Further Collaboration
Because of this meet-up, we were able to further collaborate in several ways with teams in attendance. We learned that Duke University was also attempting to build a DIY Thermocycler, We were able to offer some guidance to Rock Ridge High School, and had some collaboration on the Interlab Study with the College of William and Mary.
Duke and PCR
Our collaboration with Duke started during the regional meet up. We came to an understanding that our machines were heading down similar paths, at the time. We understood that our teams had the same list of hardware, peltier elements, Arduino microprocessors, and motor controllers. Seeing that our goals were aligned we thought the best probability of success for our teams would come from a collaboration. We set up an email conversation with Duke and began exchanging weekly conversations about how we were progressing and sending each other pictures of our progress. When we ran into issues with our peltier units we spoke to Duke and warned them of the potential issues, and through the subsequent conversations with them we were able to conclude that the peltier platform was not ideal for PCR. We therefore switched gears and moved to designing a hairdryer based unit. Without a collaboration with Duke and the ability to have an open forum to discuss ideas we might have failed to recognize the short coming of our first device.
Rock Ridge Virginia and Project Design
After Rock Ridge presented their initial project design at the meetup, several of our members collaborated with their team to discuss the feasibility and direction of their project. Fortunately, several of our members has already discussed the possibility of undertaking a project that was very similar in nature to Rock Ridge's project. As a result, we had already completed the necessary research to advise Rock Ridge on their project that focused on the causative agent of lyme disease. We advised them of possible gene candidates and alterations to their proposed constructs. Our team also offered our similar project proposal for a novel lyme disease biosensor to Rock Ridge as an alternative option for them to undertake.
W&M and Interlab
Due to unfortunate circumstances pertaining to the reliability of cloning, we were unable to acquire one of the interlab study parts. Fortunately W&M send us the construct to permit us to proceed to testing. We must remark that they sent it dried up on a piece of paper, though shipment took less than a day, as we were just in the next boardering state.
