We can use this thread to introduce each other and share the work we are all doing.
- your name
- place where you work/ research area
- people you work with/projects on COVID19-related projects
- designing/expressing/testing any enzymes?
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Hello to everyone! Happy to be here. My name is SĆ©verine, I am currently working in Chile with FernĆ”n and Iāve just applicated to a PhD programme to link open biotech resources to education. The idea is to bring to the classroom hardware, software and bioware we are using in lab so that students can make their own tools, biosensors, genetic systems, etc.
I hope I can somehow contribute to this platform! 
Looking forward to reading you!
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I am Anibal Arce,
I work mainlly with Cell-free and in-vitro technologies in the Laboraotio de (bio)Technologias abiertas in PUC, with FernƔn Federici. In my PhD we work towards the creation of an open platform for designing novel RNA toehold sensors and NASBA isothermal amplification.
I collaborate with Chiara Gandini and Fernando Guzman both Postdocs from Cambridge University, looking forward to implementing a low-cost lyophilization method for cell-free reactions.
I also collaborate in the JOGL-Open COVID initiative in the Cell-free project trying to make NASBA and Toeholds suitable for SarS-CoV-2.
I am looking forward to testing some enzymes that are useful for these isothermal amplification techniques and also cellular reagents but I donĀ“t have experience on this topic yet.
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Hi guys! New here. I recently started a JOGL project to create a playbook to deploy genomic pathogen surveillance in developing countries https://app.jogl.io/project/285 Turns out importing reagents is $$$$ and requires a cold chain, limiting where we could do local sequencing. Any possible solutions to this?
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Hello everyone! My name is Tommy Idrovo and iām an Ecuadorian biologist currently starting my Ph.D. at iB3 lab - Universidad de Buenos Aires, Argentina. I heard about this collaborative project from the lab heads in the institute, that are currently working with the OpenEnzymes team! So iām looking forward to help with some of the lab work on enzymes expression and to get some literature info for the forum. Happy to meet you all 
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My name is Fernan Federici, I am a biologist from Argentina, working at PUC/iBio in Chile. Together with a big group of collaborators, we are working on two fronts: 1) the design of the ReClone DNA collection (+ assembly syntax of its parts) and 2) the expression, purification and testing of already available enzymes for RT-LAMP and RT-PCR (kindly shared by Alex Brown, Alex Klenov, FreeGenes, OBL and Andy Ellington group).
Our research group is part of the Global Open Science Hardware community (GOSH), as well as CYTED/reGOSH and TECNOx networks, which promote open source technology in Latin America. Lab page.
Glad to be working with you all!
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Hi!
My name is Isaac NĆŗƱez. I am a biological engineer from Chile.
I work with Fernan Federici in the Free (bio)Technologies Lab - PUC/iBio - from some years ago (currently as PhD student). My main work is related to synthetic morphogenesis, optogenetics, DNA assembly, and open hardware.
I am part of TECNOx and GOSH community, where we work for equity, collaboration, technological sovereignty and freedom.
Currently working and sharing in the OPenEnzyme/ReClone group around the Diagnostics Enzyme collection.
Really happy to be part of this group and help as much as I can
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Hi everyone!
My name is Ariel Cerda Rojas and I am a Biotechnology Engineer.
I am currently doing my Ph.D. in Fernanās laboratory. I work in plant synthetic biology with modular DNA assembly tools, synthetic promoters and thermodynamic state ensemble models.
Due to the contingency, I am working on the design of protocols to overcome disruptions on the global supply chains used by diagnostic laboratories in Chile. I am currently collaborating with (i) alternative and cheaper procedures to replace commercial RNA extraction kits using common reagents found in molecular biology laboratories and (ii) testing of home-made enzymes for RT-PCR (such as DNA polymerases and reverse transcriptases).
I hope to contribute to the growth of this collaboration network!
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Hi everyone, My name is Javier Gasulla. I am a biochemist from Buenos Aires and a researcher at ib3. I usually work in environmental sciences, focused on low-cost biosensors development. Currently, with other collaborators of ib3, we are excited to be part of an initiative whiling to locally produce enzymes useful for COVID-19 diagnosis. I hope to contribute to the community! 
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Hi everyone, my name is Minerva Castellanos, IĀ“m engineer in biotechnology from Monterrey, Mexico. I have a startup called Scintia and we do educational hands-on experience synbio kits and some molecular biology lab hardware (PCR machine, microcentrifuge and electrophoresis system). Now IĀ“m working with an initiative called ViroDet with more people in Mexico. We are working on develop an open qPCR machine and COVID-19 detection kits with local supplies and reagents. For this project, we are collaborating with teams from Open Enzyme and FreeGenes.
