The participation of our team in University events were also part of our Policy & Practices

Jamboré

Figure 1: Jamboré

On July 18th, three Brazilian teams that would attend Giant Jamboree for iGEM 2015 assembled at Universidade de Sao Paulo, Campus São Carlos. The event was organized by Brazil-USP team, and was played by stream. The teams Brasil-USP, UFSCar-Brasil and UFMG-Brasil presented their projects. Besides our Bug-Shoo project, team Brasil-USP presented RubberBye, where E. coli bacteria is modified to degrade rubber. Team UFMG-Brazil presented LeishMANIA, which proposes engineering the protozoan Leishmania to treat rheumatoid arthritis. Common problems for all teams such as difficulties in obtaining sponsorship and bureaucratic issues that hampered the importation of biological material have been discussed (Wiki link).

Figure 2: Brasil-USP Team

Figure 3: UFSCar-Brasil Team

Figure 4: Ana Sifuentes, from iGEM Foundation

Figure 5: Round table discussion members: Dr. Paulo Lacava, Ana Sifuentes e Dr. Francis Nunes

Finally, there was a round table discussion on Synthetic Biology challenges, biosafety and biosecurity issues with Dr. Paul Lacava and Dr. Francis Nunes, both UFSCar Professors, and Ana Sifuentes.

4biotec - Four days of Biotechnology

Universidade Federal de São Carlos received the event 4biotec (Four days for Biotechnology) between the 4th and 7th of August this year, arranged by Biotechnology Junior Enterprise (“Consultoria & Soluções em Biotecnologia Jr”).

154 registered biotechnology students attended to the event. Besides our University, many others were represented: Universidade Federal de São Carlos Campus Araras, Universidade Federal de Alfenas, Universidade Estadual Paulista campus Assis, Universidade Estadual Paulista campus Araraquara, Universidade de São Paulo campus São Carlos, Universidade Tecnológica Federal do Paraná campus Dois Vizinhos, Universidade Federal do Paraná - Centro Politécnico, Universidade Paulista - Araraquara and Universidade Estadual do Rio Grande do Sul campus Santa Cruz do Sul.

The event included a special program covering different areas of biotechnology, human and cultural aspects such as: lectures, TED Talks, round-table discussion, academic works, practical and theoretical mini-courses and, finally, cultural nights for public entertainment.

In this context of entertainment and knowledge, our team was invited to present a lecture on the last day of the event, which introduced the iGEM competition, the project, the team, the plans for Giant Jamboree and it showedthe publicour individual experiences about the participation on the team.

Figure 6: Our Team presenting in 4Biotec

Our team had the opportunity to expose a banner with our project and also to participate in a TED Talk nominated “Syntethic Biology and Applications”, ministered by the team member Célio Dias Santos.

Figure 7: Exposition of our banner

The purpose of the team's participation was to disseminate the activities developed for the competition and promote the interest of students from other universities to form new teams. Some students interested in iGEM contacted our team (See at Collaborations).

Biology’s week at UFSCar

From 04 to May 8, 2015 the IX Week of Biology took place in UFSCar. In this event, there were discussions on the progress of scientific research, professions of biological sciences, education in subjects such as biology and transgenic, ecology, paleontology, and others.

UFSCar-Brasil team presented the poster THEORETICAL BIODESIGN OF A GENETICALLY ENGINEERED BACTERIA FOR PRODUCTION OF D-LIMONENE USING SYNTHETIC BIOLOGY CONCEPTS. It was the first time in the history of the event that the theme of Synthetic Biology was discussed. Our poster was presented at a time when the theoretical bases of our project were established, but the laboratory activities were just starting. Our presentation attracted considerable attention of the participants which tells us that positively impact the quality of the event with a current and stimulating scientific approach.

Figure 8: Daniel representing our Team in Biology's Week