UNews - ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge iGEM

iGEM teams continue to work on their projects despite no lab access

caroline.zentner — Thu, 30 Apr 2020 15:38:05 +0000

Campus closures won’t stop these dedicated students! The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge undergraduate and high school iGEM teams are continuing their competition seasons even without access to wet lab space.

Using Zoom, shared online drives, and their own ingenuity, the teams have been connecting and are making the best of a bad situation. While they may not be able to get into the lab, teams still have many tasks to complete — writing papers, building a website, creating online workshops, organizing fundraisers and lots of research.

“We will not let this virus dampen our spirits and cancel iGEM for the year, so we’ve decided to make the best out of what we have,” says Kimoya Edwards, a Grade 11 student from Lethbridge Collegiate Institute (LCI). “There is a musical recital that was planned before this virus and as a team, we will continue with this recital virtually on May 23, because what’s a better way to liven the spirits than music?”

The high school team is also excited to participate in the online BioTreks conference May 2 and present their project paper: Understanding the mechanisms of small-scale composting and potential enzymatic improvements in pectin degradation using synthetic biology.

“Being a part of iGEM means a lot to our team members and our love for it is what keeps pushing us to continue,” says Shada Aborawi, a Grade 11 LCI student. “Even though we can’t use the lab for our project, we have found fun and easily accessible ways to further our research and make our project possible.”

This year the high school team chose to focus on making at-home composting as efficient as possible by engineering an enhanced pectin-degradation enzymatic pathway. Each team member will build a standardized composting unit at their own homes and record their observations and take samples of the microbial populations to hopefully analyze at a later date.

They will use advanced modeling techniques to predict important amino acid regions within pectin-degradation enzymes in order to create a theoretical minimal protein model. When the team is allowed to return to the lab, they will have lots of testing to complete.

From online fundraisers to YouTube channels to doing science at home, the high school iGEM team is getting it done!

“I am so proud of the resilience that the team has shown in the face of a very difficult situation. They are all still super excited about their project and we’re all learning together on how to translate a majority hands-on program to an online and at-home format,” says biochemistry instructor and team lead, Dr. Laura Keffer-Wilkes.

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge iGEM undergraduate team is also staying busy this season and will focus on advancing the use of antimicrobial peptides to combat agricultural pests prevalent in Alberta and elsewhere.

“iGEM is more than the lab bench, there are several aspects that we need to consider,” says Dia Koupantsis, student leader for the iGEM undergraduate team 2020. “In order to form a project, you need to have in mind how that will affect the user and the environment, what are the purposes and your end goal, etc. Luckily, our team is composed of individuals from different fields which gives a broad view on the project.”

“Despite these unprecedented circumstances we are continuing to train our students through the iGEM program activities, including a dedicated synthetic biology course that is now offered online by the Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry this summer,” says Dr. Angeliki Pantazi, biochemistry instructor and university team supervisor.

With the current global situation, the impact science and research can have on our society is clear. The iGEM program is a great way of introducing young people to science, technology, engineering, and math and help to solve real-world local and global problems.

To support the Lethbridge high school iGEM team, please consider donating to their GoFundMe page. For more information send an email to iGEM@uleth.ca.

Follow them on social media:

Instagram @lethbridgehsiGEM/@uleth.igem

Facebook @lethbridgehsiGEM/@LethbridgeiGEM

Twitter @LethHS_iGEM/@LethbridgeiGEM

Synthetic biology education, beginning in high school, touted as impetus for STEM careers, research advances

trevor.kenney — Thu, 07 Dec 2017 21:52:07 +0000

A ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge professor sees synthetic biology as a driver of the next generation of scientific researchers and a key to economic diversification and prosperity in southern Alberta and beyond.

Dr. H.J. Wieden and his group at the U of L have been at the forefront of Canadian participation in iGEM competitions for the last decade.

Dr. Hans-Joachim Wieden, an Alberta Innovates Strategic Chair in Bioengineering in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry and director of the Alberta RNA Research and Training Institute (ARRTI), says in a recently published article in the world-leading journal Nature Biotechnology that engaging students in synthetic biology projects enhances their desire to pursue science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) careers and ultimately leads to advances benefitting society both economically and socially. This training is even more impactful when it begins at the high school level and is in step with the high school curriculum in the province of Alberta.

