1 00:00:10,416 --> 00:00:11,226 >> Sally: Dude! 2 00:00:11,226 --> 00:00:12,756 No running in the laboratory. 3 00:00:12,756 --> 00:00:15,546 >> Dude: Sorry Sally, but have you heard about this competition? 4 00:00:15,546 --> 00:00:19,896 It's called iGEM and I think my bacterial bubble could totally win this year. 5 00:00:19,896 --> 00:00:22,136 >> Sally: I thought you were done with bacterial bubbles. 6 00:00:22,326 --> 00:00:23,746 What do you know about iGEM? 7 00:00:24,126 --> 00:00:28,646 >> Dude: Uh, not much, except that there's going to be a bunch of losers and me. 8 00:00:29,066 --> 00:00:31,366 >> Sally: I don't think you understand the nature of this competition. 9 00:00:31,696 --> 00:00:35,356 iGEM, the International Genetically Engineered Machine Competition, 10 00:00:35,356 --> 00:00:40,666 is a way to get young scientists and engineers working together to engineer biological systems. 11 00:00:40,736 --> 00:00:41,606 >> Dude: Working together? 12 00:00:41,856 --> 00:00:43,326 Where's the competitive spirit in that? 13 00:00:43,476 --> 00:00:45,166 The Dude works alone. 14 00:00:45,166 --> 00:00:47,906 That way, the Dude gets all the credit. 15 00:00:48,086 --> 00:00:52,006 >> Sally: You need to be a member of a team to join iGEM, and you need a professor to lead it. 16 00:00:52,076 --> 00:00:53,976 >> Dude: But I heard it was a student competition? 17 00:00:54,006 --> 00:00:54,856 >> Sally: Well, yes. 18 00:00:54,856 --> 00:01:00,766 The competition started in 2004 based on an undergraduate class developed at MIT in 2003 19 00:01:00,766 --> 00:01:05,066 for their short winter session, and it continues to be an undergraduate experience. 20 00:01:05,296 --> 00:01:07,186 But not without guidance and support. 21 00:01:07,376 --> 00:01:11,056 Last year there were more than thirty teams who competed, from all over the world. 22 00:01:11,656 --> 00:01:13,866 >> Dude: So that's my competition? 23 00:01:14,226 --> 00:01:15,246 That's a lot of people. 24 00:01:15,526 --> 00:01:17,936 >> Sally: A lot of people, all asking the same question. 25 00:01:17,936 --> 00:01:21,316 "Can simple biological systems be built from standard, 26 00:01:21,316 --> 00:01:24,756 interchangeable parts and operate in living cells? 27 00:01:25,156 --> 00:01:29,156 Or is biology simply too complicated to be engineered in this way?" 28 00:01:29,446 --> 00:01:30,186 What do you think? 29 00:01:30,506 --> 00:01:33,086 >> Dude: Biology's not too complicated for me! 30 00:01:35,466 --> 00:01:41,136 The goals of this competition are to enable systematic engineering of biology, promote open 31 00:01:41,276 --> 00:01:44,476 and transparent development of tools for engineering biology, 32 00:01:44,526 --> 00:01:50,586 and help construct a society that can productively apply biological technology. 33 00:01:51,786 --> 00:01:54,206 OK, I've got a lot of work ahead of me. 34 00:01:54,426 --> 00:01:58,286 If we're not going to use my bubble idea, what else is possible? 35 00:01:58,606 --> 00:02:01,596 >> Sally: Maybe a better question would be what isn't possible. 36 00:02:01,916 --> 00:02:05,536 >> Dude: Ok, so first off: What should our standard, interchangeable part be? 37 00:02:05,536 --> 00:02:06,816 Actually, what parts exist? 38 00:02:06,816 --> 00:02:07,816 Do we have to make those? 39 00:02:08,006 --> 00:02:10,566 >> Sally: You'll probably need more than one but the Registry 40 00:02:10,566 --> 00:02:15,286 of Standard Biological Parts is a great resource with lots of parts already designed. 41 00:02:15,286 --> 00:02:18,076 And if we make parts of our own, we should add them to the Registry 42 00:02:18,126 --> 00:02:19,936 in case other teams can use them too. 43 00:02:20,256 --> 00:02:22,026 >> Dude: And help the other teams? 44 00:02:22,026 --> 00:02:23,716 What kind of competition is that? 45 00:02:24,356 --> 00:02:28,796 Or is that how so many teams got cool projects going last year?: Pleasant smelling bacteria, 46 00:02:28,936 --> 00:02:31,586 a bacterial night-light, a DNA drug delivery system. 47 00:02:31,766 --> 00:02:34,746 I heard one team even made up bacterial freeze tag! 48 00:02:34,986 --> 00:02:37,366 To beat those, we should get started right now! 49 00:02:37,696 --> 00:02:41,286 >> Sally: Alright well let's brainstorm for a little while before I have to get back to work. 50 00:02:41,286 --> 00:02:42,176 How does that sound? 51 00:02:42,516 --> 00:02:43,096 >> Dude: Great! 52 00:02:43,516 --> 00:02:45,016 Can you show me this Registry? 53 00:02:45,276 --> 00:02:47,666 Maybe we can find some good parts to use! 54 00:02:48,036 --> 00:02:48,916 >> Sally: Good idea, Dude. 55 00:02:49,356 --> 00:02:54,646 Let's start there.