scholarly journals BioBits™ Bright: A fluorescent synthetic biology education kit

2018 ◽  
Vol 4 (8) ◽  
pp. eaat5107 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jessica C. Stark ◽  
Ally Huang ◽  
Peter Q. Nguyen ◽  
Rachel S. Dubner ◽  
Karen J. Hsu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Synthetic Biology ◽  
Biology Education

scholarly journals Development of a Freeze-Dried CRISPR-Cas12 Sensor for Detecting Wolbachia in the Secondary Science Classroom

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Grant A Rybnicky ◽  
Radeen A Dixon ◽  
Robert M Kuhn ◽  
Ashty S Karim ◽  
Michael C Jewett
Keyword(s):  
Synthetic Biology ◽  
Secondary Students ◽  
Science Classroom ◽  
Biology Education ◽  
Educational Opportunities ◽  
Freeze Dried ◽  
Dna Technology ◽  
And Mathematics ◽  
The Cost ◽  
Biology Curriculum

Training the future synthetic biology workforce requires opportunity and exposure to biotechnology concepts and activities in secondary education. Detecting Wolbachia bacteria in arthropods using PCR has become a common way for secondary students to investigate and apply DNA technology in the science classroom. Despite this framework, cutting-edge biotechnologies like CRISPR-based diagnostics have yet to be widely implemented in the classroom. To address this gap, we present a freeze-dried CRISPR-Cas12 sensing reaction to complement traditional DNA technology education and teach synthetic biology concepts. The reactions accurately detect Wolbachia from arthropod-derived PCR samples in under 2 hours and can be stored at room temperature for over a month without appreciable degradation. The reactions are easy-to-use and cost less than $40 to implement for a classroom of 22 students including the cost of reusable equipment. We see this technology as an accessible way to incorporate synthetic biology education into existing biology curriculum, which will expand biology educational opportunities in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education.

scholarly journals Advancing Undergraduate Synthetic Biology Education: Insights from a Canadian iGEM Student Perspective

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Patrick Diep ◽  
Austin Boucinha ◽  
Brayden James Kell ◽  
Bi-ru Amy Yeung ◽  
Xingyu Amy Chen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Synthetic Biology ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Biology Education ◽  
Genetically Engineered ◽  
Student Perspective ◽  
Academic Settings ◽  
Pedagogical Research ◽  
Transformative Impact ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Further Development

The last two decades have seen vigorous activity in synthetic biology research and ever-increasing applications of its technologies. However, pedagogical research pertaining to teaching synthetic biology is scarce, especially when compared to other science and engineering disciplines. Within Canada there are only three universities that offer synthetic biology programs; two of which are at the undergraduate level. Rather than take place in formal academic settings, many Canadian undergraduate students are introduced to synthetic biology through participation in the annual International Genetically Engineered Machine (iGEM) competition. Although the iGEM competition has had a transformative impact on synthetic biology training in other nations, the impact in Canada has been relatively modest. Consequently, the iGEM competition is still a major setting for synthetic biology education in Canada. To promote further development of synthetic biology education, we surveyed undergraduate students from the Canadian iGEM design teams of 2019. We extracted insights from these data using qualitative analysis to provide recommendations for best teaching practices in synthetic biology undergraduate education, which we describe through our proposed Framework for Transdisciplinary Synthetic Biology Education (FTSBE).

scholarly journals YouTube resources for synthetic biology education

2019 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Aaron J Dy ◽  
Emily R Aurand ◽  
Douglas C Friedman
Keyword(s):  
Synthetic Biology ◽  
Scientific Research ◽  
Biology Education ◽  
Genetically Engineered ◽  
Online Video ◽  
Video Content ◽  
Technical Research ◽  
Course Content ◽  
College Course ◽  
Online Videos

Abstract Online video resources have increasingly become a common way to effectively share scientific research ideas and engage viewers at many levels of interest or expertise. While synthetic biology is a comparatively young field, it has accumulated online videos across a spectrum of content and technical depth. Such video content can be used to introduce viewers to synthetic biology, supplement college course content, teach new lab skills and entertain. Here, we compile online videos concerning synthetic biology into public YouTube playlists tailored for six different, though potentially overlapping, audiences: those wanting an introduction to synthetic biology, those wanting to get quick overviews of specific topics within synthetic biology, those wanting teaching or public lectures, those wanting more technical research lectures, those wanting to learn lab protocols and those interested in the International Genetically Engineered Machine competition.

scholarly journals Challenges in Undergraduate Synthetic Biology Training: Insights from a Canadian iGEM Student Perspective

