Princeton

From 2007.igem.org

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Using standard engineering practices, we have designed, and are in the process of implementing, a novel system that utilizes RNA interference (RNAi) to detect and destroy cancer cells in a tissue-specific manner. We are interfacing RNAi components together with promoter and repressor elements to form logic circuits, which allow the use of multiple criteria to target cancerous cells in a unique and highly specific manner. As a measure of safety, we utilize mutant lentiviral integrase to deliver our construct into the cell as a non-integrated plasmid, preventing any disruptive effects that could be attributed to pseudorandom integration by the lentivirus. This also ensures that the daughter cells will not inherit the cancer-detecting circuitry, thus preventing unintended proliferation of our construct and allow for more extensive and comprehensive cancer treatments.
Using standard engineering practices, we have designed, and are in the process of implementing, a novel system that utilizes RNA interference (RNAi) to detect and destroy cancer cells in a tissue-specific manner. We are interfacing RNAi components together with promoter and repressor elements to form logic circuits, which allow the use of multiple criteria to target cancerous cells in a unique and highly specific manner. As a measure of safety, we utilize mutant lentiviral integrase to deliver our construct into the cell as a non-integrated plasmid, preventing any disruptive effects that could be attributed to pseudorandom integration by the lentivirus. This also ensures that the daughter cells will not inherit the cancer-detecting circuitry, thus preventing unintended proliferation of our construct and allow for more extensive and comprehensive cancer treatments.
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We are in the process of constructing our system, component by component, to throughly test each element and, where possible, revise the implementation of our constructs to improve effectiveness. [[Princeton/lab | Lab work]], including [[Princeton/lab/experimentation | experimentation]], [[Princeton/lab/bioinformatics | bioinformatics]], and [[Princeton/lab/simulation | simulations]], and [[Princeton/literature | literature]] have been used as feedback mechanisms to improve the implementation of the designed systems.
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We have constructed many components of our system and are in the process of testing our plasmids in a proof of concept manner. Where possible, we will revise and improve upon our components based on mathematical modeling and experimental results. [[Princeton/lab | Lab work]], including [[Princeton/lab/experimentation | experimentation]], [[Princeton/lab/bioinformatics | bioinformatics]], and [[Princeton/lab/simulation | simulations]], and [[Princeton/literature | literature]] have been used as feedback mechanisms to improve the implementation of the designed systems.
Please see the [[Princeton/overview | extended overview]] for more information.
Please see the [[Princeton/overview | extended overview]] for more information.

Revision as of 02:29, 27 October 2007


2007 logo Group picture


Overview

An RNAi-Enhanced Logic Circuit: Cancer-Specific Detection and Destruction

The Princeton University iGEM 2007 team, consisting of 10 undergraduate students, 2 high school students, and 8 instructors, envisions a paradigm shift in the way one can target cancer and destroy the resulting cancerous cells.

Using standard engineering practices, we have designed, and are in the process of implementing, a novel system that utilizes RNA interference (RNAi) to detect and destroy cancer cells in a tissue-specific manner. We are interfacing RNAi components together with promoter and repressor elements to form logic circuits, which allow the use of multiple criteria to target cancerous cells in a unique and highly specific manner. As a measure of safety, we utilize mutant lentiviral integrase to deliver our construct into the cell as a non-integrated plasmid, preventing any disruptive effects that could be attributed to pseudorandom integration by the lentivirus. This also ensures that the daughter cells will not inherit the cancer-detecting circuitry, thus preventing unintended proliferation of our construct and allow for more extensive and comprehensive cancer treatments.

We have constructed many components of our system and are in the process of testing our plasmids in a proof of concept manner. Where possible, we will revise and improve upon our components based on mathematical modeling and experimental results. Lab work, including experimentation, bioinformatics, and simulations, and literature have been used as feedback mechanisms to improve the implementation of the designed systems.

Please see the extended overview for more information.


Previous work

Click here for a summary of Princeton's iGEM2006 project