His vehicle of choice – high school iGEM (International Genetically Engineered Machines) competitions.

“The transdisciplinary nature of synthetic biology projects creates a powerful learning opportunity for high school students by combining aspects of biology, chemistry, computer science, mathematics, engineering and social studies,” says Wieden. “I believe that synthetic biology projects integrate well into the high school curriculum and can provide a dynamic training environment for students and add an excellent engagement and education tool, allowing students to explore the scientific, as well as ethical, legal and social implications of the field.”

Wieden and his group at the U of L have been at the forefront of Canadian participation in iGEM competitions for the last decade, winning 10 gold medals and launching a high school program encouraging participation both locally and provincially.

The primary aim of synthetic biology is to apply engineering principles to biological systems, and in turn produce a desirable trait or behaviour. The most notable success of synthetic biology is the engineering of artemisinic acid biosynthesis in yeast, a technology being used to produce anti-malarial treatments.

Locally, high school iGEM teams have produced project ideas tackling environmental issues (desalinization, chlorofluorocarbon degradation), health (diabetes, cancer detection) and agriculture (safe pesticides). Each project is student-driven and executed and supported by U of L graduate student teaching units. The projects provide an opportunity for hands-on, experiential research currently unavailable in the high school curriculum.

“This is not just about training scientists; this is about training the next generation of bioengineers and entrepreneurs,” says Wieden, noting the desire to continue to diversify the provincial economy. “Precision agriculture is the next big thing in biotechnology and that will require well-trained bioengineers and we are in an excellent position to do that.”

Wieden points to the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ’s Destination Project, scheduled to open in 2019, and its focus on transdisciplinary learning, which is reflected in the study of synthetic biology and particularly in iGEM training. Taking this to the high school level further prepares the next generation of students for post-secondary and career success. To do so, however, challenges must be overcome. Securing supplies, materials, equipment and funding to support high school iGEM projects can prove difficult for some teams, but Wieden says the results are worth the investment, and the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ can help lower some of the barriers.

Already, the U of L has offered workshops, supported by Synbridge, for provincial high school teams. Further, there is a proposal to create professional development programs for high school teachers and their students to better equip them to run their own iGEM programs.

“Synthetic biology provides an excellent training environment for students due to the multidisciplinary nature of the field in general and the iGEM competition in particular,” he says. “The significant social, environmental and economic implications of synthetic biology cannot be overstated and I believe it is imperative we provide educational opportunities to interested students as early as possible.”

A link to the full Nature article can be found here: http://rdcu.be/tiQj

U of L iGEM teams bring home gold and silver awards

caroline.zentner — Wed, 29 Nov 2017 17:33:58 +0000

Both the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge high school and collegiate iGEM (International Genetically Engineered Machine) teams came home with shiny medals following the 2017 Giant Jamboree in Boston, Massachusetts.

U of L iGEM team members and their supervisors at the iGEM Giant Jamboree.

The U of L high school team was awarded a silver and the collegiate team a gold, as well as nominations in three special categories, including Best Software, Best Education & Public Engagement, and Best Integrated Human Practices. In addition, the team received the Biosafety and Biosecurity Commendation.

“This year, it’s safe to say the U of L team was the highest-achieving Canadian team at this international competition,” says Dr. HJ Wieden, a professor in the Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry and team advisor. “I am extremely proud of our students. They worked hard and these results prove their efforts were on the mark. What’s more, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, in their presentation at the jamboree, mentioned the U of L’s work as a positive example.”

“The best part of iGEM was showcasing the innovative spirit, ability and willingness of the U of L to compete and excel on an international stage,” says Josh Friesen, a second-year biology student who competed at the Giant Jamboree for the first time.

The overhead screen at the iGEM awards shows the U of L's nominations in two special categories.

The U of L high school team, with Dr. Brian Dempsey as principal investigator, included Kyle Bodell, Autumn Schmidt, Haroon Ahmed, Denysse Garcia, Nimaya De Silva, Stephanie Dang, Kelly Situ, Allison Leam, Chaeli Cowan, Halla Wagner, Candace Chan and Ross Oliver. Their project centred on producing environmentally friendly printer inks.

