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
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!
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!
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.
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.
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.
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
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.
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!
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.
Hello everyone, my name is Ubaida Adamu from the Far Eastern Federal University, Vladivostok.
I am a PhD candidate at Center for Genomics, Institute of Life Sciences and Biomedicine. I am currently working on Coumarins biosynthesis and pathways, as well as their accumulations in an in vitro plant cultures.
My name is Roberto Calzadilla, and Iām from Puerto Rico. I consider myself an evolutionary geneticist and systems biologist; but worked in infectious disease epidemiology. Officially, Iām a biotechnology graduate student at Harvard. I do work in RNA+evolutionary biotechnology and currently in the middle of a stint in origin of life research (also RNA related).
people you work with/projects on COVID19-related projects:
Iāve been doing research on my own for the last 10 year as a hobby since I dwell in theory and bioinformatics. Regarding COVIDā¦ I worked with COVID-19 all too closely. I was one of the custodians for my countryās pandemic data as I worked as an epi at the PR State Health Department. Every test, case, hospitalization, death, etc. I had to keep eyes on as I was responsible for cleaning the data. I just wrapped up that work and now Iām going to try and do thesis workā hopefully even work with other people for once!
I also intensely study RNA viruses (especially +ssRNA) as these taxa are my ideal model system to study all the things Iām interested in I use them as my model system to study.
Yes, Iām obsessed with RNA in case it wasnāt obvious.
designing/expressing/testing any enzymes?
I havenāt done wet lab work since my undergradā but I want to get back to it. As it might be inferred from the previous text, Iām gonna adventure into RNA related enzymes. Want to try and get a cell free system working.
My nameās Mathew, I am a freelance genetic engineer based in New York City.
I work out of a community bio-lab space and am playing around with circuits built on the genes in the OpenEnzyme (and other) distribution kits. IMO they are an incredibly useful parts resource!
Causes I care about include decentralized science and supporting creative expression for scientists, the same way that artists do.
Hello, I am new and happy to meet you all.
My name is Martison Budu from Ghana. An MPhil Biotechnology graduate from the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology. Very soon I will start my PhD and would be working on the production of enzymes and itās application in Bioethanol production. I hope to benefit from the experts here when I need some directions and advise.
Thank you all.
My name is Franklin Yengdem Nuokpem. I recently completed my PhD in Molecular Cell Biology of Infectious Diseases at the West African Centre for Cell Biology of Infectious Pathogens (WACCBIP), University of Ghana. I am currently a Research Associate at WACCBIP.
My research interests lie in malaria immunology and vaccinology, and my day-to-day work involves expressing recombinant proteins for immunological applications. In addition, I am passionate about making science more affordable and accessible in West Africa, one of my side projects focuses on producing commonly used research enzymes locally to reduce costs.
I look forward to connecting, learning, and collaborating with colleagues and senior scientists here.
Iām Enrico Calore, recently graduated with an MSc in Biomedical Engineering from Duke University (North Carolina, USA). Iām really interested in how we can apply synthetic biology to develop practical, translational solutions in medicine and biotechnology and make them more accessible around the world.
Lately, Iāve been working on a pipeline for producing thermostable molecular biology enzymes in-house, making it faster, cheaper, and easier for labs to access core reagents (you can find the paper here). We managed to cover key reactions like DNA amplification, transcription, and assembly at just a fraction of current commercial costs.
Iām very happy for the opportunity to present this work at the Reclone Community Meeting on October 22nd and to join this inspiring network of people advancing open and accessible biotechnology. I hope to see some of you there!
