<p>During our fun journey to the iGEM competition, we found fellow travelers with the same dreams and goals. Thus, on March 3, excellent collaboration with the iGEM MetaThess team began. From our first meetings, we got to know each other, and after the presentation of the projects, we found that both teams intend to manufacture In vitro diagnostic tools for the early detection of non-small cell cancer of the lung (NSCLC). So we decided to solve the problem of the high mortality of lung cancer, reaching the top of DIAS with syn-PNOIA, that is, with collaboration. So we established meetings every Thursday to coordinate our common course and appointed responsible for the Partnership Anatoli Betsou from the Patras Medicine 2022 team and Maria Kosmidou from the MetaThess 2022 team.</p>
<p>During our fun journey to the iGEM competition, we found fellow travelers with the same dreams and goals. Thus, on March 3, excellent collaboration with the iGEM Thessaliniki_Meta team began. From our first meetings, we got to know each other, and after the presentation of the projects, we found that both teams intend to manufacture In vitro diagnostic tools for the early detection of non-small cell cancer of the lung (NSCLC). So we decided to solve the problem of the high mortality of lung cancer, reaching the top of DIAS with syn-PNOIA, that is, with collaboration. So we established meetings every Thursday to coordinate our common course and appointed responsible for the Partnership Anatoli Betsou from the Patras Medicine 2022 team and Maria Kosmidou from the Thessaliniki_Meta 2022 team.</p>
<p>From our first steps, we planned to cooperate at all levels, that is, in Fundraising, in the Wet Lab, and the Dry Lab. We also organized joint actions for science communication and Synthetic Biology. We ranked interesting Collaborations among ourselves and with other teams. At the same time, in the context of Human Practices, we approached several Stakeholders who helped us improve our diagnostic tools so that they could be easily marketed. In addition, we attended a joint seminar on Safety, analyzed the 17 Goals for sustainable development of the United Nations, and organized webinars and workshops together. The most important thing was that we created a beautiful company in that we overcame difficulties and shared our anxieties and worries while having a good time in our online meetings. The best moment was when we met up close in Thessaloniki and had the time to organize joint actions together. Let's browse this page and follow us on our journey!</p>
<p>Our Partnership's journey had stations every Thursday. So you can see more details about what we did here: </p>
<p>On the 3rd of March, we contacted iGEM MetaThess team on social media and arranged a video call to explore the possibility of cooperation. Thus, an online meeting took place between Maria Kosmidou and Anatoli Betsou. We briefly discussed our projects and thought of some ways of collaboration. So, we agreed to be partners and travel together in the world of Synthetic Biology. We decided to communicate every Thursday to coordinate our standard course. This is how our journey began!</p>
<p>On the 3rd of March, we contacted iGEM Thessaliniki_Meta team on social media and arranged a video call to explore the possibility of cooperation. Thus, an online meeting took place between Maria Kosmidou and Anatoli Betsou. We briefly discussed our projects and thought of some ways of collaboration. So, we agreed to be partners and travel together in the world of Synthetic Biology. We decided to communicate every Thursday to coordinate our standard course. This is how our journey began!</p>
<p>On the 11th of March, Maria Kosmidou, Leader of Fundraising of the MetaThess team, trained our team about the steps a team must follow to find sponsors. So, together we made a sponsorship booklet, which includes information about iGEM Competition, our team members, our project description, our budget analysis, and specific sponsorship packages for our potential sponsors. The selling points were about how we can advertise our potential sponsors, for example, during our actions or on social media. We also prepared a list containing approximately 207 Pharmaceutical and Medical companies with their contact details and prepared the template mail we will send to the sponsors attaching the Booklet. The next day the communications started, and soon we ended up having as a joint grand sponsor the Research Genetic Cancer Center (RGCC Group), established in 2004 by Dr. Papasotiriou Ioannis, Oncologist.</p>
<p>On the 11th of March, Maria Kosmidou, Leader of Fundraising of the Thessaliniki_Meta team, trained our team about the steps a team must follow to find sponsors. So, together we made a sponsorship booklet, which includes information about iGEM Competition, our team members, our project description, our budget analysis, and specific sponsorship packages for our potential sponsors. The selling points were about how we can advertise our potential sponsors, for example, during our actions or on social media. We also prepared a list containing approximately 207 Pharmaceutical and Medical companies with their contact details and prepared the template mail we will send to the sponsors attaching the Booklet. The next day the communications started, and soon we ended up having as a joint grand sponsor the Research Genetic Cancer Center (RGCC Group), established in 2004 by Dr. Papasotiriou Ioannis, Oncologist.</p>
<h3class="timeline-title">Meeting with PIs of our teams</h3>
<p>On the 3rd of May, both teams scheduled an online meeting with Mrs. Kallergi Galatea and Mrs. Kalogianni Despoina, the PIs of Patras Medicine, and Dr. Vizirianakis Ioannis, the PI of MetaThess team, to present our projects to them. After the presentation, they congratulated us on our innovative ideas, project design, and working method. Furthermore, they said they are particularly pleased that both teams are working on molecular diagnostic tools for the early diagnosis of lung cancer. They believe that our projects can impact the public, and with the proper steps, they could quickly be sold in diagnostic centers for the annual screening of patients for lung cancer in a few years. Also, they promised us that they would help us regarding the experimental design and the problems that may arise in the laboratory. Finally, they said they were pleased about our cooperation, wished us success in the competition, and ended their feedback by saying, "See you in Paris!"</p>