U of L collegiate team members are Taylor Sheahan, Keith Aiken, Sydnee Calhoun, Simmone D’souza, Regan Evanson, Cynthia Fonderson, Josh Friesen, Jonathan Hampshire, Matthew Harding, Lane Harper, Chelsi Harvey, Chris Isaac, Rebecca Jeong, Chris Lowen, Derrik Motz, William Reid, Morag Runnett, Jessica Semmelrock, Sandhya Sunuwar, Kristi Turton, with Wieden as primary investigator. Their project focused on making synthetic biology safe and available for everyone.

The Giant Jamboree is an annual event that showcases synthetic biology projects from the iGEM Competition. The jamboree brings together hundreds of iGEM teams from universities around the world.

U of L iGEM teams succeed at provincial competition and prepare for Giant Jamboree

caroline.zentner — Wed, 11 Oct 2017 20:05:51 +0000

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge international Genetically Engineered Machine (iGEM) collegiate and high school teams are readying for November’s Giant Jamboree after they came away with awards and cash prizes at the recent annual aGEM (Alberta Genetically Engineered Machine) competitionin Edmonton.

“aGEM showcases the high calibre projects that come from Alberta and prepares students for the international Giant Jamboree in Boston,” says Taylor Sheahan, a team advisor and doctoral student in biomolecular sciences at the U of L’s Alberta RNA Research and Training Institute. “It is incredibly beneficial to receive feedback from experts in the field, which helps improve our project prior to the iGEM competition.”

Members of this year's U of L high school iGEM team include (back row, L-R) Kyle Bodell, Erin Kelly, Sydnee Calhoun, Autumn Schmidt; (middle row L-R) Haroon Ahmed, Denysse Garcia, Nimaya DeSilva, Stephanie Dang, Kelly Situ; (front row L-R) Allison Leam, Chaeli Cowan and Halla Wagner. Missing are Candace Chan and Ross Oliver.

The U of L Collegiate iGEM team project involves developing a synthetic biology tool that can be widely used by a variety of people, from educators teaching the basic concepts of protein production, to hobbyists tinkering in the field, to scientists performing state-of-the-art research. The tool, which includes all the necessary biomachinery for safely producing proteins outside of a living cell, is a simplified version of the protein production machinery found in all living cells. Researchers will be able to use the tool to test their hypotheses, while students will learn the basic principles of protein production and hobbyist synthetic biologists can explore their ideas.

They presented their work to a panel of judges at the provincial competition and won $4,000 to help subsidize travel costs for the team to attend the Giant Jamboree in Boston, Massachusetts. They were also presented with the Stewardship Award for addressing the biosecurity risks associated with the project. In addition, the team has secured $8,000 in funding from the U of L Students’ Union Quality Initiative Program. The funding will be used for travel costs for sending undergraduate students to Boston.

The Lethbridge High School iGEM team was presented with an Aspiring Entrepreneurship Award and $4,000 to assist with costs of travelling to Boston for the Giant Jamboree. The team is using synthetic biology methods to produce biological pigments in bacteria, with the overall goal of incorporating these pigments into environmentally friendly inks for printers.

Students from universities around the world compete in Boston at the end of November to share their work in hopes of further advancing the field of synthetic biology.

“iGEM encourages students to apply their knowledge and creativity to a real-world problem, and we support them as they work towards a solution,” says Dr. Hans-Joachim Wieden, a Chemistry and Biochemistry professor, iGEM faculty supervisor and Alberta Innovates Strategic Chair in RNA Bioengineering. “Competitions like aGEM give them a chance to communicate their ideas to experts in the field and rewards them for their efforts, while providing transferrable skills that integrate into the bigger picture.”

High-school iGEM team earning awards ahead of competition

caroline.zentner — Tue, 15 Aug 2017 16:50:49 +0000

Given the cost of printer ink and the environmental consequences of its manufacture, this year the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge high school iGEM team has chosen a project that might solve both problems.

“Our project is the development of biological pigment for use in the manufacturing of ink,” says Erin Kelly (BSc ’17), a U of L master’s student and graduate student coordinator of the High School iGEM team. “We found that the manufacturing of the pigment in the ink can actually be a harmful process to the environment, as well as being quite costly.”

