Synthetic Biology Tunnel
The Synthetic Biology (SynBio) Tunnel is a project to massively inform the crowd. We gave people
of all ages accurate information to understand what SynBio is and how it is carried out.
In about 90 minutes and across ten interactive modules, we covered topics from basic molecular biology
to applications of SynBio and iGEM. Our objective is to educate people in order to
promote a founded, critic judgment. Voilà a glance at the tunnel modules:
Topics: -DNA as the information storage molecule in all living things. -Organization of DNA within cells. -Molecular structure of DNA -DNA structure model.
Activity: Puzzle board game to learn how DNA is copied.
Topics: -Genes as functional units of DNA -Organization and parts of a genes -How do the genes work? -Central dogma of molecular biology.
Activity: Puzzle with multiple options to explain gene function through the central Dogma. -Use of common examples.
Topics: -Proteins as carriers of most biological processes -Types of proteins -Examples of common proteins -The genetic code
Activity: Build a protein from DNA code (translation), Protein models.
Topics: -Recombinant DNA technology -Restriction enzymes, ligase and vectors -Examples.
Activity: Build a recombinant DNA molecule with colored cables and transform a cell.
Topics: -Universality, modularity and abstraction of bioparts -Synbio as the application of engineering concepts to biology -Advancements in DNA synthesis and sequencing technologies.
Activity: Construct a genetic circuit on a board and estimate time and costs to build it.
Topics: -BioBricks as standard DNA parts - Parts of a BioBrick - Types of BioBricks. -Biobrick assembly -The Registry of Standard Biological Parts
Activity: Put compatible bricks together.
Topics: -Imagine the possibilities -Addressing high impact problems through biomachines. -Metabolic load -Advantages of biomachines over robots.
Activity: "Labyrinth of metabolism" so that the visitor knows that "parts" must be manipulated to make a organism perform certain function.
Topics: -Impact of SynBio in a wide variety of areas - Examples of issues solved through SynBio (How do these projects work?)
Activity: The visitor must correlate a specific genetic circuit to its application area.
Topics: iGEM as the biggest synthetic biology competition, rules, motivation, scope. - iGEM UANL 2011 and 2012 -CIDEB-UANL 2012
Activity: -Explain
our 2011 project -Exhibition of the light-machine used in our project -Explain
CIDEB's 2012 project
Topics: -Ethics definition -Human quality of life -Good and ugly -Impact awareness -Acceptance of SynBio -Potential problems -Precautions taken to prevent them -Biosafety levels
Activity: Dress with biosafety equipment (lab coat, glasses, gloves…) as fast as possible!
Synthetic Biology Tunnel Now! Back to top
Synthetic Biology Tunnel was our main Human Practices activity last year [Tunnel Activity 2012]. We got an audience of approximately 7, 000 people when we made our first edition of the Tunnel at our Biology School, our second at the Niños Héroes part of the National Week of Science and Technology of the Nuevo Leon's state and our third at the Montemorelos Autodromus, a city from our state. But for this year, we continued with this activity, reaching an audience of more than 1,000 people in two more editions: The CIDEB edition and the Special CuatroCienegas Edition.
Synthetic Biology Tunnel Now! Back to top
Following the success of synthetic biology Tunnel we received an invitation from the Government of the Cuatrociénegas Town which is one of 38 municipalities of the state of Coahuila, in northern of Mexico, where the tunnel was exposed in elementary schools, junior highs and high schools as well as teachers and researchers of that place.
Cuatrociénegas has an important ecological reserve, which is the home of several endemic organisms,it is considered a "time capsule" because it is one of the sites with the greatest variety of biological species on the planet and is a good model to study the primitive Earth since 200 million of years ago was part of the coast of Laurasia. Today, stromatolites can be found dating back approximately 3 500 millions of years. One of the famed endemic organisms is the Bacillus coahuilensis (endemic of Cuatro Cienegas), which has the ability to thrive in salty environments.
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