Homework

Weekly homework submissions:

• Week 1 HW: Principles and Practices

  First, describe a biological engineering application or tool you want to develop and why. This could be inspired by an idea for your HTGAA class project and/or something for which you are already doing in your research, or something you are just curious about. I propose the conceptual development of a system for the recreation and control of extreme environments aimed at the study of extremophile cell colonies, using ecosystems located in Bolivia—particularly desert regions such as the Salar de Uyuni—as an initial reference. This environment is characterized by highly extreme and variable conditions, including high salinity, abrupt temperature changes, and pronounced humidity cycles, which pose a challenge both for life itself and for laboratory-based study. The main motivation of this project arises from the question of how to design experimental systems capable of approximating, in a controlled manner, this type of boundary conditions. I am aware that a complete and faithful recreation of the Salar de Uyuni environment is not fully achievable with current laboratory technologies, especially due to the presence of abrupt natural events that are difficult to simulate. However, the core value of this proposal does not lie in guaranteeing the successful cultivation of extremophiles, but rather in the development of the system itself—its architecture, control mechanisms, and technical limitations. From this perspective, the project focuses on the design and planning of a tool with high scientific potential, useful not only for the study of extremophiles but also for reflecting on the technical, ethical, and governance challenges associated with biological engineering in extreme contexts.