Team:UCL

From 2013.igem.org

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<h1>Team Abstract</h1>
<h1>Team Abstract</h1>
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The UCL iGEM team of 2013 plans to create a potential treatment for AB plaque related diseases, notably Alzheimer's, the most common form of dementia which costs the UK National Health Service more then Cancer and Stroke treatment combined. The aim is to use ''Microglial'' cells which are part of the brains natural immune defence and subsequently modify these cells to target and break down AB Plaques, which may delay the onset of Alzheimer's disease in patients.
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This year, the UCL iGEM team is taking a radical new step with synthetic biology. We intend to explore the potential application genetic engineering techniques on the brain, because it is the site of some of the most subtle, and many of the most devastating diseases known to medicine. We have devised a genetic circuit for transfecting into a novel chassis for iGEM that is rarely engineered in research - microglial cells, the resident immune cells of the brain. The circuit aims to boost the ability of the microglial cells to break down senile plaques, which are associated with the onset and progression of Alzheimer’s Disease, as well as to protect neurons under threat from these plaques and from inflammation. Alzheimer’s Disease is a neurodegenerative disease that is characterised by the loss of recent memory and intellectual functions. Late stages of the disease often see patients bedridden, mute and incontinent. It is a horrific condition for which a genetic engineering response is both pertinent and somewhat disconcerting. Therefore, we also delve into the neuroethics of the potential progression of synthetic biology in neuroscience.
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The team aims to perform experiments to demonstrate engineered ''Microglial'' cells performing various tasks, including moving towards AB plaques via chemotaxis, as well as breaking down the plaques, which will result in several new parts being required, as well as using other systems previously seen in iGEM and improving them to meet the puroposes of the project.
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As well as these experiments, the team will also perform various human practice events to raise awareness of Alzheimer's Disease; particularly focusing on the importance of memories, with memory loss being an major symptom of dementia. Speed debates and essays are planned for the project.
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Revision as of 10:12, 7 August 2013

Team Abstract

This year, the UCL iGEM team is taking a radical new step with synthetic biology. We intend to explore the potential application genetic engineering techniques on the brain, because it is the site of some of the most subtle, and many of the most devastating diseases known to medicine. We have devised a genetic circuit for transfecting into a novel chassis for iGEM that is rarely engineered in research - microglial cells, the resident immune cells of the brain. The circuit aims to boost the ability of the microglial cells to break down senile plaques, which are associated with the onset and progression of Alzheimer’s Disease, as well as to protect neurons under threat from these plaques and from inflammation. Alzheimer’s Disease is a neurodegenerative disease that is characterised by the loss of recent memory and intellectual functions. Late stages of the disease often see patients bedridden, mute and incontinent. It is a horrific condition for which a genetic engineering response is both pertinent and somewhat disconcerting. Therefore, we also delve into the neuroethics of the potential progression of synthetic biology in neuroscience.


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