KULeuveniGEM2015
TableofContents
Introduction 2
Previous Sponsors 3
What is iGEM? 4
Synthetic biology 5
Previous KU Leuven teams 6
The iGEM2013 team 7
Sponsor packages 8
Media 10
Contact: [email protected]
Sponsorbrochure
Organizedby BioSCENTer
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Dear Sir/Madam, May we introduce you to the iGEM competition, the most prestigious students’ synthetic biology competition? iGEM stands for ‘international Genetically Engineered Machine’. The iGEM competion brings interdisciplinary undergraduate (bachelors and master) student teams from all over the world together in an effort to create micro‐organisms that can perform novel tasks. The iGEM competition advances synthetic biology but is much more than the scientific project. Synthetic biology is an end‐user oriented, interdisciplinary science. Hence, teams must approach their project as potential spin‐offs: engage in public debate, incorporate the demands of the end‐users in their project, fulfil health and safety requirements, investigate the ethical consequences of their project, find financial support, organize high school visits to stimulate the next generation etc. The iGEM competition not only stimulates research but also education, societal service, and entrepreneurship. These goals are fully in line with the KU Leuven mission statement! The first KU Leuven iGEM team took part in 2008, 5 years after the competition’s inception at the Massachussetts Institute of Technology (Boston, MA), where the finals are still held every year. KU Leuven iGEM teams scored a place in the iGEM finals in 2008 through hard work and dedication during a whole year, particularly in the summer months. The KU Leuven teams have continued to reach the finals in every participating year since (2009, 2011, and 2013). Moreover, in 2013, our team reached a new high by winning the “Best Undergraduate team Model” prize in the finals, awarded to the team with the most encompassing and innovative mathematical model. This is no mean feat considering the competiton has grown exponentially from 84 teams in 2008 to 245 in 2013, with stiff regional pre‐selections since 2011. To continue these good results, we are putting together an extremely motivated interdisciplinary team to take part in 2015 but we also need some financial support. The scientific costs, the enrolment fees, travel and lodging expenses at the regional competition (Lyon, France) and hopefully the finals (Boston, MA, USA) are adding up. iGEM KU Leuven is organised and supported by BioSCENTer and the KU Leuven. Once again, iMinds Future Health Dept will support us and the European Union offers a small incentive. Nonetheless, we need more help to reach our goal, i.e. going to the finals and claim a prize! The iGEM competition is the largest annual gathering of synthetic biologists globally. Our sponsors will be compensated for their funding with worldwide publicity and the knowledge they supported young students on their road to become creative, collaborating, communicating, industrial thinking scientists. Increase your visibility in this young & upcoming branch of science, become our sponsor! We hope for your support for which we thank you very much in advance. The KU Leuven iGEM 2015 team
KU Leuven iGEM organizer
KU Leuven iGEM 2013 sponsors Platinum
Gold
Silver
Bronze
Jamboree
KU Leuven Sympathiser
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The iGEMfoundation
iGEM stands for ‘International Genetically Engineered Machine’. It was created in 2003 as a student course at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. In 2012, the iGEM foundation was founded, an independent nonprofit organization, located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA. The iGEM foundation is dedicated to education and competition, advancement of synthetic biology, and the development of open community and collaboration. These goals are reached through the iGEM competition, a global, yearly, synthetic biology student competition. The iGEM foundation also established and operates the Registry of Standard Biological Parts, a community collection of biological parts. iGEM brings together a broad community of interested parties, from schools, laboratories, and research institutes to industry and the general public. iGEM stimulates their collaboration to further develop the new field of synthetic biology.
iGEM2015@KULeuven
October– November 2014 Information sessions Application deadline
Team selection interviews
December 2014 KU Leuven iGEM2015 selected
Team presentation
February – May 2015 Project selection Sponsor contacts Project preparation Scientific initiations
Biological Parts kit arrival Initial stakeholder outreach
July – September 2015 Project implementation iGEM collaborations
! Synthetic Biology day !
October 2015 Regional championships
Finalist selections
November 2015 World championships ?!
TheiGEMJamboreeisthelargestannualgatheringofsyntheticbiologists,withover200teamsandmorethan2000participantsin2014!