The project will use synthetic biology to create pigment substitutes — like the black, cyan, magenta and yellow found in printer ink — that can be found in nature. Synthetic biology is the design and construction of new biological entities, which can be enzymes, genetic circuits or cells, by redesigning existing biological systems. Currently, the pigment in black ink is obtained by burning petroleum while other pigments are chemically synthesized or come from minerals that are mined.

“Other pigments we’re using are found in different types of flowers,” says Sydnee Calhoun, a biochemistry student, team advisor and member of the Collegiate iGEM team. “For example, the magenta pigment we’re using is found in apple trees.”

“You can also extract pigments from plants, but that’s not necessarily a sustainable practice in all cases,” says Kelly. “The advantage of synthetic biology is we control our own system so we’re using bacteria, which are easily reproduced and more sustainable than plant extraction, for example, to make these pigments. They’re very easy to grow and easy to control, as are their genes. We’re doing a bit of genetic engineering to transfer the genes from plants that make these colours to the bacteria, so we can make more pigment in a smaller volume of space.”

Since January, the team, comprised of a dozen high school students from Lethbridge Collegiate Institute, Chinook High School and Winston Churchill High School, has been designing the project and working on the human practices component with the guidance of student advisors and faculty members, Drs. Brian Dempsey and HJ Wieden, through the U of L’s Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry and the Alberta RNA Research and Training Institute (ARRTI). The human practices portion helps team members imagine their project in the real world and identify any potential problems in the design stage.

“For this project, we were initially seeing how this could work as an alternative business venture, compared to normal ink manufacturing processes,” says Calhoun. “They’re also conducting more research into the current environmental practices in ink production and comparing that with a synthetic biology approach.”

Kyle Bodell and Haroon Ahmed practise their pipetting skills.

Team members wrote a paper about the design of their project and submitted it to Biotreks, an online journal for high school students. After being judged by members of the synthetic biology community, the Lethbridge team was given an Education Award to acknowledge their outstanding job in communicating their knowledge and techniques to their peers, and an award for visual communication for their use of tables and figures to augment their work.

“The students were thrilled to receive these awards,” says Kelly. “They’ve approached their project with a lot of energy and enthusiasm, so winning these awards has confirmed that their efforts have been worthwhile.”

Allison Leam, a Grade 12 student from Lethbridge Collegiate Institute, says she’s gained lab skills, learned to work as part of a team and how to commit to a project.

“If a student likes science and can commit the time, then I’d advise them to join iGEM. They’ll learn a lot and it’s a lot of fun,” says Leam. “They’ll get experiences they won’t get anywhere else and meet a great team of people who all want to be there.”

The next step for the team is to see if their project will work as they plan. They’ll be testing the DNA sequences of the pigment sources and determining whether engineered E. coli bacteria can produce the various pigments. If they do, the students will extract the pigment and use it to make an ink, something they hope to demonstrate to judges when they take their project to the iGEM Jamboree in Boston, Massachusetts in November. At a high school competition in June, the team received positive feedback about its project from judges and peers. The team was awarded Best Communication at the competition.

Tentatively, the team will present their project at a city council meeting on Aug. 28, followed by a public display in the foyer of City Hall from 5 to 7 p.m. Please check the U of L iGEM Team Facebook page for future updates.

The team also has a GoFundMe account to help fundraise to send team members to Boston. All contributions are appreciated.

U of L iGEM team golden, now focussed on furthering project with Lethbridge Fire and EMS

trevor.kenney — Fri, 18 Nov 2016 18:10:55 +0000

Their project is once again golden and now the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge iGEM team is excited to embark on the next phase – determining if and how their plan to improve the cleanliness of emergency medical vehicles is feasible.

“Our presentation went really well, we had a lot of positive feedback and a lot of interest around how feasible it would be for EMS to actually implement the system,” says first-year PhD student Taylor Sheahan after her team returned from the International Genetically Engineered Machines (iGEM) World Jamboree in Boston, Mass. with a gold medal in tow.

