BIOMED

Molecular biology: from genetic engineering to nanomachines

Basic information

From 23 June to 5 July 2020

MónNatura Pirineus

How a human or jellyfish protein be produced in a bacterium? Could a virus save our lives? What are nanomachines and how can we design them using genetic engineering? These are some of the questions that you can answer in this project by carrying out experiments in molecular biology, biotechnology, biochemistry and biomedicine, along with bioinformatics treatment of DNA and protein sequences. And that’s not all - you will also have the chance to 3D print the protein or nanomachine of your choice! This is multidisciplinary project that covers everything from basic research to applied research to bring you closer to the latest developments in this field.

 

What will you learn?

Basic research has been and continues to be crucial in studying what genes, DNA, RNA and proteins are, as well as the cellular processes that relate to them (replication, transcription, and translation). Research has also helped us categorise organisms such as bacteria, fungi, viruses, animals and plants. With this knowledge of what happens in nature, scientists around the world can carry out what is known as “applied research” to design processes or molecules with new or improved properties. For example, the 2018 Nobel Prize in Chemistry was awarded to a team of researchers who worked on the creation of new proteins based on evolutionary principles. 

In this project you will learn a number of concepts and techniques used in molecular biology, biotechnology, biomedicine and genetic engineering, and will understand their importance from a number of case studies. The project will begin by transforming bacteria to produce Green Fluorescent Protein (GFP), which is produced by jellyfish. This protein has revolutionised the field of biomedicine, where it is widely used as a biosensor. Next, you will purify the protein using chromatographic techniques. Expression and purification processes similar to these are widely used in the field of biotechnology and biomedicine, with well-known examples including insulin production for diabetics, or the production of antibodies. You will also learn very different ways viruses can be applied, ranging from the removal of bacteria that has developed resistance to certain antibiotics, or their potential use in cancer treatment. 

In this project you will use cutting-edge genetic engineering techniques, learn to analyse DNA samples, and learn how to characterise some of the microorganisms found around Planes de Son. In addition, you will use different databases with DNA sequences, proteins and molecular structure visualisation. You will discover why it is so important to know the structure and function of proteins, and how they can be used to design nanomachines. You will even have the opportunity to use a 3D printer, which you will use to print the protein or nanomachine of your choice, or one you design during the project.

Lastly, you will learn how to design a scientific experiment and how to research, present and write scientific articles. You will discuss the importance of developing critical thinking skills and discuss the impact of the molecular techniques and treatments you will use during the project. In short, two intense weeks of fun lie ahead so you can gain the skills you need to become a super scientist!

Research team

Project led by researchers from the John Innes Centre (United Kingdom), the University of Oxford (United Kingdom) and The Sainsbury Laboratory (United Kingdom). Project run in English, Spanish and Catalan.

 

Virgínia Casablancas Antras

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Virgínia is a PhD student at Oxford University, UK, where she investigates the mechanisms of protein aggregation in neurodegenerative diseases in collaboration with the pharmaceutical company LillyUK. She holds a degree in Biomedical Sciences from the Autonomous University of Barcelona (UAB), and completed her Master's Degree in Molecular Biophysics at King's College London (United Kingdom) with a La Caixa Excellence Scholarship, during which she investigated the structure of immunoglobulin E. She has also conducted research into how messenger RNA is transported (Helmholtz Zentrum, Munich, on a grant from the Amgen Foundation) and into retrovirus resistance genes at Kindai University (Osaka, Japan). She regularly takes part in scientific outreach activities in Oxford (robot programming workshops for young people) and in Catalonia (giving talks on La Marató de TV3).

Roger Castells Graells

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Roger received the Youth and Science Scholarship in 2009. He completed his PhD in Nanobiotechnology at the John Innes Centre (UK). He is currently a postdoctoral researcher and his research is based on the study and production of nanoparticles and nanomachines using plant expression systems. He has also carried out scientific research at the Centre for Research in Agricultural Genomics in Barcelona, the University of Zurich (Switzerland) and the Ludwig-Maximilian University of Munich (Germany). Roger received his undergraduate degree in Biotechnology from the Autonomous University of Barcelona (UAB) and has been received several awards for his work in science communication and dissemination. In recent years, he has taken part as a teacher on the Youth and Science programme.

Neftaly Cruz Mireles

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Neftaly is a PhD student at the Sainsbury Laboratory (UK), where he studies the pathogen fungus Magnaporthe oryzae, which infects economically important crops such as rice and wheat. He studied his Biology degree at Veracruzana University (Mexico), where he worked in the Toxicology Laboratory, and studied his Master's Degree in Biochemical Sciences at the National Autonomous University of Mexico, where he investigated fundamental aspects of the symbiosis between nitrogen-fixing bacteria and legumes at the Institute of Biotechnology. In addition, he has spent time on research stays at the Centre for Advanced Research in Mexico. He worked as a biology teacher at a high school in Mexico and has been a tutor at the International Research School in Russia on three occasions.  

Isabel Díez Santos

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Isabel is a PhD student at the John Innes Center (UK), where she conducts research into the molecular mechanisms that lead to antibiotic resistance in bacteria. She has conducted research projects on lysozyme resistance mechanisms at the University of Sheffield (United Kingdom), as well as projects on yeast cell division at the Institute of Functional Biology and Genomics (Salamanca, Spain), and on environmental biotechnology at the University of Burgos. She studied her degree in Biotechnology at the University of Salamanca and completed a Master’s in Molecular Medicine at the University of Sheffield. She designed and conducted science outreach courses at Pwani University (Kenya) and at the International Research School (Russia).

Laia Herrero Nogareda

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Roger received the Youth and Science Scholarship in 2009. She worked as a research assistant for the Environmental Toxicology group at the University of Copenhagen (Denmark), where she studied the toxic effect of insecticides on aquatic organisms. She studied a Master's in Environmental Sciences, Chemistry, Toxicology and Health at the same university through La Caixa Excellence Scholarship, having previously studied a Bachelor's Degree in Biotechnology at the Autonomous University of Barcelona (UAB). She has also carried out scientific research in Bolivia and Costa Rica within the European project Knowledge for Pesticide Control, researched nanobiotechnology in Austria, and worked on projects related to environmental toxicology and protein structures at CSIC centres in Barcelona. For the past two years she has taken part as a teacher on the Youth and Science programme.

Collaborating entities

oxford
University of Oxford
Collaborating entities
oxford
University of Oxford

The University of Oxford, located in Oxford (United Kingdom), is one of the most prestigious research universities in the world with several institutions, 38 colleges and a wide range of academic departments. Oxford University has educated many outstanding students, including 69 Nobel Prize winners, 27 UK Prime Ministers, heads of state and government from around the world, 3 Fields Medal winners and 6 Turing Award winners.

JIC
John Innes Centre (JIC)
Collaborating entities
JIC
John Innes Centre (JIC)

The John Innes Centre is an independent, international centre of excellence in plant science, genetics and microbiology.

tsl
The Sainsbury Laboratory
Collaborating entities
tsl
The Sainsbury Laboratory

The Sainsbury Laboratory (TSL), in Norwich (United Kingdom), is a leading biological research institution for plant and microbial interactions, and for the development of applied technologies for plant diseases, disease resistance, and microbial symbiosis in plants.

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