This kit documents the three Making_Life workshops in more detail, and is intended especially for those interested in repeating any parts. It presents selected sessions from workshops 1 & 2, along with an overview of workshop 3, all in table format (see below). The material includes participant documentation, along with further explanation particularly for the practical sessions.
Workshop 1: an introduction to the molecular biological foundations of synthetic biology.
| Day 1 | TALK: Introductions and Laboratory Safety Instruction | TALK: Synthetic Biology’s Brief History and cultural amnesia (Oron Catts) | TALK/Discussion: Philosophical questions towards SynBio (Tarja Knuuttila) | PRACTICAL:The Simplest Sensor Plating - bacteria from the environment |
| Day 2 | TALK: Molecular biology(Oron Catts) | TALK: Magnetic Bead Kit (Orkan Telhan) | PRACTICAL: Bead based assembly (Orkan Telhan) | TALK: Synthetic Biology Tools (Helena Shomar) |
| Day 3 | TALK/Discussion: (Why) Do-It-Yourself? (Andy Gracie) | PRACTICAL: Build-It-Yourself (Andy Gracie) | ||
| Day 4 | FIELD TRIP: Helsinki Zoo | |||
| Day 5 | TALK: Synthetic Biology for a Suitable Bioeconomy (Merja Penttilä) & Tour of VTT | TALK: Synbio and technology bio-security/risk assessment (Markus Schmidt) | TALK/PRACTICAL: Restriction enzymes (Paul Vanouse) | |
| Day 6 | PRACTICAL: Observing Bead cultures (Orkan Telhan) | PRACTICAL: Restriction enzymes - part 2 (Paul Vanouse) | PRACTICAL: Protocells | TALK: Participant Sessions |
Workshop 2: looking into the more exotic topics of synthetic biology like protocells and xenobiology.
| Day 1 | TALK: Introduction to workshop 2 (Andy Gracie) | TALK: Xenobiology (Markus Schmidt) | PRACTICAL: Winogradsky columns (Andy Gracie & Erich Berger) | PRACTICAL: Abogenesis - Crystal garden (Erich Berger) |
| Day 2 | TALK: Panspermia or Not (Robert Mutzel) | PRACTICAL: Working with anaerobic cultures (Oron Catts) | PRACTICAL: Halophile Cultures (Andy Gracie) | PRACTICAL: Artificial extremophilia (Robert Mutzel) |
| Day 3 | TALK: Individual 10 minute presentations | PRACTICAL: Making Liposomal Vitamin C | ||
| Day 4 | PRACTICAL: Encapsulation of Bacterial Ecosystems (Helena Shomar and Stephen Fortune) | TALK: Protocells (Martin Hancyzc) | ||
| Day 5 | Sandbox: Free experimentation time |
Workshop 3: intense artistic prototyping, concluding the program with an exhibition and seminar.
| Day 1 | TALK: Introduction to workshop 2 (Andy Gracie) | TALK: Xenobiology (Markus Schmidt) | PRACTICAL: Winogradsky columns (Andy Gracie & Erich Berger) | PRACTICAL: Abogenesis - Crystal garden (Erich Berger) |
| Day 2 | TALK: Panspermia or Not (Robert Mutzel) | PRACTICAL: Working with anaerobic cultures (Oron Catts) | PRACTICAL: Halophile Cultures (Andy Gracie) | PRACTICAL: Artificial extremophilia (Robert Mutzel) |
| Day 3 | TALK: Individual 10 minute presentations | PRACTICAL: Making Liposomal Vitamin C | ||
| Day 4 | PRACTICAL: Encapsulation of Bacterial Ecosystems (Helena Shomar and Stephen Fortune) | TALK: Protocells (Martin Hancyzc) | ||
| Day 5 | Sandbox: Free experimentation time |
