George M. Church in Rotterdam received the 4th Steven Hoogendijk Award

Last Thursday (23rd September) I attended an impressive lecture by George Church at the Erasmusiaans Gymnasium near the Erasmus Medical Centre in Rotterdam. His talk was among other things about the PGP-10 (personal genome) project. See video here :




The following Friday George M. Church was officially awarded the 4th International Steven Hoogendijk award instated by the Bataafsch genootschap. See a partial google translate of their announcement here :

"On Friday September 24, 2010 George M. Church will receive in the Citizens of the City Hall of Rotterdam from the Mayor Ahmed Aboutaleb ing by the Batavian Society of Experimental Philosophy in Rotterdam granted International Steven Hoogendijk Award. This prize is awarded this year in the medical-technical field "minimal invasive diagnosis and consists of a silver medal and a sum of 15,000 euros. "

Computational genomics - where to start my diybio journey?

As an electrical engineer, with an ever growing interest and curiousity into DIY biology, synthetic biology and genomics, i wondered where to jumpstart this journey. So i figured it would be a good thing to start there where i understand the tools and language best. After searching for a while i stumbled upon the field of computational genomics. In particular i found the site http://www.computational-genomics.net/ which is part of course taught at the university of Bristol.

Currently, I  am working my way through the book (Introduction to Computational Genomics: A Case Studies Approach) and exercises. Already some familiar statistical techniques, i have been working with in other fields, passed by. In addition, it is very pleasing to see that so many of the basic software to analyse a genetic sequence are open source tools.

So hopefully my journey into the field of computational genomics is a little step forward and I am wondering where to go next. Any suggestions?

Bètabrede docentendag Synthetische Biologie, een synthese van verschillende bèta-vakken

De 'synthetische biologie' staat sinds kort in de belangstelling sinds het gelukt is een cel te verkrijgen met een volledig synthetisch genoom. Welke chemische processen spelen hierbij een rol, wat is het belang van het maken van een dergelijke cel. Kan dit een rol spelen in productietechnologie?

Lees verder : http://www.rug.nl/fwn/informatieVoor/VWOdocenten/BetabredeDocentendag

Crappy Google translate :

Teacher's day : Synthetic Biology, a synthesis of several beta-courses

The "synthetic biology" is in the spotlight recently since it has been possible to obtain a cell with a completely synthetic genome.Chemical processes which play a role, what is the importance of making such a cell. Could this play a role in production technology?

Synthetic biology research on biofuels has a mathematical angle

Qing Lin and colleagues are using a common mathematical concept to develop 'nano-reactors' designed to generate much higher yields of biofuels. Read more here : http://www.physorg.com/news203267252.html

Danish bio hack space : BiologiGaragen

BiologiGaragen is a laboratory and open creative space where anybody with an interest in biological science can meet, play, and share their ideas and thoughts.  We will encourage citizen science in biology and make knowledge, tools and software available for people to develop solutions based on their personal, local and specific needs.


Read more here : http://biologigaragen.org/

Neither models nor miracles: a look at synthetic biology

The 20th century broke open both the atom and the human genome. Physics deftly imposed mathematical order on the upwelling of particles. Now, in the 21^st century, systems biology aims to fit equations to living matter, creating mathematical models that promise new insight into disease and cures. But, after a decade of effort and growth in computing power, models of cells and organs remain crude. Researchers are retreating from complexity towards simpler systems. And, perversely, ever-expanding data are making models more complicated instead of accurate. To an extent, systems biology, rather than climbing upwards to sparkling mathematical vistas, is stuck in a mire of its own deepening details.

Read more : Neither models nor miracles: a look at synthetic biology

Biotech Revolution must start with Education

Popular media coverage of biotechnology is saturated with talk of “revolution” — the time when genetic engineering, synthetic biology, and personalized medicine will change our lives in more ways than we can imagine.  These technologies, we are assured, are right around the corner.  But having heard such promises for well over a decade, I find myself asking:  http://www.hplusmagazine.com/editors-blog/biotech-revolution-must-start-education

IGEM Team Helps Prevent Rogue Use Of Synthetic Biology

A team of students from ENSIMAG, an engineering school in Grenoble, France, and Virginia Tech is using bioinformatics to implement federal guidance on synthetic genomics. The students' work will help gene synthesis companies and their customers better detect the possible use of manufactured DNA as harmful agents for bioterrorism.

Read more here : http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/195304.php

Opmars van synthetische biologie

Synthetische biologie is een nieuwe technologie met als hoofdthema de ontwerpbenadering van biologische systemen. Vanwege het grote aantal mogelijkheden wordt er verwacht dat synthetische biologie veel uiteenlopende toepassingen zal krijgen. Japan profileert zich met R&D op verschillende onderwerpen. Veel aandacht is er voor onderzoek naar het van de grond af opbouwen van celachtige systemen (protocel). Ook strategiebepalende organisaties in Japan zijn overtuigd van het feit dat synthetische biologie een belangrijk R&D-thema wordt.


