Difference between revisions of "Team:Northeastern Boston/Description"
Line 133: | Line 133: | ||
the deadly pathogen and an estimated 11 thousand died. Meanwhile, a | the deadly pathogen and an estimated 11 thousand died. Meanwhile, a | ||
potent anti-Ebola antibody cocktail, ZMapp, was going through preclinical | potent anti-Ebola antibody cocktail, ZMapp, was going through preclinical | ||
− | studies. In a study where 18 heavily Ebola infected monkeys treated with | + | studies. In a study where 18 heavily Ebola infected monkeys were treated with |
ZMapp, all 18 survived, including several in the hemorrhaging stage of | ZMapp, all 18 survived, including several in the hemorrhaging stage of | ||
the disease. Given the timing and urgent need, ZMapp was approved for use | the disease. Given the timing and urgent need, ZMapp was approved for use | ||
Line 143: | Line 143: | ||
to neutralize the virus (as illustrated by the Rhesus model). Only 7 | to neutralize the virus (as illustrated by the Rhesus model). Only 7 | ||
doses were available throughout the Ebola Outbreak despite infection | doses were available throughout the Ebola Outbreak despite infection | ||
− | rates in the thousands. Ultimately, it represents an absence | + | rates in the thousands. Ultimately, it represents an absence of rapid antibody production capabilities.</p> |
<p>A proposed solution was the tobacco plant. A relatively | <p>A proposed solution was the tobacco plant. A relatively | ||
well-understood and engineered organism, it was the method for making | well-understood and engineered organism, it was the method for making | ||
− | ZMapp. Producers | + | ZMapp. Producers agrobacterium containing the |
− | DNA for the therapeutic antibody. The plants grow and the antibody is | + | DNA for the therapeutic antibody into the plant leaves by vacuum infiltration. The plants grow and the antibody is |
purified from the plant cell lysate. In theory, this is a quick and | purified from the plant cell lysate. In theory, this is a quick and | ||
inexpensive method for rapidly producing lots of antibody, dependent upon | inexpensive method for rapidly producing lots of antibody, dependent upon | ||
− | arable land rather than high-sterility CHO vats. In practice, it is | + | arable land rather than high-sterility CHO vats. [<a href="http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0006291X03013354" target="_blank">2</a>] In practice, it is |
not.</p> | not.</p> | ||
</div> | </div> | ||
Line 167: | Line 167: | ||
of living organisms. [<a href= | of living organisms. [<a href= | ||
"http://www.nature.com/nmat/journal/v8/n5/pdf/nmat2419.pdf" target= | "http://www.nature.com/nmat/journal/v8/n5/pdf/nmat2419.pdf" target= | ||
− | "_blank"> | + | "_blank">3,</a> <a href= |
"http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1389172314001509" | "http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1389172314001509" | ||
− | target="_blank"> | + | target="_blank">4</a>]</p> |
<p>It might, alternatively, be possible to inject the mRNA of a desired | <p>It might, alternatively, be possible to inject the mRNA of a desired | ||
Line 181: | Line 181: | ||
to the patient, has been extensively researched in the context of AIDS. | to the patient, has been extensively researched in the context of AIDS. | ||
[<a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8864752" target= | [<a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8864752" target= | ||
− | "_blank"> | + | "_blank">5</a>, <a href="http://www.mdpi.com/1999-4915/6/2/428/html" |
− | target="_blank"> | + | target="_blank">6</a>, <a href= |
"http://www.nature.com/ni/journal/v14/n1/full/ni.2480.html" target= | "http://www.nature.com/ni/journal/v14/n1/full/ni.2480.html" target= | ||
− | "_blank"> | + | "_blank">7</a>]</p> |
<p>In might be possible to design synthetic bacteria (like Synlogic) for | <p>In might be possible to design synthetic bacteria (like Synlogic) for | ||
the gut that produce Nanobodies (small enough to be produced in bacteria | the gut that produce Nanobodies (small enough to be produced in bacteria | ||
− | and lacking complex | + | and lacking complex di-sulfide bonds). These pathogen targeting |
nanobodies might prove capable of reaching the circulatory system after | nanobodies might prove capable of reaching the circulatory system after | ||
being turned on by an exogenous transcription factor, however, these | being turned on by an exogenous transcription factor, however, these | ||
