Amazon Biobank - A community-based genetic database

In regions like the Amazon Rainforest, there is much unexplored biodiversity data that could potentially be used to promote innovative biotechnology developments. Building a biobank with such genetic data is, however, a challenge. One reason is that existing repositories (e.g., NCBI) lack clear incentives for collaboration. Aiming to tackle this issue, and promote a biodiversity-based economy in the Amazon region, in this work we present a prototype for the Amazon Biobank, a community-based genetic database. Leveraging blockchain, smart contracts, and peer-to-peer technologies, we build a collaborative and highly scalable repository. It also enables monetary incentives for users who insert, store, process, validate and share DNA data.

The Integration of Life-Based Learning Based Local Wisdom in the Development of Innovative Biotechnology Learning Models

The development on biotechnology research is on the rapid growth. Biotechnology is assumed to be able to solve the needs problem in the community. University of Jember has developed a biotechnology research which focused on the fields of agricultural and health biotechnology. However, the result of biotechnology research has not been entirely integrated yet into the learning at schools, college, and community education. This research was intended to associate the products of biotechnology research with the innovative life-based local wisdom learning and developed local wisdom. Later on, the integration of life-based learning and local wisdom in regards to the development of biotechnology was able to be implemented at school, university and the community. Junior and senior high school, university and local community in East Java were selected as the subjects of this research. Ten-step model of developmental research was applied on this research (Borg and Gall, 1989) covering collecting research and information, planning, developing preliminary forms of product, testing the preliminary field, the revision on main product, testing the main field, the revision on operational product, testing the operational field, the revision of final product, and dissemination and implementation. The results of this research revealed that life-based learning model with local wisdom in the development of innovative biotechnology learning were valid, effective and efficient.