<p>On the 3rd of May, both teams scheduled an online meeting with Mrs. Kallergi Galatea and Mrs. Kalogianni Despoina, the PIs of Patras Medicine, and Dr. Vizirianakis Ioannis, the PI of Thessaliniki_Meta team, to present our projects to them. After the presentation, they congratulated us on our innovative ideas, project design, and working method. Furthermore, they said they are particularly pleased that both teams are working on molecular diagnostic tools for the early diagnosis of lung cancer. They believe that our projects can impact the public, and with the proper steps, they could quickly be sold in diagnostic centers for the annual screening of patients for lung cancer in a few years. Also, they promised us that they would help us regarding the experimental design and the problems that may arise in the laboratory. Finally, they said they were pleased about our cooperation, wished us success in the competition, and ended their feedback by saying, "See you in Paris!"</p>
<h3class="timeline-title">The first meeting of Dry Lab teams</h3>
<p>On the 19th of May, we started cooperating on the Dry Lab part. One of the most crucial parts of our partnership with iGEM MetaThess team was the modeling process of our projects. We identified the need for a solid model that could predict and evaluate the behavior of our designed system. The partnership for the in-silico evaluation of our systems consists of 3 main parts. The first part is the evaluation of the thermodynamic properties of the designed sequence. Every project had identified the biomarker for the detection, and the next step was the design of the RNA sequences that could make the detection possible. After constructing a library of candidates’ sequences, we helped each other to select the ideal candidate. The software ViennaRNA was used to calculate the thermodynamic properties such as Minimum Free Energy structure, frequency of MFE in the ensemble, and the Concentration dependency plots. These results guided us in discerning the best candidate sequence for each biomarker.</p>
<p>On the 19th of May, we started cooperating on the Dry Lab part. One of the most crucial parts of our partnership with iGEM Thessaliniki_Meta team was the modeling process of our projects. We identified the need for a solid model that could predict and evaluate the behavior of our designed system. The partnership for the in-silico evaluation of our systems consists of 3 main parts. The first part is the evaluation of the thermodynamic properties of the designed sequence. Every project had identified the biomarker for the detection, and the next step was the design of the RNA sequences that could make the detection possible. After constructing a library of candidates’ sequences, we helped each other to select the ideal candidate. The software ViennaRNA was used to calculate the thermodynamic properties such as Minimum Free Energy structure, frequency of MFE in the ensemble, and the Concentration dependency plots. These results guided us in discerning the best candidate sequence for each biomarker.</p>
<p>During this year, our team’s wet lab members participated in several “wet lab meetings” with iGEM MetaThess team. These meetings were quietly beneficial for the experimental design and implementation of our projects since our cooperation led to the development of new ideas and the faster completion of “open” experimental issues that occupied both teams. Furthermore, during these meetings, extensive troubleshooting conversations were conducted, and different experimental protocols and tips and tricks were exchanged to accelerate the experimental procedures and achieve the desired results.</p>
<p>During this year, our team’s wet lab members participated in several “wet lab meetings” with iGEM Thessaliniki_Meta team. These meetings were quietly beneficial for the experimental design and implementation of our projects since our cooperation led to the development of new ideas and the faster completion of “open” experimental issues that occupied both teams. Furthermore, during these meetings, extensive troubleshooting conversations were conducted, and different experimental protocols and tips and tricks were exchanged to accelerate the experimental procedures and achieve the desired results.</p>
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<h3class="timeline-title">Collaboration - World Friendship Day</h3>
<p>Every year July 30th is designated as World Friendship Day. Our beautiful collaboration with iGEM MetaThess team led to new friendships. So we took advantage of this World Day and designed a graphic design that we published on social media. We officially announced for the first time that we are partners and working together for the iGEM Competition.</p>
<p>Every year July 30th is designated as World Friendship Day. Our beautiful collaboration with iGEM Thessaliniki_Meta team led to new friendships. So we took advantage of this World Day and designed a graphic design that we published on social media. We officially announced for the first time that we are partners and working together for the iGEM Competition.</p>
<h3class="timeline-title">PodCast “The SynBio Voice” - Episode 4</h3>
<p>On the 14th of August, episode 4 of the Podcast “The SynBio Voice” was uploaded on Spotify, essentially an interview of MetaThess team from our team. During the Podcast, Maria Kosmidou, a member of the iGEM MetaThess team, referred to a previous experience in the IGEM competition, analyzing the advantages that a student can gain from participating in such a competition.