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Patrick Diep ◽  
Austin Boucinha ◽  
Bi-ru Amy Yeung ◽  
Brayden Kell ◽  
Xingyu Chen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Synthetic Biology ◽  
Best Practices ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Biology Education ◽  
Genetically Engineered ◽  
Student Perspective ◽  
Design Teams ◽  
Undergraduate Level ◽  
Pedagogical Research ◽  
Biology Research

ABSTRACTThe last two decades have seen vigorous activity in synthetic biology research and ever-increasing applications of synthetic biology technologies. However, pedagogical research on synthetic biology is scarce, especially when compared to some scientific and engineering disciplines. Within Canada, there are only three universities that formally teach synthetic biology programs; two of which are at the undergraduate level. Many Canadian undergraduate students are instead introduced to synthetic biology through participation in the annual International Genetically Engineered Machine (iGEM) competition where they work in design teams to conceive of and execute a synthetic biology project that they present at an international jamboree. We surveyed the Canadian landscape of synthetic biology education through the experience of students from the Canadian iGEM teams of 2019. Using a thematic codebook analysis, we gathered insights to generate recommendations that could empower future iGEM team operations and inform educators about best practices in teaching undergraduate synthetic biology.

scholarly journals BioBits™ Explorer: A modular synthetic biology education kit

2018 ◽  
Vol 4 (8) ◽  
pp. eaat5105 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ally Huang ◽  
Peter Q. Nguyen ◽  
Jessica C. Stark ◽  
Melissa K. Takahashi ◽  
Nina Donghia ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Synthetic Biology ◽  
Biology Education

scholarly journals Investing in our nation’s future military leaders’ synthetic biology knowledge to understand and recognize threats and applications

2019 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
J Jordan Steel ◽  
Katherine L Bates ◽  
Michael D Barnhart
Keyword(s):  
Synthetic Biology ◽  
Air Force ◽  
Undergraduate Research ◽  
Biology Education ◽  
Genetically Engineered ◽  
Military Leaders ◽  
Us Air Force ◽  
The Us ◽  
Future Leaders ◽  
Research And Education

Abstract Synthetic biology encompasses some of the greatest advancements in biology. With improvements in molecular methods and techniques that allow targeted and highly efficient genome manipulation, the capabilities of engineering biology have significantly increased. These enhancements in biotechnology represent significant potential benefits and risks to the global population. It is important that future leaders are trained and understand the incredible benefits, opportunities and risks associated with synthetic biology. The US Department of Defense (DoD) has issued a technical assessment on the future opportunities of synthetic biology and has encouraged the military institutions to expand and encourage bioengineering research programs. At the US Air Force Academy (USAFA), opportunities are provided for future Air Force officers to recognize the potential and risks associated with synthetic biology by participating in the USAFA Synthetic Biology Education Program (USBEP). Cadets can enroll in synthetic biology courses to learn and master molecular biology techniques and work on independent undergraduate research projects. In addition, cadets have the opportunity to join the USAFA’s International Genetically Engineered Machine (iGEM) team and compete in the international synthetic biology competition. This report includes details on how USAFA has recruited, enrolled and encouraged synthetic biology research and education among future leaders in the US Air Force.

GondenBraid2.0: A comprehensive toolkit for plant synthetic biology

Planta Medica ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 79 (13) ◽  
Author(s):  
A Sarrion-Perdigones ◽  
M Vazquez-Vilar ◽  
J Palaci ◽  
A Granell ◽  
D Orzáez
Keyword(s):  
Synthetic Biology ◽  
Plant Synthetic Biology

Life as a Raw Material: Illusions of Control

Somatechnics ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 250-262 ◽  
Author(s):  
Oron Catts ◽  
Ionat Zurr
Keyword(s):  
Synthetic Biology ◽  
Cognitive Engineering ◽  
Raw Material ◽  
Future Scenarios ◽  
Short History ◽  
Know How ◽  
Political Forces ◽  
History Of ◽  
The Way

The paper discusses and critiques the concept of the single engineering paradigm. This concepts allude to a future in which the control of matter and life, and life as matter, will be achieved by applying engineering principles; through nanotechnology, synthetic biology and, as some suggest, geo-engineering, cognitive engineering and neuro-engineering. We outline some issues in the short history of the field labelled as Synthetic Biology. Furthermore; we examine the way engineers, scientists, designers and artists are positioned and articulating the use of the tools of Synthetic Biology to expose some of the philosophical, ethical and political forces and considerations of today as well as some future scenarios. We suggest that one way to enable the possibilities of alternative frames of thought is to open up the know-how and the access to these technologies to other disciplines, including artistic.

Synthetic Biology and Religion

2016 ◽  
Vol 23 (2) ◽  
pp. 159-174
Author(s):  
William Daley
Keyword(s):  
Synthetic Biology
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