The team was tasked with characterizing the microbial community within ambulances and then developing an intuitive antibody-based strip test for real-time monitoring of the vehicles’ cleanliness. Pictured here are (L to R) Keith Aiken, Rhys Hakstol, Suneet Khary, Taylor Sheahan and Graeme Glaister.

The team was tasked with characterizing the microbial community within ambulances and then developing an intuitive antibody-based strip test for real-time monitoring of the vehicles’ cleanliness.

“We are not only thinking of providing clean orderly EMS units for best practice clinical care for people we meet and transport; we are also thinking of our staff, their families and the potential transport of infection to other patients and health-care facilities we serve,” says Ward Eggli, EMS Resource Officer with Lethbridge Fire and Emergency Services.

While the system the iGEM team created has proven to be effective, Sheahan says that more work needs to be done before it can actually be used in the field.

“We’re still in such an early stage of our work that there is a lot to be done to get to that point where we can actually see if they are cleaning effectively or whether we could compare two different cleaning products,” she says.

Sheahan is a Catholic Central High School product who earned bachelor and master degrees at Queen’s and Western ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ respectively before joining Dr. Hans-Joachim Wieden’s lab.

“What we know today that we did not know before is that we have many types of pathogens in the back of our units,” adds Eggli. “We can now focus on best practice cleaning techniques, frequency and using products that affect these pathogens.”

The fact the project was community-driven and seeks to solve a real problem garnered praise from the judges in Boston. This aspect has been a focus of iGEM in recent years and something the U of L has excelled at, winning gold at each of the last four competitions. In particular, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Public Health Agency of Canada expressed interest in following the project as it continues.

“It’s key at the beginning of projects like this to actually identify a real problem that needs to be solved to benefit the community,” says Sheahan, whose group was approached by Lethbridge Fire and Emergency Medical Services in May to look at the cleanliness of their vehicles and to assist with their methods of cleaning. “I think it’s important for an iGEM project to be focused on a real problem, so you’re not just using cool science, but producing a tangible benefit.”

The two groups will continue to work together in the coming months.

“We plan on testing products and practices to see how we can best affect the pathogens we now know are in the back of our units,” says Eggli. “We have identified a few products that can kill pathogens long after they first have been applied and we want to know how long they’re effective after application and what might affect that product if left without reapplication. We can only complete this through a continued relationship with the U of L and their researchers.”

Wieden, the iGEM supervisor and director of the Alberta RNA Research and Training Institute, says the U of L continues to impress on the world stage, despite competing against teams from established engineering schools.

“In the 10 years we have been competing at iGEM, we have managed to win nine gold medals, which really is remarkable and speaks to the quality of our students, how they work with one another and how they pass that along from year to year,” says Wieden. “It also says that we are solving some real challenges and making a difference in society.”

The full U of L iGEM team consists of Sheahan, Graeme Glaister, Rhys Hakstol, Sydnee Calhoun, Keith Aiken, Suneet Kharey, Courtney McDermott and Karin Otero. Wieden is the supervisor and principal investigator, while Drs. Andy Hudson, Cesar Rodriguez (Florida State ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ) and Glaister are team advisors.

In addition to the U of L iGEM team, the Lethbridge High School iGEM team was awarded a bronze medal for their work on a rapid wound treatment system.

U of L iGEM team gears up for Boston with win at aGEM competition

trevor.kenney — Mon, 17 Oct 2016 19:48:36 +0000

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge’s International Genetically Engineered Machine (iGEM) team warmed up for the upcoming iGEM Giant Jamboree by taking first place in the collegiate division of the Alberta Genetically Engineered Machines (aGEM) competition in Calgary recently.

Using the aGEM event as a tune-up opportunity to hone its presentation for the Giant Jamboree in a mock competition setting, the U of L team placed first in the collegiate division and also received special awards in the areas of Human Practices and Demonstrated Knowledge. Second place in the collegiate division went to the host ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Calgary team.

The U of L iGEM team (l to r) Dr. Andy Hudson, Keith Aiken, Taylor Sheahan, Graeme Glaister, Karin Otero, Suneet Kharey, Rhys Hakstol and Courtney McDermott.

