🌊 Week 3: Lab Automation

🎨 Python Script

Download Script

**Opentrons-Art Gallery: ** Surf Wave Design

🧪 Protocol Setup

Slot 1: P20 Single-Channel Tip Rack (20µL)

Slot 3: Corning 6-Well Source Plate (16.8mL)

A3: CFP (Cyan #0000FF) - 200µL

B1: mCherry (Magenta #FF00FF) - 200µL

B2: YFP (Yellow #FFFF00) - 200µL

B3: sfGFP (Lime #32CD32) - 200µL

Slot 6: Corning 6-Well Destination (Wave pattern)

📊 Simulation

🤖 Robot Status

• Script: ✅ Generated & tested
• AI used: Google Gemini (code validation)
• Robot slot: Signed up
• Submission: Google Form

Published Paper: Opentrons in Biological Research

Paper: Chory, E.J. et al. (2021). “Flexible open-source automation for robotic bioassembly of DNA parts.” ACS Synthetic Biology, 10(7), 1753–1763.

Summary: This paper demonstrates how the Opentrons OT-2 liquid handling robot can automate DNA assembly workflows (Golden Gate and Gibson Assembly) that traditionally require hours of manual pipetting. The authors developed open-source Python protocols that reduced hands-on time by ~80% while maintaining assembly efficiency >90%.

Relevance to mycelium surfboard project: The same automation approach can be applied to standardize mycelium substrate inoculation — replacing manual pipetting of spawn and nutrients with precise, reproducible OT-2 liquid handling, reducing batch-to-batch variability in composite mechanical properties.

🔬 Final Project Automation Plan

Mycelium Surfboard CRISPR:

OT-2 application: Automated inoculation of olive pomace substrate

Why automation matters: Batch-to-batch variability is the main challenge in mycelium composite production. Automating substrate preparation ensures reproducibility across replicates for mechanical testing.

Script status: Planned — building on surf wave OT-2 experience from Week 3.