Juiceyprint Proposal

London Biohackers DRAFT IGEM Research Proposal "JuiceyPrint" (working title)

Background and motivation

Layering of macromolecular substrates has many potential applications in biotechnology, biomedical science and other technology projects and as such there is a strong motivation for constructing sheets of biopolymers including cellulose, collagen and silk with micron scale architecture. Inspiration here is drawn from lithographic methods where differential light exposure on a receptive surface can be used to control the deposition or removal of a substance of choice. In this case it is intended to be mediated by a strain of light sensitive bacterium whose metabolic production of a selected structural macromolecule can be regulated through its coupling to a light sensitive signal transduction pathway.

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Working hypothesis and questions

how we expect things to work, potential shortcomings and how to get round them, specific problems/outcomes we hope to address

Experimental design and methodology

details of genes, components/biobricks etc and procedures.

Future prospects

if this works what might it lead to, what can we look at next or refine