aimofcontact:"We conducted the interview with Prof. Dr. Zoya Ignatova and Dr. Nikhil Bharti from the Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at the University of Hamburg, seeking to deepen our understanding of their research on cystic fibrosis (CF) and explore additional CF mutations, as well as to learn more about cell culture techniques specific to CF research, since they send us the CFBE41o- cell line. Our aim was also to gather more information about their approaches in CF research, particularly their focus on treating genetic mutations like nonsense mutations, which are highly prevalent in CF.",
insights:[<p>We were struck by Ignatova’s story about founding the iGEM team in Hamburg. Her passion for fostering creativity and innovation in science was inspiring. On a technical level, their advice on cell culture was incredibly practical and immediately useful. Dr. Nikhil Bharti explained how they handle CFBE41o- cells and ALI (air-liquid interface) cell culture. This advice directly addressed the challenges we’ve faced in our own lab, giving us a method to improve our cell culture success rates. During our interview with Prof. Dr. Zoya Ignatova and Dr. Nikhil Bharti, their innovative approach to cystic fibrosis (CF) therapy, particularly "read-through" and tRNA-based therapies, stood out. "Read-through" therapies aim to bypass premature stop codons that prevent full protein production, offering a way to restore the function of critical proteins like CFTR in CF. This approach has the potential to treat a broad range of genetic diseases caused by similar mutations. The tRNA-based therapy is even more precise, targeting mRNA to correct faulty codons without altering the DNA, making it safer for long-term use. This flexibility, along with the ability to apply these therapies beyond CF, broadened our understanding of how such strategies can revolutionize treatments for genetic disorders. A key focus throughout the discussion was safety. Prof. Ignatova emphasized the importance of ensuring that the therapies are highly specific, targeting only the defective codons while avoiding natural stop codons to prevent uncontrolled protein production. Moreover, their careful consideration of delivery systems further demonstrated their commitment to minimizing risks like toxicity in unintended organs. Their meticulous approach to safety has influenced how we think about developing and applying these therapies, making it clear that ensuring patient safety is as critical as achieving therapeutic success.</p>],
implementation:"Prof. Ignatova's practical advice on cell culture had a transformative impact on our project. By adopting her method for CFBE41o- cells and improving our lab's sterilization protocols, we successfully established the cell line and significantly reduced the risk of contamination. In addition, her emphasis on safety in gene therapy guided us to review our Prime Editing construct and lipid nanoparticle (LNP) design. We focused on minimizing toxicity and off-target effects while ensuring precise targeting of lung tissues and the F508del mutation of the CFTR gene, making our approach safer and more efficient",
summary:"",
summary:"Test",
interview:<>
<QaBoxq="We have heard you are passionate about iGEM. What inspired you to get involved, and what has your experience been like with the competition?"a="My journey with iGEM began when I moved to Hamburg in 2014. Back then, Hamburg did not have its own iGEM team. Despite Hamburg lacking an iGEM presence, there were motivated students who were eager to establish a team. We started quite late with me as a principal instructor, around April, with the competition scheduled for October, so we had limited time. However, we managed to form a team and participate. Fortunately, we were successful in convincing the university administration to establish a steady support for the initiative, which ensured stable funding, including covering registration fees early on. This financial and logistical support gave the team the security to focus on their projects. Over the years, the Hamburg iGEM team has become a well-known and respected group at the university. It is a creative environment where students can push the boundaries of science through interesting and impactful projects. I moved on to other duties after several years of supervision, but I am proud to have played a role in its foundation. The university has recognized iGEM within the curriculum of Molecular Life Science, allowing students to earn credit points and have their work reflected on their transcripts. This acknowledgment further incentivizes students and ensures that their efforts are formally recognized."/>
<QaBoxq="We have been having trouble with CFBE41o- cells not adhering well. Any advice?"a="CFBE41o- cells can be tricky when it comes to adhesion, but you do not necessarily need to coat your cell culture vessels with fibronectin unless you are doing very specific studies, such as primary culture comparisons. For seeding, we simplify the process by skipping the PBS washing step. Instead, we seed the cells directly into DMEM supplemented with 10% fetal calf serum (FCS) and streptomycin. These cells may take a few days to recover and begin adhering properly, that usually works without requiring extra coatings."/>
