DIYbio:Notebook/Open Gel Box 2.0/2008/12/10

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Open Gel Box 2.0 Meeting Main project page
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Teleconference Meeting

Agenda

  1. Introduction a.) your background b.) why you are interested in doing this project c.) where do you see this going?
  2. consensus on central Virtual Tool/Space for collaboration (DIYBio Wiki on OpenWetWare?)
  3. Resources [money/people/hardware/labspace] (jot them down on the project space)
  4. Open Gel Box 2.0 Features RFC as a method?

Minutes

  1. Introduction
    • Present
      • Jim Hardy: Maryland, President CEO, Gahaga, been doing molecular biology for 25years
      • Mac Cowell: Boston, DIYBio organizer, Organized iGEM in the past
      • Tito Jankowski: Brown graduate, member on past iGEM team, now working in Sacramento, Accenture
      • Norman Wang: U. Hawaii, Grad Student, iGEM Hawaii 2008 advisor, background in biology and bioinformatics, before going back to academia worked for Biogen Idec in Boston and San Diego on Protein Engineering
    • Where do you see this going:
      • Mac
        • open hardware as a iGEM track
        • envision lots of cosumers will be the amateur iGEM teams
        • in future integrate Jason Morrison's smartlab http://projectsmartlab.org/
      • Tito
        • interested in developing new DNA technology
        • develop a project across all time zones of US
        • have your own gel box DIYBio
        • technological advance
      • Jim
        • make molecular technology available primary secondary school
        • a way to develop cheap labs in developing country
        • working on innovative hand-held PCR
      • Norman
        • not to reinvent the wheel
        • improve foundational technology (ref to Drew Endy http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v438/n7067/full/nature04342.html)
        • using open hardware as means of incremental improvement by the masses
        • make basic molecular biology tools available to wide audience
        • making the basic technology easier, better. It's hard to justify spending time improve (and write about it) as part of a professional degree
    Comment from Jim & Norm
    risk aversion in industry vs academia
    industry: minimize research project risks, innovate processes to sell as product
    academia: take huge risks on research, use 20yr old protocols that are "good enough"
  2. Project Virtual Space
  3. Resources
    • Norman
      • money available for video, people "raise hand to commit" ~$300-400
      • lab space to do testing for lab-only reagents if necessary (should avoid toxic stuff, comment by Mac)
    • Mac
      • should use commonly available safe media, accessible to public
      • Meridith Patterson transformation system that can be built yourself
      • a spectrophotometer in the works
      • test at MIT if necessary
    • Jim
      • Plastic cutter resources
      • can't water-tight glue two pieces of acrylic together without groove
      • Kevin Barnes, Harbor Designs
    • Mac
      • distributing high grade equipment/material that won't fall apart on people
      • electronics companies that would make this and distribute
    • Tito
      • Know a friend with laser cutter acrylic fabrication profession
    • Mac
      • Access to laser cutters in Boston
      • Michael Cassman
      • Electrical components: radioshack, digikey
    1. Money
      • money available for making a video
      • Mac has the know-how with setting up DIYBio Account for depositing funds that will support projects
      • $50 Norman on hardware
      • $50 Tito on hardware
    2. Space
      • Norman's lab access: materials and reagents to test out gel box in lab
    3. Hardware
      • Mac: MIT Media Lab, have capacity to make hundreds of prototype (Acrylic Cutting) when it's time
      • Tito: Friend who can cut plastics (a business?)
      • Jim: Kevin Barnes (original Horizon Gel Box designer) with cutting equipment
    4. Electrical Components
      • radio shack / Mac recommends digikey
    5. People
      • Meridith insight on how to build power supply
      • Kevin Barnes
  4. RFC
    1. use BBF RFC0 as a template/guide, please read...
    2. agree to try out RFC as a way to spec out comment on required/recommended/optional features

Action Items

  • Jim talk to Kevin about getting involved and share his expertise
  • Norman send out email with RFC link
  • Everyone edit and comment on the RFC
  • Next Meeting Sunday 10amHST/12amPST/3pmEST (Technical Meeting, RFC Discussion)

Reference/Links

 President     Harbor Designs & Manufacturing, LLC
 Design, Engineering, Manufacturing  1100 Wicomico Street  |  Suite 550  
 | Baltimore MD  21230  |  tel 410 605 9399  |  cell 443 744 0370  |  
 fax 410 605 9499
 www.harbordesigns.net  (doesn't look like this web site is valid, but the e-mail is)