nanobodies might still face the complication of improper glycosylation | nanobodies might still face the complication of improper glycosylation | ||
and immune clearance. [<a href= | and immune clearance. [<a href= | ||
− | "http://europepmc.org/abstract/med/19876789" target="_blank"> | + | "http://europepmc.org/abstract/med/19876789" target="_blank">8</a>]</p> |
<img src="https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2015/b/b6/SelfreliantDelectableKouprey.gif" style="width:100%"> | <img src="https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2015/b/b6/SelfreliantDelectableKouprey.gif" style="width:100%"> | ||
Line 203: | Line 203: | ||
Ebola Outbreak. So the question becomes: can microalgae produce properly | Ebola Outbreak. So the question becomes: can microalgae produce properly | ||
folded antibodies at a high enough concentration and at a cheap enough | folded antibodies at a high enough concentration and at a cheap enough | ||
− | cost to warrant their use as a widescale antibody production platform? | + | cost to warrant their use as a widescale antibody production platform? Given the need and potential benefits, we believe it warrants additional research.</p> |
− | + | ||
− | + | ||
</div> | </div> | ||
Line 217: | Line 215: | ||
<div class="minimal-dropdown__content hidden"> | <div class="minimal-dropdown__content hidden"> | ||
<p>Within each of us (health and medication depending) is an adaptive | <p>Within each of us (health and medication depending) is an adaptive | ||
− | immune system. A major cell in this system is the B Cell. | + | immune system. A major cell in this system is the B Cell. An immunocompetent |
− | B | + | B cell is covered in B cell receptors (BCRs). These BCRs respond to |
non-self antigens. When a foreign antigen binds to a BCR, it activates | non-self antigens. When a foreign antigen binds to a BCR, it activates | ||
− | the B cell to turn into plasma B | + | the B cell to turn into a plasma B cell, dedicated to producing specific |
− | antibodies against | + | antibodies against the antigen that triggered its |
response.</p> | response.</p> | ||
Line 230: | Line 228: | ||
to pump out high levels of antibody into the bloodstream. [<a href= | to pump out high levels of antibody into the bloodstream. [<a href= | ||
"https://www.rndsystems.com/research-area/b-cells" target= | "https://www.rndsystems.com/research-area/b-cells" target= | ||
− | "_blank"> | + | "_blank">9]</a></p> |
<img src="https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2015/e/e4/DecisiveMenacingEel.gif" style="width:100%"> | <img src="https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2015/e/e4/DecisiveMenacingEel.gif" style="width:100%"> | ||
Line 238: | Line 236: | ||
emergence of a contagion to quarantine the sick and provide nourishment. | emergence of a contagion to quarantine the sick and provide nourishment. | ||
They are not designed with the capability to rapidly adapt and attack the | They are not designed with the capability to rapidly adapt and attack the | ||
− | pathogen. | + | pathogen. Drugs for human treatment undergo rigorous FDA |
− | review before approval | + | review before approval; the average inception to market timeline for an |
FDA approved drug is 12 years (note: this is after the drug has been | FDA approved drug is 12 years (note: this is after the drug has been | ||
developed). This is too long for rapid drug turnaround and represents a | developed). This is too long for rapid drug turnaround and represents a | ||
Line 247: | Line 245: | ||
<p id="outbreakgifdesc"></p>A hypothetical map of distributed | <p id="outbreakgifdesc"></p>A hypothetical map of distributed | ||
− | algae-antibody production facilities. Orange dots are | + | algae-antibody production facilities. Orange dots are |
existing facilities that could be repurposed. Yellow dots are | existing facilities that could be repurposed. Yellow dots are | ||
hypothetical potential power plant algae hybrid facilities. They are | hypothetical potential power plant algae hybrid facilities. They are | ||
smaller in scale but repurposable in a time of need. Green dots are | smaller in scale but repurposable in a time of need. Green dots are | ||
potential large sized facilities. These too could produce commodity | potential large sized facilities. These too could produce commodity | ||
− | goods, like food for livestock or subsidized biofuel, until needed | + | goods, like food for livestock or subsidized biofuel, until needed for |
− | antibody.<br> | + | antibody production.<br> |
<p></p> | <p></p> |
Revision as of 23:00, 18 September 2015