The BioBricks Foundation:Standards/Technical

=BBF Technical Standards Mailing List=

Join or check out the BBF technical standards mailing list and archives here!

=BBF Technical Standards RFC Process=

BBF RFCs <-- read and learn how to contribute a BBF RFC here!

=Active Technical Standards Projects=


 * PoBol: Provisional BioBrick&trade; Language PoBol: Provisional BioBrick&trade; Language See RFC 31  and SBOL_Semantic for current developments
 * Biobrick&trade; Formats (aka Physical Composition)
 * Measurement standards
 * Data exchange standards
 * Technical Resources
 * BBF WetLab Challenges <-- is this really a standards topic?
 * The_BioBricks_Foundation:Standards/Technical/E.coli promoter standard

=Possible New Technical Standards Projects= Comprehensive list of standards topics to consider working on (feel free to organize or add to this list). If you start working on a topic please move it to the list above, and start a new page, as appropriate:
 * standard assembly for DNA, RNA, protein and parts (physical composition)
 * standard formats (same as above?)
 * DNA synthesis & construction standards
 * standards for sharing information about parts via computer networks
 * standards for defining parts / functional nomenclature
 * standard ontology for parts (avoid reinventing the world, if appropriate)
 * standards for defining function / behavior of parts (i.e., quantitative models)
 * standards for defining qualitative functional descriptions (i.e., works, does not work)
 * standards for support for searching (people-based, CAD-based)
 * functional composition standards (e.g., signal carriers, signal levels, device timing)
 * compatability / conflict standards (quantitative, degree)
 * standards for the cellular environment, context, chassis (e.g., genotype, culture conditions)
 * characterization standards (for experimental measurements, and reporting of experiments, e.g., promoters, RBSs, and many more)
 * standards for defining the source of parts, uses of parts
 * coordination with other standards setting organizations
 * safety standards
 * graphical / visual depiction standards
 * standards for noting the current ownership status of a part (e.g., free)
 * abstraction standards
 * release status standards
 * identification / signature standards

=BBF4 lowhanging-fruit RFCs= BBF4 technical standards meeting - "lowhanging fruit RFCs" blackboard image:

Potentially low-hanging "fruit" that could be turned into RFCs using BBF:RFC0:
 * DNA Sewing - Kim de Mora
 * Strain Descriptions - Tom Knight
 * BBa-v2 Standard Assembly - Tom Knight
 * BBb Standard Assembly - Chris Anderson
 * What is the Nature of a Part - Kristian Müller
 * Plasmid Naming - Reshma Shetty
 * PoBoL - Sean Sleight
 * Promoter Measurement - Jason Kelly
 * Synthetic Biology Graphical Notation - Mac Cowell



=BBF Technical Standards Setting Process= How are BBF technical standards defined? Good question! Here's the current version (v1) of the BBF Open Standards Setting Scheme. Send comments to endy@mit.edu


 * 1) You develop some scheme for standardizing some aspect of synthetic biology work.
 * 2) You convince at least one other person, at a different location from you, that the scheme would help them with something that they care about.
 * 3) You each demonstrate that the proposed standard works for each of you (i.e., the standard must work and be good for something).
 * 4) You document your scheme in writing.
 * 5) You request a BBF RFC number by asking for one (email the list)
 * 6) The BBF technical standards group (i.e., the folks on this list) comment on the standard, try it out, propose revisions.
 * 7) You revise the standard if necessary.
 * 8) The standard is formally accepted as part of the definition for BioBrick&trade; parts. Congratulations, you win (publishers are standing by), the BioBricks&trade; technical standards suite is updated.
 * New, possible standards tremble before you! Goto 1.