<p>On the 14th of August, episode 4 of the Podcast “The SynBio Voice” was uploaded on Spotify, essentially an interview of Thessaliniki_Meta team from our team. During the Podcast, Maria Kosmidou, a member of the iGEM Thessaliniki_Meta team, referred to a previous experience in the IGEM competition, analyzing the advantages that a student can gain from participating in such a competition.
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Then she gave some tips and pointed out which points a team should pay attention to receive a gold medal. In addition, he mentioned the characteristics that a student should have to participate in the competition, such as enough time, appetite for work, and some knowledge of Synthetic Biology. Finally, he described the project of the MetaThess 2022 team. The discussion ended with wishes for good luck to all iGEM teams worldwide!</p>
Then she gave some tips and pointed out which points a team should pay attention to receive a gold medal. In addition, he mentioned the characteristics that a student should have to participate in the competition, such as enough time, appetite for work, and some knowledge of Synthetic Biology. Finally, he described the project of the Thessaliniki_Meta 2022 team. The discussion ended with wishes for good luck to all iGEM teams worldwide!</p>
<h3class="timeline-title">Webinar: "A Step Closer to the Gold Medal"</h3>
<p>On the 1st of September, we organized a meeting with our partners and a webinar to help the iGEM teams get one step closer to the Gold Medal of the Competition. Two workshops were planned in the webinar. The first was related to bioinformatics analysis, which programming languages we use, and which databases we can analyze. In this way, we wanted to help iGEM teams to validate the biomarkers they chose for their projects and take their first steps towards modeling. The first session was held by Kardamiliotis Konstantinos, a member of the MetaThess team. In the second part of the webinar took place a workshop about Graphic Design. For the iGEM Competition, the teams are asked to make graphics for their actions or social media. So Dereki Eirini, a member of the Patras Medicine team, showed how to use the Adobe Illustrator program, a Graphic Design software. Using this program, a member of an iGEM team can create whatever graphic he wants to meet the needs of his team. The webinar had a great response, and the audience learned exciting tools used by a team for the complete implementation of the Project.</p>
<p>On the 1st of September, we organized a meeting with our partners and a webinar to help the iGEM teams get one step closer to the Gold Medal of the Competition. Two workshops were planned in the webinar. The first was related to bioinformatics analysis, which programming languages we use, and which databases we can analyze. In this way, we wanted to help iGEM teams to validate the biomarkers they chose for their projects and take their first steps towards modeling. The first session was held by Kardamiliotis Konstantinos, a member of the Thessaliniki_Meta team. In the second part of the webinar took place a workshop about Graphic Design. For the iGEM Competition, the teams are asked to make graphics for their actions or social media. So Dereki Eirini, a member of the Patras Medicine team, showed how to use the Adobe Illustrator program, a Graphic Design software. Using this program, a member of an iGEM team can create whatever graphic he wants to meet the needs of his team. The webinar had a great response, and the audience learned exciting tools used by a team for the complete implementation of the Project.</p>
<h3class="timeline-title">In-person meeting of the wet lab teams - Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology -School of pharmacy - AUTH</h3>
<p>Driven by the collaboration in the context of the experimental procedures of our projects, our wet lab members had the honor to visit iGEM MetaThess team’s lab. Initially, we were guided around the lab premises, such as the facilities specially designed for molecular cloning experiments and cell culture procedures. We exchanged views regarding the cloning methods followed by each team during the experimental development of each project and discussed different difficulties encountered regarding the Golden Gate assembly cloning methodology and the protein expression experiments. In addition, since members of iGEM MetaThess wet lab already conducted some experiments during this day, members of our team participated in the experimental procedures of the PCR setup protocol, giving appropriate feedback. During this day, we exchanged the experimental protocols developed by each lab, we discussed cloning tips, and of course, we took magnificent photos that will remind us of this memorable day for the partnership of our teams.</p>
