StockholmProject proposal: Representing the capital in the

worlds largest synthetic biology competition

genetically engineered machines

We want to representStockholm at iGEM 2015- the world’s largest competition in synthetic biology

The International Genetically Engi-neered Machine competition (iGEM) is a global Synthetic Biology compe-tition, with about 250 teams partici-pating from all over the world.

iGEMs uniqueness is that students are enabled to develop skills in various fields of science such as research project de-velopment and performance as well as financing and communication of science. Although the students are the main ac-tors of the whole project, supervision is provided by experts in the field, who en-hance the success of the student’s driven research group in the competition.

At the beginning of the summer, the team is provided with a kit of biological parts by the Registry of Standard Biological

Parts. They are then ready to take off and start working in the laboratory over the summer. Together with the given parts, the team use new parts of their own de-sign to build an exciting new biological system that operates in living cells. The life science industry depends highly on both scientific and entrepreneurial ex-pertise in order to be successful. Thus, an interdisciplinary team is essential.

In September 2015, the Giant Jambo-ree is held in Boston, MA, USA. This is a 5-day showcase event that features team

Can simple biological systems be built from standard, inter-changeable parts and operat-ed in living cells?

– the cental question of iGEM

Over 250 teams from around the world competed in iGEM in 2014

iGEM teams contribute parts that they make to a registry, increasing the collection of parts that can be used by groups in future years.

What isSynthetic biology?

presentations and exhibition hall post-er sessions for all participating teams. Moreover, the team will have the oppor-tunity to take part in workshops, net-working sessions, panel discussions, and the award ceremony. Being able to com-municate and exchange ideas and results within an international, scientific com-munity will be highly valuable for the team members and the supporting parts. Given that this is the first ever coopera-tive Stockholm-based iGEM team, all the contributing efforts that make this proj-ect possible will be profoundly acknowl-edged.

Over 200 universities send teams to iGEM, including Oxford, Tsing-hua, ETH, MIT and all Ivy League schools. We think KTH and KI should join their ranks! Read more about the purpose and history of iGEM at www.igem.org.

Synthetic biology is an interdisciplinary field which couples both biology and en-gineering to design and construct bene-ficial and functional biological systems or devices. Differing from the genetic engineering approach, synthetic biology makes use of basic engineering principles such as standardization, modularization and reusability. As a result, synthetic bi-ology is considered highly promising for generating feasible and sustainable solu-tions to real world problems and chal-lenges, ranging from industrial to med-ical sectors. Within the latter, synthetic biology constitutes a tool of great inter-est for the development of innovative biosensors for the detection of clinical biomarkers.

Our supervisors

Project advisors

Johan Rockberg heads a research group at the department of Proteomics and nanotechnology at the KTH School of Biotech-nology. His projects are centered on the studying and engineer-ing of binding surfaces of proteins for therapy and development of cell factories for sustainable production of pharmaceuticals in mammalian and microbial hosts.

Ute Römling is Professor of Medical Microbial Physiology at the Department of Microbiology, Tumor and Cell Biology, Kar-olinska Institutet. The major research topic of her group is reg-ulation of microbial biofilm formation by cyclic di-GMP second messenger signaling and other factors. In addition, interactions of biofilm forming cells with the host organism and persistence mechanisms are investigated.

Håkan Jönsson is an Asistant Professor at KTH Royal Insti-tute of Technology. Leads a research group in droplet microflu-idics for high throughput biological analysis.

Teresa Frisan leads a group at the Department of Cell and Mo-lecular Biology at Karolinska Institutet which does research on the carcinogenic properties of chronic infection with CDT-pro-ducing bacteria.

Anders AndersonAnders is Assistant Professor in Metagenomics at KTH Royal Institute of Technology.

