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Team:Calgary
From 2013.igem.org
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<h2>Our Project</h2> | <h2>Our Project</h2> | ||
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| - | Outbreaks of foodborne illnesses are a growing problem in our lives. In 2011, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the United States, identified 767 outbreaks affecting nearly 14,000 people of | + | Outbreaks of foodborne illnesses are a growing problem in our lives. In 2011, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the United States, identified 767 such outbreaks affecting nearly 14,000 people. The action of pathogenic <i>E. coli</i> was a recurring theme in many of these outbreaks. In Alberta, we experienced our own foodborne disease outbreak in late 2012. The result of pathogenic <i>E. coli</i> serotype O157, this led to significant food recalls alongside hospitalizations, deaths, massive economic losses, and an overall loss of consumer confidence in food safety. |
</p> | </p> | ||
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| - | One of the contributing factors connected with the outbreak in Alberta was the lack of rapid on-site detection systems available. Thus, the University of Calgary 2013 iGEM Collegiate team is using synthetic biology to develop system to rapidly detect the presence of pathogenic <i>E. coli</i> in the beef industry. By using engineered biological nanoparticles and DNA binding proteins we can specifically detect pathogenic DNA sequences. Our biosensor functions at the genomic level to detect the presence or absence of pathogenic <i>E. coli</i> in a given sample. This system allows us to pinpoint contamination during meat processing and also provides the ability to prescreen cattle in a preventative way to | + | One of the contributing factors connected with the outbreak in Alberta was the lack of rapid on-site detection systems available. Current detection methods require long incubation times to amplify <i>E. coli</i> in the sample, followed by amplification to verify the presence of known genes that are associated with pathogenic <i>E. coli</i>. Thus, the University of Calgary 2013 iGEM Collegiate team is using synthetic biology to develop a system to rapidly detect the presence of pathogenic <i>E. coli</i> in the beef industry. By using engineered biological nanoparticles and DNA binding proteins we can specifically detect pathogenic DNA sequences. Our biosensor functions at the genomic level to detect the presence or absence of pathogenic <i>E. coli</i> in a given sample. This system allows us to pinpoint contamination during meat processing and also provides the ability to prescreen cattle in a preventative way to remove potential sources of contamination from the processing chain. Our system provides a powerful new tool for food safety, but also shows promise as a platform for the rapid detection of target organisms that are identified as key targets in a myriad of sectors, from health to environment to biosecurity. |
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Revision as of 16:07, 27 September 2013
- Intro
- Problem
- Situation
- Idea
- Solution
- Platform
Our Project
Outbreaks of foodborne illnesses are a growing problem in our lives. In 2011, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the United States, identified 767 such outbreaks affecting nearly 14,000 people. The action of pathogenic E. coli was a recurring theme in many of these outbreaks. In Alberta, we experienced our own foodborne disease outbreak in late 2012. The result of pathogenic E. coli serotype O157, this led to significant food recalls alongside hospitalizations, deaths, massive economic losses, and an overall loss of consumer confidence in food safety.
One of the contributing factors connected with the outbreak in Alberta was the lack of rapid on-site detection systems available. Current detection methods require long incubation times to amplify E. coli in the sample, followed by amplification to verify the presence of known genes that are associated with pathogenic E. coli. Thus, the University of Calgary 2013 iGEM Collegiate team is using synthetic biology to develop a system to rapidly detect the presence of pathogenic E. coli in the beef industry. By using engineered biological nanoparticles and DNA binding proteins we can specifically detect pathogenic DNA sequences. Our biosensor functions at the genomic level to detect the presence or absence of pathogenic E. coli in a given sample. This system allows us to pinpoint contamination during meat processing and also provides the ability to prescreen cattle in a preventative way to remove potential sources of contamination from the processing chain. Our system provides a powerful new tool for food safety, but also shows promise as a platform for the rapid detection of target organisms that are identified as key targets in a myriad of sectors, from health to environment to biosecurity.
Our Sensor
Check out what we did in the lab this year in response to E. coli contamination in the beef industry. Learn about the design of our detector, linker, reporter as well as the development of a prototype and mathematical model.
Data Page
Want to see a summary of what we accomplished this season? Click here to check out our data page where we outline all of the work that we’ve done to date!
Human Practices
Check out how Human Practices helped to guide the development of our sensor. Learn how we spent time talking to various experts in the beef industry in order to design our project with our end-user in mind.
Collaboration
We worked hard with the Paris Bettencourt team this season to develop useful tools for the rest of the iGEM community. Click here to find out what our collaboration can add to iGEM.