<p>Driven by the collaboration in the context of the experimental procedures of our projects, our wet lab members had the honor to visit iGEM Thessaliniki_Meta team’s lab. Initially, we were guided around the lab premises, such as the facilities specially designed for molecular cloning experiments and cell culture procedures. We exchanged views regarding the cloning methods followed by each team during the experimental development of each project and discussed different difficulties encountered regarding the Golden Gate assembly cloning methodology and the protein expression experiments. In addition, since members of iGEM Thessaliniki_Meta wet lab already conducted some experiments during this day, members of our team participated in the experimental procedures of the PCR setup protocol, giving appropriate feedback. During this day, we exchanged the experimental protocols developed by each lab, we discussed cloning tips, and of course, we took magnificent photos that will remind us of this memorable day for the partnership of our teams.</p>
<h3class="timeline-title">Thessaloniki International Fair - TIF</h3>
<p>Patras Medicine 2022 team, following an invitation from MetaThess 2022 team, visited Thessaloniki to participate with a Stand at Pavilion 14 named "Academia" of the 86h TIF. This year, 212,000 people, including government members, visited the TIF. Both teams came into contact with visitors of different ages, where we described how their diagnostic tools work and how we propose adding them to the population's annual blood tests for the diagnosis of lung cancer in the early stages. Most showed great enthusiasm and confirmed the value of our diagnostic tools while sharing personal stories of relatives who died of cancer due to late diagnosis and limited treatment options. They encouraged us to continue the research and develop new diagnostic tools for other types of cancer as well and promised us that they would be among the first to test our test in a diagnostic center in the future. These new acquaintances motivated us to continue our research to finish our diagnostic devices and take them to the market soon. Finally, Patras Medicine team's members answered the questionnaire of the MetaThess team, which validated the value of our projects.</p>
<p>Patras Medicine 2022 team, following an invitation from Thessaliniki_Meta 2022 team, visited Thessaloniki to participate with a Stand at Pavilion 14 named "Academia" of the 86h TIF. This year, 212,000 people, including government members, visited the TIF. Both teams came into contact with visitors of different ages, where we described how their diagnostic tools work and how we propose adding them to the population's annual blood tests for the diagnosis of lung cancer in the early stages. Most showed great enthusiasm and confirmed the value of our diagnostic tools while sharing personal stories of relatives who died of cancer due to late diagnosis and limited treatment options. They encouraged us to continue the research and develop new diagnostic tools for other types of cancer as well and promised us that they would be among the first to test our test in a diagnostic center in the future. These new acquaintances motivated us to continue our research to finish our diagnostic devices and take them to the market soon. Finally, Patras Medicine team's members answered the questionnaire of the Thessaliniki_Meta team, which validated the value of our projects.</p>
<h3class="timeline-title">European Medical Agency</h3>
<p>On Saturday, 1.10.2022, we scheduled with our partners iGEM MetaThess team, an online meeting with a European Medical Agency (EMA) representative. Firstly, we described the mechanism that our diagnostic tools use and the process that a microbiologist must follow to use the DIAS and syn-PNOIA tools and obtain the diagnostic result. The EMA Representative informed us that in 2021 the law 2017//0746 concerning medical devices for laboratory tests considered IVDs (in-vitro Diagnostics) was amended to be classified in the category of Companion Diagnostics. To file and get our tool approved for this category, we would have to associate it with a chemotherapy drug for lung cancer. So we searched the literature and suggested that the patient should be referred for more specialized tests in cases where our diagnostic test is positive.
<p>On Saturday, 1.10.2022, we scheduled with our partners iGEM Thessaliniki_Meta team, an online meeting with a European Medical Agency (EMA) representative. Firstly, we described the mechanism that our diagnostic tools use and the process that a microbiologist must follow to use the DIAS and syn-PNOIA tools and obtain the diagnostic result. The EMA Representative informed us that in 2021 the law 2017//0746 concerning medical devices for laboratory tests considered IVDs (in-vitro Diagnostics) was amended to be classified in the category of Companion Diagnostics. To file and get our tool approved for this category, we would have to associate it with a chemotherapy drug for lung cancer. So we searched the literature and suggested that the patient should be referred for more specialized tests in cases where our diagnostic test is positive.