TheiGEMcompetition Teams design and create a new biological system in living cells, providing them with improved properties. Teams choose their project freely; hence topics vary from perfume production to scent detection and from pathogen remediation to aphid repellent. This underscores synthetic biology’s broad application base. The iGEM competition awards projects with an interdisciplinar, encompassing approach. Systems should not only be built but also modelled to support efficient building; ethical aspects must be considered and local stakeholders (general public, industry, end‐users) interviewed early on to gauge the viability of the project. Each spring, the iGEM foundation sends participating teams a kit with existing, standardized biological parts from their Registry. Furthermore, teams are encouraged to design new parts and submit them to the Registry for future use. With these parts, teams build their novel biological system. Projects are developed at the teams’ university over the summer and presented at the respective Regional Jamborees in October 2015. For European teams this will be at Lyon University, France. Best teams of each regional Jamboree are selected to showcase their work at the World Championship Jamboree in Boston, MA in November 2015. For more information about iGEM see www.igem.org.
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5Syntheticbiology
Synthetic Biology is a recent scientific domain where biological functions and systems, not existing in nature, are created. To improve feasibility, synthetic biology aims to use a modular approach whereby biological parts (existing DNA stretches with a known function) are standardized. This improves their repeated implementation in a variety of new projects. Within the iGEM competition, these parts are referred to as BioBricks and stored for general use in the Registry. Model organisms can thus be re‐programmed with externally added genetic information to carry out a new function. Initial systems were built in bacteria but now also mosses, worms, fungi or plants are being used. Hence, synthetic biology can be seen as an extended form of biotechnology.
BioBricks connected to form a vanilline receptor
Source: www.partsregistry.org
The applications of Synthetic Biology are very diverse and can range from the production of vaccines, chemicals or bio‐fuels to the creation of biosensors and so much more! For example, a Dutch company manipulated the fungus Penicillium notatum to produce antibiotics of the cephalosporine‐group. The KU Leuven, in cooperation with iMEC, developed a microchip that is connected to a bacterially driven biosensor. This microchip detects environmental signals and generates an electric signal in response. Synthetic Biology is a new, innovative scientific branch. All stakeholders, eg scientists, industry, general public, and law makers have the unique opportunity to engage from the start in a fruitful dialogue about the uses and pitfalls of synthetic biology. The iGEM foundation and competition strongly encourages a public debate. The KU Leuven iGEM teams have followed suit with a number of Synthetic Biology debates and symposia and high school visits with their Syn‐Bio School Kit.
Biotechnology&Art
Tuur van Balen demonstrates that Synthetic Biology is not limited to the scientific world but has flowed over into the art world. His project, Pigeon d’Or, proposes the use of biotechnology to add a beneficial factor to city pigeons: manipulate their excrements to act as soap and let them become city‐wide window cleaners. This conversion of excrement to soap would be stimulated by adding modified bacteria to pigeon feed. www.cohenvanbalen.com
6 KULeuveniGEMteams 2008‐2011 The KU Leuven team first took part in the iGEM competition in 2008 with the project Dr. Coli. The goal was to manipulate E. coli bacteria so that they would produce the necessary antibiotics when needed in the human body. The KU Leuven team won their first gold medal at the World Championship Jamboree with this project. In 2009 the KU Leuven team took part for a second time, this time with a new team and project: Essencia coli, a vanilline producing bacteria. Using a light receptor, it was possible to stimulate vanilline production with blue light. A built‐in feedback mechanism ensured a constant vanilline concentration. This is a universal system and can be applied to other odours or tastes. Every application that requires a constant concentration of a substance can make use of this system. This project also received a gold medal.
KULeuveniGEMteamshavereachedthefinalalready4times. The2013teambroughtbackthe“bestmodel”prizefromthefinals.
WehopetocontinuethistrendwiththeKULeuven2015team!
After a year’s break, KU Leuven decided to participate again in 2011. These students built E.D. frosti, a bacterium that can stimulate the formation of ice as well as defrosting, depending on the stimulus. The bacteria could be used to form an anti‐freeze biofilm to cover roads, to prevent further melting of glaciers or create ice, even at higher temperatures. Each iGEM team builds security measures into their organisms to prevent their unwanted reproduction. These mechanisms, “kill‐switches”, will destroy the iGEM organism when it is no longer required, or should not reproduce. The kill‐switch in the E.D. frosti bacterium is represented by the green skull. With E.D. frosti the 2011 team brought home a gold medal once again!