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Hi All,
iām Xav from Brittany, doing bio-stuff in citizen science, co-founder of a biomimicry hacklab (Le Biome) and also a biohackerspace (Kaouenn-noz).
Iām involved around DIY electropration, electrophoresis, Open PCR, Open wetware. Iām wasting time āChaos Game Representation (CGR) with corona virus dna as a Signature using fractalsā.
For now, as a Hobo, Iām working with Tactical Tech NGO ā exposing the invisible project ā on investigation / bioinvestigation (content coming soon). Iām also doing reverse engineering en BioInfo with others hackers. Iām teaching biodesign and biohacking in engineering school. I try to motivate a french cohort on Open Wetware issues. I really hope to find ways and stuff to contribute here.
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Greetings!
Kevin from Montreal
I run a startup and a community lab.
No major COVID projects underway right now in my immediate circle, but keeping an eye on some friends projects.
I mostly work on finance/CEO kind of stuff, but my background is in biochemistry (structural bio) and Iāve dealt with a whole bunch of rational and non-rational enzyme design.
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Hi everybody,
Iām Kathrin from Darmstadt/Mainz in Germany. Iām a biology, bioinformatics and mathematics student and also involved in the (bio)hacker/maker scene in Germany (lab3.org). We want to start our own community lab with BSL1 clearance soon (until then we stick to everything, that doesnāt involve safety clearance ).
Iām also part of the JOGL open enzymes project: Open Enzyme Production for Covid-19 Diagnostics | JOGL.
For reclone we want to explore possible Bst & MMLV Mutants in silico and in vitro, if we have a hit, we will spread it all over the community. My project for this is epilamp.org.
All the best to you guys & lets #spreadthetest
Kathrin
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Hi,
- My name is FernĆ”n AgĆ¼ero
- I work in Buenos Aires / Molecular and Serology-based Diagnostics
- COVID19-related projects: RT-qPCR diagnostics of SARS-CoV-2
- We also work in Chagas Disease (strain typing, diagnostics, drug discovery)
- designing/expressing/testing any enzymes? Yes, MMLV-RT, Bst, Taq, T7 Pol
Check our lab website Trypanosomatics Laboratory
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Hello everyone, I am Andrea Insuasty, I am a pharmacist. I am currently working as a researching assistant at ICESI university, I am working in the expression and purification of the RTX (Retrotranscriptase xenopolymerase) protein with the aim to use it in PCR assays for Covid-19 diagnostics. I am very interested in protein expression and purification of this protein so any help you can give me will be well received, Thanks.
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Hi everyone! Iām Isaac Larkin, and I live near Chicago in the United States.
Iām a research fellow at the think tank New Consensus, and soon to be a postdoctoral research scientist at Abbott Labs. Iām also a wetware developer on the Free Genes project, and a member of the Friendzymes team working on making enzyme manufacturing as cheap and easy as possible for everyone. Iāve collaborated with some of you before, and Iām looking forward to doing more in the future!
Hi, my name is Chinna Devarapu. I am a photonics researcher, based in Ireland. I am pursuing COVID-19 related hardware projects. I recently published a paper on centrifuge that can be powered from smartphones. I am making an open source $5 LAMP device that can be used with smartphones or 5V chargers. I am here to connect with other members of the group to learn about the open-source initiatives to fight COVID-19.
Hello everyone! My name is HeloĆsa Oss Boll, and I was just introduced to Reclone by AnĆbal Arce (thanks again!). Iām currently a Biotech student from the University of BrasĆlia, Brazil, and a member of the SynBioLab UnB (synbiolabunb.com). We are developing a new COVID-19 diagnostics method using ribozymes and DNA beacon. Iām also an iGEM 2021 Ambassador for Latin America, and a member of iGEMās new Open Science Committee. I have participated in the organisation of TECNOx 4.0 as a CTA member (cta.if.ufrgs.br) and I also colaborated with the Lab de (bio)Technologias abiertas in PUC Chile in 2018. Overall I have great interest over GOSH and other open bio/sci/techs-related projects. Happy to be here!
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Hello everyone! My name is CĆntia M Coelho, I am an associate professor at the University of Brasilia, Brasil, and I am the PI of the Synthetic Biology Laboratory (synbiolabunb.com). Thank you Anibal Arce for introducing our group to Reclone.
We are currently working on a project for a new COVID-19 diagnostic method conjugating ribozymes and FRET-HCR, free of enzyme activity. Also interested in the development of tools for synthetic biology studies, mainly designing and testing integrases-based genetic switches to control gene regulation in eukaryotic cells, evaluating suicidal and RNPs CRISPR-Cas9 systems, and the development a software to identify Safe Harbour regions.
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