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Furthermore, once the cancerous tumor is established, cis-platin and paclitaxel should be administered to shrink the tumor. He also told us to carefully read the medical device legislation 2017/0746 and follow the steps outlined there. Finally, he recommended we contact the Ministry of Health and, more specifically, the HTA - Health Technology Assessment to inform us about the process we need to follow to add the syn-PNOIA diagnostic tool to the annual screening.</p>
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<h3class="timeline-title">Cancer Prevention Research Group in Greece (CPRG)</h3>
<p>On the 2nd of October, in collaboration with the CPRG Group and iGEMMetaThess, we organized a webinar about lung cancer. In the webinar, some greetings from professors and speeches about the epidemiology of lung cancer and its types started. Then Mr. Velissariou Ilias and Mr. Βochalis Eleftherios presented the project of Patras Medicine 2022 group and the diagnostic methods used today. Finally, Mrs. Gouliou Ioanna and Mrs. Kosmidou Maria gave the project of iGEM MetaThess team and the therapeutic techniques used to treat lung cancer. The webinar was attended by approximately 300 people, including doctors, researchers, and journalists. At the end of the webinar, the audience's questions were resolved, and it was discussed how important prevention and early diagnosis are in diseases such as cancer. The public understood that surgery could save the patient if the cancerous tumor is detected early and has not metastasized. We received a lot of positive feedback from the public, which confirmed that there is a need for in vitro diagnostic tools that can easily, quickly, and cheaply diagnoses cancer. We are proud because many believed in our ideas and expressed interest in being among the first to do these diagnostic blood tests. Finally, they wished us all the best.</p>
<p>On the 2nd of October, in collaboration with the CPRG Group and iGEMThessaliniki_Meta, we organized a webinar about lung cancer. In the webinar, some greetings from professors and speeches about the epidemiology of lung cancer and its types started. Then Mr. Velissariou Ilias and Mr. Βochalis Eleftherios presented the project of Patras Medicine 2022 group and the diagnostic methods used today. Finally, Mrs. Gouliou Ioanna and Mrs. Kosmidou Maria gave the project of iGEM Thessaliniki_Meta team and the therapeutic techniques used to treat lung cancer. The webinar was attended by approximately 300 people, including doctors, researchers, and journalists. At the end of the webinar, the audience's questions were resolved, and it was discussed how important prevention and early diagnosis are in diseases such as cancer. The public understood that surgery could save the patient if the cancerous tumor is detected early and has not metastasized. We received a lot of positive feedback from the public, which confirmed that there is a need for in vitro diagnostic tools that can easily, quickly, and cheaply diagnoses cancer. We are proud because many believed in our ideas and expressed interest in being among the first to do these diagnostic blood tests. Finally, they wished us all the best.</p>
<h3class="timeline-title">The last meeting of Dry Lab teams</h3>
<p>The final part of our dry lab collaboration was reaction kinetics analysis. iGEM MetaThess team informed us about the importance of predicting the fluorescence signal in our simulations to compare it with the experimental data. We were provided with the MATLAB script that our partners utilized to analyze their system, and we were given insights for constructing a simple but accurate model to predict these values.</p>
<p>The final part of our dry lab collaboration was reaction kinetics analysis. iGEM Thessaliniki_Meta team informed us about the importance of predicting the fluorescence signal in our simulations to compare it with the experimental data. We were provided with the MATLAB script that our partners utilized to analyze their system, and we were given insights for constructing a simple but accurate model to predict these values.</p>
<p>On October 7th, the last virtual meeting between those responsible for the partnership occurred. At the specific meeting, iGEM MetaThess team showed the other the final form of their wiki and vice versa. Again, we emphasized the design of the partnership and shaped its final form for both our wiki pages.
<p>On October 7th, the last virtual meeting between those responsible for the partnership occurred. At the specific meeting, iGEM Thessaliniki_Meta team showed the other the final form of their wiki and vice versa. Again, we emphasized the design of the partnership and shaped its final form for both our wiki pages.
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It has been a long road, but we indeed gained so much from this ongoing collaboration as partners.