“aGEM provides Alberta teams with a unique advantage as we are able to get meaningful feedback from judges who will be at the international competition in Boston,” says Graeme Glaister, a fourth-year neuroscience student, who will be competing in his fourth iGEM contest.

The iGEM competition is a worldwide synthetic biology competition started by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), and is now the main program at the iGEM Foundation. Competing for the past nine years, U of L teams have excelled on the world stage, leading all Canadian teams by winning eight gold medals for their innovative work. This year’s competition takes place Oct. 27-31 in Boston, MA.

The project the U of L team is tackling involves creating an easy-to-use and cost-effective kit for the rapid detection and monitoring of newly emerging germs in ambulances and health-care facilities.

“I’m very excited about this project because it was really informed by the needs of the community,” says Dr. Hans-Joachim Wieden, chemistry and biochemistry researcher, Alberta Innovates Technology Futures Strategic Chair in Bioengineering, and iGEM supervisor. “When scientists and community members sit down to define a problem, it can result in a very productive collaboration. This iGEM team is demonstrating the ways that cutting-edge synthetic biology and fundamental biomolecular research can have a truly beneficial impact on our communities, particularly in the areas of health and medicine."

Lethbridge Fire and Emergency Medical Services contacted the U of L iGEM team to determine if their current cleaning practices were adequate. The team met with paramedics, surveyed them about areas of concern and participated in ride-alongs with emergency medical workers to better appreciate the situations faced daily by first responders. These steps helped shape the project and determine its scope, with the goal of determining if emergency medical vehicles are indeed reservoirs for pathogens.

"We are very excited to know more about what is found and how we can affect it,” says Ward Eggli, EMS Resource Officer with Lethbridge Fire and Emergence Services. “We are looking at other cleaning practices, just to determine best practice, once we find out the results. It would be nice to know if we can affect sick time with our own staff, to give some peace of mind to the wives and children we have at home, and to know that what we’re bringing home is minimized in some way.”

Using cutting-edge, in-house DNA sequencing technology to aid in identifying pathogens present in the emergency medical vehicles, the U of L team conducted experiments to identify different bacterial species present in each ambulance by investigating a region of DNA unique to each organism.

The results obtained from sequencing experiments allowed the team to develop novel antibodies which specifically recognize and bind to the surface of the identified bacterial organisms. These antibodies are then used in a test which generates a colour change in the event of bacterial identification. This test facilitates rapid and inexpensive detection of pathogens in emergency medical vehicles, and will enable targeted and purposeful sterilization of affected areas.

The novel antibodies being produced and used in this experiment are called single-domain antibodies (sdAb), which are much smaller than traditional antibodies, but with full antigen binding capabilities and increased stability. These antibodies can be synthesized without the use of animal hosts, allowing for lower production costs and less required infrastructure. The team is also constructing an online, searchable database of these single-domain antibodies which will streamline future research in this area, and may also allow the commercialization of sdAb production at the U of L.

The U of L iGEM team is composed of Keith Aiken, Taylor Sheahan, Graeme Glaister, Karin Otero, Suneet Kharey, Rhys Hakstol and Courtney McDermott. Dr. Andy Hudson and Dr. HJ Wieden serve as instructor and supervisor respectively.

High school iGEM program grooming next generation scientists

trevor.kenney — Thu, 05 Nov 2015 18:45:54 +0000

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge iGEM program has established itself as the premier program of its kind in the country, and by encouraging high school students to participate, has ensured its future sustainability.

For the past three years, the U of L has sponsored a high school iGEM team that has mirrored the success of its collegiate entry. Just recently, the high school team returned from iGEM 2015 Jamboree in Boston, Mass. having earned a bronze medal for the research project and presentations they developed while working in a U of L research laboratory.

This year's high school team returned from the iGEM 2015 Jamboree in Boston, Mass. having earned a bronze medal for the research project and presentations they developed while working in a U of L research laboratory.

More than the medals and recognition, the high school iGEM program at the U of L is creating a new generation of students who are excited about science and specifically the science of synthetic biology.

“Seeing the students at the high school level getting excited about synthetic biology is what iGEM is all about at the high school level,” says co-ordinator Dr. Brian Dempsey. “They get firsthand lab experiences and training in the lab and they also get to test out their own ideas. They are inspired, and we’re at the point now where students who have come through the high school level are now joining the collegiate team and mentoring students on the high school team.”

