When developing a novel synthetic biology project, the Dry Lab subteam supplements and supports work done by Wet Lab through the development of cutting-edge hardware, advanced models, and novel software tools. Here are some general categories of the work the Dry Lab subteam does (click the links to see some of our past work!):
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Each year, the Dry Lab subteam develops cutting-edge hardware, with examples including **bioreactors** for optimizing microbial culture and microfluidic systems for precise fluid control. These devices are then tested and used in wet lab workflows, driving our projects forward and scaling up protocols.
As part of the Dry Lab team, some of your responsibilities would include designing in CAD (computer-aided design) software and manufacturing those using a variety of 3D Printing methods, soldering, and more! You will also be responsible for designing and constructing circuits for our various tools and devices.
Shown below are prototypical versions of hardware from our 2024 season. At the Paris Grand Jamboree, our team was awarded the prestigious Best Hardware special prize out of the over 450 universities in attendance.
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Our hardware devices, though impressive, are simply fancy containers without the power of embedded computation. Each year, we build low-level firmware to interface with and drive components of hardware systems, such as motors, pumps, sensors, control panels, and displays. Two years ago, our bioreactor and microfluidic firmware contributed significantly toward our Best Hardware special prize.
In addition, our team develops novel software tools which complement our projects in unique ways. Two years ago, we built the dnadrive tool, which enables conversion between digital files and DNA structures, with integrated and custom-designed error correction, file splitting, and encoding algorithms.
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We also use computational techniques to model, study, and optimize biological processes in silico. This work is expansive and varied, and can cover fields such as mathematical modelling, protein modelling, and bioinformatics.
If you are interested in modelling how particles and biomolecules nteract and behave in different systems, this is the perfect place to learn and practice. If you’re also interested in protein dynamics and sequencing data, generating models and exploring sequence changes is one of Dry Lab’s core responsibilities.
For particularly intensive tasks (e.g., GROMACS or AlphaFold), we also occasionally harness the massively parallel, high-performance compute of UBC ARC Sockeye.
Shown below is a fluid simulation of one of our microfluidic chips, and a protein visualization of the thermostable Terminal deoxynucleotidyl Transferase we developed in 2024.
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Not at all! Beyond the main deliverables, the Dry Lab subteam’s initiatives vary year-by-year depending on the project focus, goals, and of course, our members' unique talents and interests. We are a flexible subteam, and we encourage members to take initiative and bring fresh ideas to the table. We welcome applicants of all skill levels and those willing to bring a learning mindset!