Schematic representation of E.D. frosti
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E.coligy:PlantswithBanAphids
The 2013 KU Leuven team has chosen for the project ‘E.coligy: Plants with BanAphids’ (read ‘benefits’ but also ‘ban aphids’). Crop waste due to aphid infestations is a major, worldwide issue. Current remedies focus on the use of pesticides, harmful for the ecosystem and inducing resistance in the aphids. The KU Leuven team designed a bacterial strain (E.coligy) to repel aphids from garden plants or industrial fields. The bacteria will produce natural pheromones, able to repel aphids and attract their predators, eg the ladybug. The aim of the project is to reduce the use of harmful insecticides.
BestMathematicalModelprize Our award winning model was a big hit with Mathworks, an iGEM sponsor. Our model consisted of 3 tiers. First we modelled the impact of the new system on bacterial viability. Second, we modelled oscillation properties (time, peak height, re‐synchronization capacities) of our self‐sustaining oscillation circuit, required to produce the appropriate pheromones. This section was done not only for one bacterial cell but also assumed a bacterial colony. Finally, we took into account environmental factors such as wind direction and speed to model their impact on pheromone dispersal and thus efficacy of our Banaphids. The model was built with data from scientific litterature and team results on pheromone production by our BanAphids. More info about the project can be found on our WIKI: www.2013.igem.org/Team:KULeuven
In 2013, the team consisted of 16 enthusiastic students from (bio‐) engineering, medicine, biomedical sciences, sciences and philosophy. They joined hands to once again work during the year and in summer towards a succesful project.
KULeuveniGEMteam2013
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SponsorpackagesTo successfully take part in this project, we need the help of sponsors. We are not only looking for financial support but also for laboratory material and other consumables. All donations are welcome! Above 40 Euro, you will receive a fiscal certificate from the KU Leuven and your donation becomes tax‐deductible! Where does your support go to? 1. iGEM registration 2. Laboratory supplies, equipment, DNA sequencing 3. Flight tickets and accommodation What do you get in return? Corporate sponsors: iGEM is the biggest international Synthetic Biology competition, where we can offer your company worldwide publicity! The logo of your company and a link to your website will be visible on our WIKI page (www.2013.igem.org/Team:KULeuven), which will be visited by thousands of visitors. Private donation : we will thank you in person on our website and during our presentations, together with the other private sponsors – unless you would like to remain anonymous of course. On top of that, we will invite all sponsors to our public events and keep everyone up‐to‐date via the KU Leuven and BioSCENTer website (http://www.kuleuven.be/bioscenter/). If you choose one of our sponsor formulas, we offer you different extra bonuses (see table on the next page). In case you have suggestions or would like to have a customized sponsor formula, don’t hesitate to contact us at [email protected]! How to become a sponsor? Choose one of the sponsor formulas below, and contact us at [email protected]. We will send you a form with all the required info. You can also contact us via this address for any questions regarding iGEM.
The 2010 finalists at the world championship in Boston
Sponsor Options iGEM 2015 KU Leuven
Sponsor‐formula Amount Extra bonus
Platinum €2,500.00 TALL LOGO on the iGEM2015 KU Leuven team wear
LARGE LOGO in the promotion video of the iGEM2015 team
LARGE LOGO on the poster in Lyon/Boston
LARGE Acknowledgement on the presentation in Lyon/Boston
WIKI : LOGO + introduction of your company with web‐link
Gold €2,000.00 LARGE LOGO on the iGEM2015 KU Leuven team wear
LOGO in the promotion video of the iGEM2015 team
LOGO on the poster in Lyon/Boston
Acknowledgement on the presentation in Lyon/Boston
WIKI : LOGO + introduction of your company with web‐link
Silver €1,500.00 LOGO on the iGEM2015 KU Leuven team wear
Small LOGO in the promotion video of the iGEM2015 team
Small LOGO on the poster in Lyon/Boston
Acknowledgement on the presentation in Lyon/Boston
WIKI : LOGO + introduction of your company with web‐link
Bronze €1,000.00 Small LOGO on the iGEM2015 KU Leuven team wear
Small LOGO on the poster in Lyon/Boston
Acknowledgement on the presentation in Lyon/Boston
WIKI : LOGO + introduction of your company with web‐link
Jamboree €500.00 Acknowledgement on the presentation in Lyon/Boston
WIKI : small LOGO + introduction of your company with web‐link
iGEM KU Leuven sympathiser
€300.00 Acknowledgement on the presentation in Lyon/Boston
Acknowledgement on the WIKI
Private donation Negotiable Acknowledgement on the WIKI
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Mediacoverage:selecteditemsKULeuveniGEM2011,2013.