Meet the teamStudents from KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Karolinska Institute and Stockholm University

Karl Annusver: Karolinska Institutet, Biomedicine MScHugi Ásgeirsson: Kungliga Tekniska Högskolan, Biotechnology MScAlison Shea Baxley: Karolinska Insti-tutet, Biomedicine BScAxel Bergenstråle: Stockholm Univer-sity, Chemistry MScCarmen Gallo Álvarez: Karolinska In-stitutet, Bioentrepreneurship MScRadoslaw Gora: Karolinska Institutet, Toxicology MScMona Hassan: Kungliga Tekniska Hög-skolan, Biotechnology BScPontus Höjer: Kungliga Tekniska Hög-skolan, Biotechnology BScKatrine Iversen: Karolinska Institutet, Bioentrepreneurship MScNaz Karadag: Karolinska Institutet, Biomedicine MSc

Maximilian Karlander: Kungliga Tekniska Högskolan, Biotechnology BScUtsa Karmakar: Karolinska Institutet, Toxicology MScKarol Kugiejko: Karolinska Institutet, Biomedicine MScHugo Morales: Karolinska Institutet, Bioentrepreneurship MScLinnea Österberg: Kungliga Tekniska Högskolan, Biotechnology BScManon Ricard: Karolinska Institutet, Biomedicine BScFelix Richter: Karolinska Institutet, Biomedicine MScDenise Strand: Karolinska Institutet, Biomedicine BScSarah Wideman: Karolinska Institutet, Biomedicine BSc

Our project: Biological signal amplification Engineering microorganisms to detect very low concentrations of biomarkers for early diagnosis

Synthetic biology offers many potential cost-effective healthcare technologies. One of those could be new ways to diag-nose and treat disease at an early stage. Current techniques for biomarker detec-tion (e.g. ELISA, RIA) are time consum-ing, expensive and require specialised equipment.

We intend to design a microbiological system for the detection of low quanti-ties of biomarkers. This assay aims to be easier and more cost efficient than exist-ing techniques and possible to perform in modestly equipped settings. Initially, we will focus on the expression of a receptor for the desired biomarker. Depending on the nature of the biomarker, the recep-tor will be either be native or designed.

Upon biomarker detection, signal ampli-fication will be triggered by our receptor system to activate a read out/detection system (e.g. Luciferase, GFP) inside the microorganism to artificially amplify the extracellular signal. In the next stage, the team will go on to design a read-out sys-tem to measure the concentration of bio-markers in body samples. Finally we want to investigate if we can make this system transferable to other biomarkers, chang-ing only the receptor part of the system.

The system would be cheap, fast and possible to distribute without advanced equipment. Our motivation is to improve patient prognosis and quality of life and to improve efficiency and reduce costs within the healthcare system.

Why should you sponsor us?To make this happen we need to pay a registration fee, fund the research and send as many of our team as pos-sible to Boston in September.

By supporting us, your name and brand will be visible during all the activities carried out by our group. You will have the opportunity to actively take part in an event organized by the team, giving

you the chance to engage with other stu-dents on campus. Further rewards are stated in the table below. Given that the project design and competition format is an exceptionally motivating and effective teaching method, education is a promi-nent element that the sponsors will be recognized for. You will be recognized as a supporter of research, collaboration and innovation by students and researchers.

VESICLE SPONSOR – 10 000 SEK

* Your company represented on the sleeve of our t-shirts along with your company’s logo

* Name and brand on our webpage

RIBOSOME SPONSOR – 25 000 SEK

* Your company represented on the back of our t-shirts along with your company’s logo

* Name, brand and link to company’s web-page on our web and facebook pages

* The opportunity to be present and take part in an event held at the university

MITOCHONDRIA SPONSOR – 50 000 SEK

* Your company represented on the back of our t-shirts along with your company’s logo

* Name, brand and link to company’s web-page on our web and facebook pages

* The opportunity to be present and take part in an event held at the university

* Name and brand on the Jamboree’s final presentation in Boston

NUCLEUS SPONSOR – 70 000 SEK– ONE SPONSOR ONLY

* Your company represented on the front of our t-shirts along with the company’s logo

* Name, brand and link to company’s web-page on our web and facebook pages

* The opportunity to be present and take part in an event held at the university

* Name and brand on the Jamboree’s final presentation in Boston

* The opportunity to present the compa-ny to students at time and place of your choosing

Project budget Per person Team

Registration fee 33 000 SEK

Lab resources 50 000 SEK

Jamboree fee & travel 15 000 SEK

We want to put Stockholm on the iGEM map. If you want to see that happen, concider becoming a sponsor. We need your sup-port to make this happen!

Send us an email at igem.sthlm@gmail.com to get in touch!You can read more about iGEM at www.igem.org

Thank you for showing interest in iGEM! If you want to know more about iGEM or synthetic biology, we would love to talk.

Stockholm