Homework
Weekly homework submissions:
Week 1 HW: Principles and Practices
Biological Engineering Application: A Distributed, Low Cost Environmental Biosensing Platform For my project, I’ve been imagining a simple, low cost environmental biosensing system that anyone could use — something like disposable test strips with engineered microbes or cell free components that change color when they detect contaminants in water or soil. Think of it as an open source, modular “bio test strip” that communities could use to check for things like heavy metals, PFAS, or harmful bacteria without needing a lab. What draws me to this idea is how practical and empowering it could be. A lot of communities don’t have access to reliable water testing, and waiting for official reports can take weeks or months. A cheap, easy to use biosensor could help people catch problems early, respond faster, and feel more in control of their environment. It also has a nice educational angle — something schools, citizen science groups, or community labs could use to learn about biology while doing something meaningful. There are already tools in synthetic biology that point in this direction (like cell free biosensors or engineered yeast reporters), but I’m interested in pushing the idea toward something more distributed and democratized — something that doesn’t require a lab coat or a research budget to use. Governance / Policy Goals for an Ethical Future Because this kind of biosensor could end up in the hands of a lot of different people — community groups, teachers, students, DIYbio hobbyists, or folks in low resource settings — I want to think carefully about how to make sure it’s used safely and responsibly. That’s where my governance goals come in. Main Goal: Prevent Harm (Non Malfeasance) The first and most obvious goal is making sure the tool doesn’t accidentally cause harm — biologically, socially, or environmentally. If the biosensor uses engineered microbes, I need to think about the possibility of accidental release. Even “safe” strains can behave unpredictably in the wild, so containment and design safeguards matter. There’s also the social side. Environmental data can be sensitive. A false positive could cause unnecessary panic; a false negative could give people a false sense of security. So part of this goal is making sure the results are easy to interpret and hard to misuse. Side Goal 1: Promote Security and Prevent Malicious Use Because the platform is meant to be low cost, open source, and easy to distribute, it has all the qualities that make a tool empowering — but also potentially vulnerable. Someone could try to repurpose the biosensor to detect things it was never meant to detect, like human biomarkers or pathogens in ways that violate privacy. There’s also the supply chain angle: if the components can be tampered with, someone could alter the biosensor to give misleading results. So part of the governance plan is making sure the system can’t be easily weaponized or misused. Side Goal 2: Promote Equity and Autonomy This one feels especially important. Communities that deal with pollution often have complicated relationships with outside researchers or government agencies. They may lack access to testing, or they may distrust the people who usually control environmental data. I want this tool to do the opposite — to give communities more control, not less. That means thinking about access, affordability, and who gets to decide how the data is used. The goal is to support autonomy, not create new dependencies or power imbalances. Governance Actions Below are three governance actions, each analyzed through the required four aspects. Option 1: Community Biolab “Safety‑by‑Design” Toolkit Purpose Right now, community labs vary widely in safety practices. This toolkit standardizes risk assessment, training, and experiment planning. Design • Developed by community labs + biosafety experts • Includes checklists, training modules, and a risk‑flagging app • Incentives: badges, access to shared equipment, recognition Assumptions • Community members will voluntarily adopt the toolkit • Training can be made simple and engaging • Labs have enough resources to implement it Risks • Over‑reliance on checklists instead of real understanding • Labs may treat badges as performative rather than meaningful • Could create a divide between “certified” and “uncertified” labs Option 2: DNA Synthesis “Pre Check” Assistant Purpose Small labs often lack tools to screen DNA orders. This assistant helps them avoid ordering risky sequences. Design • Web app that screens sequences against risk lists • Built with input from synthesis companies and regulators • Provides explanations, not just warnings Assumptions • Users will run sequences through the tool • Risk lists are accurate and up to date • False positives won’t frustrate users Risks • False negatives could create a false sense of security • Malicious users could probe the system to find “safe” variants • Could burden small labs if too strict
Week 2 HW: DNA read, write and edit
Part 1 Here is the image that I managed to make using electrophoresis gel art: vs It’s not really the same but if you imagine the emoji having long hair you can sort of see it.
Part 1: Here is the reference image that I managed to make using the opentrons art GUI: I tried my best to recreate it on my own (no ai) in colab but it didn’t work quite well: I will most likely have fun with the python code later aswell! Maybe I’ll design an even better looking cat.