Our achievements

After severals weeks of brainstorming and team meetings, we decided to focus on the implementation of cell-free biosensors. As there was no local expertise in working with cell-free systems, we had to read a lot of literature and developed the cell-free biosensors on our own. All work described in the wiki, including project identification, lab work, securing sponsorships, writing about our topic on the wiki and human practices work, were done by ourselves unless otherwise stated. We discussed our topic with several experts and lecturers. Without the support of the people named below, we would not have come so far in our project. These are the people we want to express our gratitude to.

General support

• Prof. Dr. Jörn Kalinowski gave us the opportunity to participate in iGEM by providing us with our own laboratory and the resources of his work group.
• Prof. Dr. Kristian Müller participated in our weekly team meetings and supported us with advice and equipment.
• Tore Bleckwehl, Lukas Rositzka, Matthias Ruwe, Manuel Wittchen: A huge thanks for your endless patience when listening to our problems, your willingness to help and for motivating us to give our best. You all did a great job in advising us. It was a great and fun time with you.
• Timo Wolf, as a former iGEM member, helped us with sponsoring and advice.

Modeling support

• Dr. Petra Lutter gave us an introduction into modeling and gave us advice during our weekly meetings.

Analytics support

• Vera Ortseifen assisted us in preparing and measuring samples for the protein identification via MALDI-TOF/TOF.
• Julian Droste, as former iGEM team member, helped us with his knowledge of SDS-PAGEs and EMSAs.
• Dr. Marcus Persicke measured the standard row of gamma-Hydroxybutyric acid via HPLC-MS for us.

Material support

• The work group Microbial Genomics and Biotechnology who allowed us to use their laboratories and equipment and showed great patience, when we occupied many of the facilities
• The Wendisch Lab allowed us to use their microbioreactor system for cultivation.
• The work group Fermentation Technology allowed us to use their laboratory facilities.
• Dr. Raimund Hoffrogge helped us with his knowledge of protein-DNA interaction and allowed us to use the Ettan-DIGE scanner of the proteomic laboratory.

Construction and Technical support

• Marco Radukic designed the model for 3D-printing.
• Nadine Rodrigues de Carvalho assisted us with operating the Ettan-DIGE scanner.

Human practices and biosafety support

• Dr. Mathias Keller evaluated the biosafety of the biosensor system "plasmid repressor interaction assay" with us.
• Prof. em. Kathryn Nixdorff who commented on our dual use report and provided valuable insights in both ethical questions and legal situation and proposed additional ideas for the implementation of biosecurity risk assessment.
• Prof. Alfons Bora who provided insights in the guidelines and proposals of the Leopoldina and the German Ethics Council as well as aspects of ethical council for research. He read and commented our dual use report and provided ideas of the implementation of biosecurity in our project, such as the contact of an ethics council.
• Constantin Teetzmann who proposed his idea of possible improvement of biosecurity risk assessment within iGEM as well as within the research community itself.
• The Federal Office for Consumer Protection and Food Safety for a statement about its responsibility and the current legal situation in Germany. The interviewed member shall remain nameless.
• Prof. Bohner provided insight into the current responsibility of the ethics council at the University of Bielefeld and the necessary measures to extend those responsibilities.
• Nils-Christian Lübke who provided advice on language style and structure of our report with patience.