This year’s group tackled two projects, including one that focused on beekeeping and Colony Collapse Disorder and another that sought to find a solution to bacterial biofilms in a hospital setting.

“What’s great for them is that it is student run, so they are in total control over the project and they choose what they are passionate about,” says Dempsey.

The program involves all local high schools but with limited space and resources, can currently accommodate 16 students in any given year. The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ did present a skills workshop in the spring that invited all interested high school iGEM teams and individuals and it proved to be extremely popular.

“We allowed high school teams from throughout Alberta to come in and learn the basic skills of how to do synthetic biology and some teams even brought their parts in and assembled them in our lab because they just don’t have the facility to do that in their school,” says Dr. Hans-Joachim Wieden, U of L chemistry and biochemistry researcher and iGEM supervisor at the collegiate level.

Dempsey adds that some of the groups they assisted eventually made their way to Boston for the world jamboree event in the fall.

“This year we saw four Alberta high school teams in Boston, and that’s unheard of. It says a lot for the future of synthetic biology research in our province.”

Aside from the indispensible support of the U of L, Alberta Innovates Technology Futures, through its GeekStarter program, provides financial support for programs such as high school iGEM, helping to create future innovators and entrepreneurs who will drive the economic diversification of our province.

Gold-medal winning iGEM team may have answer for widespread agricultural problem

trevor.kenney — Thu, 05 Nov 2015 17:50:17 +0000

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge’s incomparable iGEM program achieved a gold medal standing at iGEM 2015 recently, debuting a project that may soon eradicate a widespread agricultural problem.

It was the ninth time that a U of L team participated in the annual International Genetically Engineered Machine (iGEM) competition in Boston, Mass., which invites the world’s brightest university and high school students to showcase innovative new biologically-engineered systems that solve real-world challenges. Over those nine years, the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ has achieved eight gold medals, more than any other Canadian team.

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge iGEM team has participated in the world jamboree for nine years and achieved eight gold medals, more than any other Canadian team.

“Given the fact that we are a small place without an engineering school, I think we’re sitting in a very good spot in terms of our performance over the years,” says Dr. Hans-Joachim Wieden, chemistry and biochemistry researcher, Alberta Innovates Technology Futures Strategic Chair in Bioengineering, and iGEM supervisor. “I think we’re in the top five per cent of all Canadian teams that attend iGEM, and worldwide, we are clearly seen as a contender. Nobody asks us where Lethbridge is anymore.”

This year’s project is especially intriguing in that it was arrived upon through consultation with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada and tackles an issue of local, regional and global relevance – how to combat the fungal species Fusarium graminearum (Fg).

Affecting crops such as corn and wheat, Fg fungi infection results in millions of dollars in economic losses. Current methods of controlling outbreaks include the use of broad-spectrum fungicides, biological control agents, crop rotation and the planting of Fg resistant wheat strains. Each of these methods has its limitations, from building up resistance in Fg, to difficulties of application, effecting off-target species and bioaccumulation.

“Currently there are no really good treatments for it,” says iGEM team member Graeme Glaister, a fourth-year neuroscience student who was competing in his third iGEM competition. “There is a fungicide but you can only spray it once per year because it builds up resistance and is extremely toxic, so you have to be a certain distance from bodies of water. We wanted to find a new approach to this that would not bioaccumulate like a lot of pesticides, and would be species specific.”

The group looked to the insect world and the work that had been done developing RNA-based insecticides. In that instance, double-stranded RNA is introduced to insect species, with a goal of knocking down a specific essential gene within the insect. It’s called RNA interference (RNAi) and allows the pesticide to be species specific, selectively taking out genes in the targeted insect. Its specificity means other insects, with a different RNA makeup, are not affected, nor are there toxicity or bio accumulation concerns.

“Based on that, we decided to see if we could expand on RNA-based insecticides and make it for fungicide use,” says Glaister.

Targeting specific regions within an essential gene of Fg, the group was able to knock down the pigment they were aiming at, successfully proving the concept of their approach.

Part two of their project was to find a way to optimize the process and make it cost-effective to produce a fungicide using this technique.

