of elder people. As far as I am concerned, I have been working on elimination of a molecule 2-nonenal that has very intense waxy cucumber-like smell. Our project was awarded at Giant iGEM Jamboree in Boston, MA with a gold medal, best New Application project prize, Art & Design prize and Interlab Study mention.
All original materials of this project are available on the official wiki of iGEM Bettencourt team 2014
Official logo and main theme picture of the project. Click to download full presentation.
What did I learn in iGEM?
- Team work is tough. People working in the team often have different background, different goals and different work pace. Discussion, compromise and forgiveness are keys to achieve goals of the project.
- Graphical design is fun and not as hard as it seems. I have been introduced to basics of software for working vector images that serves me till today.
- Product design - in iGEM we tried to deliver a very concrete outcome in a very short time. In our project the ultimate goal was to develop a series of cosmetics. Product would have to fulfill standards and norms for its category. It opened my eyes to project connected to science outside of academic research
- Microbiology - I have learned practical basics of work in a lab with bacterial cultures.
- Wet lab work is hard. It demands a lot of time and good organization. Lab equipment is cost-full and easy to break. Work in a wet lab makes you train your concentration, planning and documentation.
Disclaimer
Images, discoveries and ideas are property of iGEM Bettencourt 2014 team, none of them belongs to individual team members.