The projects of 2011, E.D. frosti, and 2013, E.coligy: “Plants with BanAphids” received a lot of media
attention: on the radio (Radio 1), on television (ROB TV, VRT Journaal) and in some newspapers (e.g. De
Standaard, Het Nieuwsblad en De Gazet Van Antwerpen). Please find some examples here.
Note, these are not translated since they stem from local newspapers and we did not want to infringe on
copyright laws.
KULEUVENiGEM2011
Benelux‐biobricks naar iGEM finale (4th October 2011, C2W)
De RU Groningen en de K.U.Leuven hebben de eindronde gehaald van iGEM 2011, het wereldkampioenschap synthetische biologie voor studenten. Met respectievelijk een tel‐ en een vriesbacterie bleven ze tijdens de Europese voorronde, afgelopen weekend in Amsterdam, het grootste deel van de concurrentie voor.
iGEM staat voor International Genetically Engineered Machine Competition. De wedstrijd draait rond het inbouwen van extra DNA‐fragmenten (‘biobricks’) in bacteriën, zodat die commercieel interessante dingen gaan doen die ze van nature niet kunnen.
Sinds 2005 wordt deze wedstrijd jaarlijks georganiseerd aan het Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in de VS. Vanwege de almaar toenemende belangstelling zijn dit jaar voor het eerst regionale voorrondes (jamborees’) georganiseerd in Europa, de VS en Azië.
De Groningse inzending van dit jaar heet ‘Count coli’. Het moet een bacterie worden die het aantal keren kan bijhouden dat zij een inputsignaal (om precies te zijn een koude‐impuls) heeft gekregen. Via fluorescentie in verschillende kleuren moet zij dit getal ook kunnen aangeven.
De Leuvense inzending heet E.D.Frosti. Dit moet een bacterie worden die naar keuze een antivrieseiwit (AFP) aanmaakt voor gladheidsbestrijding op de weg, of een INP‐eiwit dat de kristallisatie van water tot ijs juist bevordert. Als mogelijke toepassingen van dat laatste effect worden het maken van hightech ijsblokjes, het voorkómen van het smelten van gletsjers en het vergroten van de kans op een Elfstedentocht genoemd.
Aan de voorronde deed tevens een gecombineerd team van de UvA en de VU mee, dat de koudetolerantie van E.coli wilde verbeteren. De Wageningse inzending betrof een bacteriële oscillator, Delft kwam met een ‘plakkerige’ bacterie en de Université Libre de Bruxelles bedacht een technische oplossing om E.coli eenvoudiger modificeerbaar te maken. Deze projecten overleefden de voorronde echter niet, al verdienden Amsterdam, Wageningen en Brussel wel een gouden medaille.
De finale is van 5 tot en met 7 november aan het MIT.
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Zelfeenvriesbacteriebouwen(December2011,MeMo)
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Wegmethetstooizout,levedebacteriën(1st&2ndOctober2011,GazetVanAntwerpen)
ThankstotheConcentragroupforprovidinguswiththepdfversionofthisarticle.
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KULEUVENiGEM2013
Television and Radio
20th September 2013: Interview with Flore De Wit on Radio 2 Vlaams‐Brabant
http://2013.igem.org/wiki/images/d/d7/KU_Leuven_iGEM_2013_radio.mp3
14th October 2013: VRT Television News Item
13u: http://www.deredactie.be/cm/vrtnieuws/videozone/programmas/journaal/2.30411?video=1.1754141 19u: http://www.deredactie.be/cm/vrtnieuws/videozone/programmas/journaal/2.30446?video=1.1754410
Written Press
22nd August 2013: Eos: Kaderstuk
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19th September 2013: DeMorgen; HLN; …
KUL‐studenten creëren genetische gemanipuleerde ‘bladluisverschikker’
20th september 2013: Vilt
KU Leuven creëeren bladluisverschrikker
http://www.vilt.be/KU_Leuven_studenten_creeren_bladluisverschrikker
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5th November 2013:
De Standaard : KUL‐studenten winnen prijs met bladluisverschrikker
http://www.standaard.be/cnt/dmf20131105_00825957
VTM news website : Prijs voor Leuvense bladluisverschrikker
http://nieuws.vtm.be/buitenland/66867‐prijs‐voor‐leuvense‐bladluisverschrikker
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