“It’s hard to make a lot of RNA, in fact it’s far more expensive than making a pesticide because people generally just study RNA, so it isn’t made in large quantities,” says Glaister.

The group tackled this problem by developing a bacterial chassis (a harmless bacterial strain of E. coli) for expression of RNA, then created a novel purification scheme to harvest the product.

“We’ve shown it works, which is really cool, so now we need to optimize it and make it more efficient so that it actually reduces costs,” says Glaister.

With funding from the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ’s new AGILITY program, designed specifically for enhancing innovation and entrepreneurship activities such as these, the team has the makings of a marketable product.

“What we’re seeing here is a great example of how the innovation pipeline works. Knockdown and RNAi, we did not invent that, that was a basic researcher on a lab bench who discovered that machinery not too long ago,” says Wieden. “But the knowledge transfer, that’s for people like our students, that’s why we have to expose them to the current developments in basic research so that they can pick these ideas up and then move them into the marketplace.”

For team member Rhys Hakstol (BASc ’14), a first-year master’s in biochemistry student, the opportunity to take the group’s lab work to market and benefit the local community is especially gratifying.

“With our local approach motivating this, we saw there was a problem facing farmers and were able to develop a potential solution to it,” he says. “I think being able to take our research and potentially apply it in a real-world scenario in the future is super exciting for us as a team and also for the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ.”

Aside from the indispensible support of the Alberta RNA Research and Training Institute at the U of L, Alberta Innovates Technology Futures, through its GeekStarter program, provides financial support for programs such as iGEM, helping to create future innovators and entrepreneurs who will drive the economic diversification of our province.

U of L has two up for ASTech Awards

trevor.kenney — Thu, 16 Aug 2012 22:02:43 +0000

Youth science program manager Kristy Burke, along with chemistry & biochemistry professor Dr. Hans-Joachim Wieden and his iGEM team are among an impressive list of 25 honourees announced in advance of the Alberta Science and Technology (ASTech) Awards Gala that will take place at the Shaw Conference Centre in Edmonton on Nov. 2, 2012.

The list includes some of the best and brightest in Alberta's science and technology community. The honourees are now officially in contention for the 13 ASTech Awards that will be presented at the gala.

The honourees have been nominated for their leadership, achievements and contributions in the following categories: Research; Applied Research and/or Commercialization of Innovation; Leadership; Impact on Albertans; and Public Awareness.

Kristy Burke (Excellence in Science and Technology Public Awareness)

Burke, the manager of the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge's Destination Exploration youth science programs, has been instrumental in expanding existing programming and establishing new initiatives for southern Alberta youth interested in science.

Since taking over as manager, Destination Exploration, in the form of interactive classroom workshops, exciting summer camps, after school Science Clubs, birthday parties and numerous other outreach programs, reaches more than 1,300 youth each year. Through the programs offered by Destination Exploration, Burke exposes students to science in a fun and engaging way, providing valuable opportunities for aspiring scientists throughout southern Alberta to receive quality instruction and encouraging excellence not only in science but also in professional and career endeavours.

Dr. Hans-Joachim Wieden and the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge iGEM team (Excellence in Science and Technology Public Awareness)

Over the last five years, Dr. Wieden has been instrumental in creating and mentoring one of Canada's best teams of undergraduate students in the prestigious iGEM (International Genetically Engineered Machine) team competition, the purpose of which is to promote the advancement of science and education by developing an open community of students and practitioners in schools, laboratories, research institutes and industry.

iGEM provides Dr. Wieden a different way of teaching science while giving back to the community that helped him establish his career. The U of L iGEM team is comprised of students from around Alberta and across Canada. The students are passionate about their iGEM experience and are ambassadors for the program and science education in general, both on campus and abroad.

With iGEM, Dr. Wieden aims to bring the essence of scientific research to the undergraduate level, helping create the next generation of science entrepreneurs.

The ASTECH Awards are the premiere acknowledgement of scientific and technological achievement in Alberta. The awards have grown to encompass more than a dozen distinct categories. Collectively, the honourees demonstrate the abundance of outstanding work occurring in Alberta's science and technology community.

For more information about specific awards, visit www.astech.ca

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