https://pages.htgaa.org/2026b/rachel-lee/index.htmlAbout me Hi everyone,I’m Rachel. I worked in the biotech industry for the past two years and am here to learn more about the details of biomanufacturing ! 😊 Contact info Homework, Labs, and Projects See the nav bar on the left to look through my work for How To Biomanufacture Almost Anything (Fall 2026)!Hugoenhttps://pages.htgaa.org/2026b/rachel-lee/week-01-hw-project-ideas/index.htmlMon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000https://pages.htgaa.org/2026b/rachel-lee/week-01-hw-project-ideas/index.htmlWhat you would like to biomanufacture and why ? I’d like to make animal-free polydeoxyribonucleotide (PDRN) produced by microbial fermentation rather than extracted from salmon or trout milt. PDRN was originally used in medicine to heal wounds, burns and diabetic ulcers. More recently, it has become a trendy skincare ingredient. The polymer is now known for its ability to promote skin regeneration and repair, and it is used as an injectable ‘skin booster’ in aesthetic dermatology.https://pages.htgaa.org/2026b/rachel-lee/week-02-hw-dna-design/index.htmlMon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000https://pages.htgaa.org/2026b/rachel-lee/week-02-hw-dna-design/index.htmlPart 1 — What am I expressing? My product is DNA, so there’s no protein that “makes” it — the cell’s own replication machinery does. The plasmid therefore carries two different things: A protein: M.SssI, a CpG DNA methyltransferase.1 It adds a methyl group to the cytosine in every CG pair. Why: vertebrate DNA is CpG-methylated, bacterial DNA isn’t, and unmethylated CpG is read by the immune receptor TLR9 as a danger signal.23 This was the biggest risk identified in HW1. Methylating the DNA as it’s made makes it look vertebrate-like. The enzyme is a process aid — it gets thrown away during purification. The product: an AT-rich array of defined-length DNA units. A non-coding part whose sequence is the deliverable. Neat detail: the plasmid is both the vector and the product — 49.6% of its mass is product.https://pages.htgaa.org/2026b/rachel-lee/final-project/index.htmlMon, 01 Jan 0001 00:00:00 +0000https://pages.htgaa.org/2026b/rachel-lee/final-project/index.html