Lees meer hier : http://www.twanetwerk.nl/default.ashx?DocumentID=14241

Do-It-Yourself Bioengineers Bedeviled by Society's Paranoia

Gather up a few thousand people and you will find, without fail, that several of them have some very impressive hobbies.

Read more here : http://www.genengnews.com/gen-articles/do-it-yourself-bioengineers-bedeviled-by-society-s-paranoia/3383/

Biohackers – the geneticists in the garage

If you are living outside America, chances are you have not yet heard of DIYbio, a new approach to biotechnology that is already generating great interest across the Atlantic, and is now gathering pace in Europe.

Read more : http://euroscientist.com/2010/08/157/

Biotechniques.com : Cheap PCR: new low cost machines challenge traditional designs

Although PCR is a fundamental tool for many biologists, thermal cyclers—essential to driving PCR reactions—have not yet become easily affordable or widely accessible. An instrument’s expense, which is between $4000 and $10,000, has essentially confined its usage to university laboratories, and excluded entities like public schools or field-based health initiatives, which could benefit from easy access to DNA amplification technologies.

Read more : http://www.biotechniques.com/news/Cheap-PCR-new-low-cost-machines-challenge-traditional-designs/biotechniques-301745.html

Global Synthetic Biology Market to Exceed $4.5 Billion by 2015, According to New Report by Global Industry Analysts, Inc.

Global Synthetic Biology Market to Exceed $4.5 Billion by 2015, According to New Report by Global Industry Analysts, Inc. GIA announces the release of a global market report on Synthetic Biology. Global Synthetic biology market is projected to exceed $4.5 billion by the year 2015. Synthetic biology is expected to provide major advances in the areas of biomedicine, biopharmaceuticals synthesis, biosecurity, energy and environment, sustainable chemical segment, and biomaterials/smart materials production. Significant investments are expected in the synthetic biology field.

Global Synthetic Biology Market to Exceed $4.5 Billion by 2015, According to New Report by Global Industry Analysts, Inc.

Gel Electrophoresis Virtual Lab

Have you ever wondered how scientists work with tiny molecules that they can't see? Here's your chance to try it yourself! Sort and measure DNA strands by running your own gel electrophoresis experiment.

Find out here how gel electrophoresis works : http://learn.genetics.utah.edu/content/labs/gel/

IFTF - Curing Cancer in a Garage?

This is the first time I've seen someone happily exclaim, "I'm curing cancer in my garage!"

Biocurious, a new hackerspace for biotech based in Mountain View, CA, has just been born. Founders Eri Gentry and Joseph Jackson started this community lab space for citizen science, expanding the trend of hackerspaces like Noisebridge and HackerDojo into biology. They are crowd-raising $30,000 to help get their garage lab off the ground.

Read more : http://www.iftf.org/node/3526?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

Synthetic biology, ethics and the hacker culture

 by ANDREW MAYNARD on AUGUST 17, 2010

While the DIY Biotechnology community has grown considerably since this post, the piece still captures something of what is still a young movement, and one that challenges assumptions about top-down technology innovation.

Read more: http://2020science.org/2010/08/17/synthetic-biology-ethics-and-the-hacker-culture/#ixzz0x9hpkhn3

On Cunningprojects.com : An Analysis of What #DIYbio Has and What It Needs

DIYbio and its more professionally oriented cousin, Garage Biotech, are undergoing a revolution at present. Essential equipment that used to cost thousands is now available at affordable prices, in many cases under open licensing schemes and open to community development. Knowledge of biology, genetics and the procedures underlying it all is being disseminated in ever-more-abstracted forms to make it easier to get started. And soon, even the biological components: strains, enzymes and substrates, will likely become mass-marketable.

It’s an exciting time to be involved in the development of tomorrow’s technology, and sometimes I find myself stepping back to consider what we have, and what we still need. I may as well share these musings with others to spare them the time, and perhaps to inspire someone with the know-how to fill in the gaps and help make this happen.

Prepare for a long, long post. Read more here : http://letters.cunningprojects.com/?p=132

Opinion on Synthetic Biology

Like Tom Wakeford and Jackie Haq (26 June, p 26), we were part of the group overseeing the preliminary dialogue between scientists and members of the public, discussing breakthroughs in synthetic biology with a view to gauging their response to the new technologies......

Read more on the New Scientist website : http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg20727720.200-synthetic-biology.html

BioCurious: A Hackerspace for Biotech. The Community Lab for Citizen Science

What ideas would you come up with if you hung out with a molecular biologist, a mechanical engineer, a computer programmer and an artist - and happened to be sitting next to a lab?





Read more and make your pledge : http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1040581998/biocurious-a-hackerspace-for-biotech-the-community

DIYbio in Singapore

DiyBio is everywhere .....

http://diybiosingapore.wordpress.com/