Meetings

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

Jamboré

Figure 1: Jamboré attendees

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-Brazil 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 and Dr. Francis Nunes

Finally, there was a round table discussion on Synthetic Biology challenges, biosafety and biosecurity issues. During discussion, Dr. Paulo Lacava and Dr. Francis Nunes, both UFSCar Professors, and Ana Sifuentes from iGEM Foundation, shared their expertise and interacted with audience.

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”).

A total of 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).

IX Week of Biology 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 during the IX Week of Biology

Bringing Anita to Brazil: our team effort and reward!

In July 2015, we were honored to receive Ana Paola Sifuentes Infante, a member of iGEM Foundation, responding to our team invitation. Knowing her was an excellent opportunity to understand details of the competition.

Inviting a member of iGEM Foundation was idealized by our Instructor (Francis Nunes), aiming to enrich our discussions about Synthetic Biology and the competition itself. Our team then organized a round table debate on Synthetic Biology at the 64th Annual Meeting of the SBPC, which took place in Sao Carlos. Brasil-USP team organized the meeting of Brazilian teams, Jamboré Brazil, the day after the round table. These two events justified and enabled the coming of Ana Sifuentes to be one of the debaters in both events.

Receiving Ana Sifuentes brought outstanding contributions to both UFSCar and USP teams, as well as for Synthetic Biology in Brazil. At the same time, it was important that a representative of iGEM Foundation could get to know the peculiarities of Brazilian teams.

We enjoyed every moment of her visit and showed her a little of our reality, culture, knowledge and our University facilities. Those few days with Ana Sifuentes has given us a great learning experience on the iGEM spirit. Their advice will serve to future generations of Brazilians iGEMers. We highlight with this report the importance of visits by iGEM organizers to teams around the world, which can strengthen new perspectives for competition.