The Harvard iGEM Team Wiki and The Future of Laboratory Notebooks Kevin Shee 07/08/2007

The Harvard iGEM Team Wiki Created by Nick

A Blast to the Past – Version 1

The New Face of Harvard’s iGEM Team – Latest

What has changed? The general color scheme and some basic formatting. The general color scheme and some basic formatting. Clean-up of extraneous pages Clean-up of extraneous pages Easily-accessible pages created for items of importance Easily-accessible pages created for items of importance ProtocolsProtocols ProjectsProjects BrainstormingBrainstorming Media, etc.Media, etc. A compiled arrangement of notes and ideas from iGEM team meetings. A compiled arrangement of notes and ideas from iGEM team meetings. Detailed protocols including general and team-based/team- attempted. Detailed protocols including general and team-based/team- attempted. In General… A more team based-effort/notebook as opposed to individual lab notebooks. A more team based-effort/notebook as opposed to individual lab notebooks.

Walkthrough

Meetings Presentations from every iGEM meeting uploaded. Presentations from every iGEM meeting uploaded. Project meeting notes of details not covered in the presentation (usually thanks to Steph) Project meeting notes of details not covered in the presentation (usually thanks to Steph)

Project Pages One for each of the projects going on. One for each of the projects going on. Includes planned work, brainstorming, readings, and a link to project protocols.

In the Lab General Protocols Protocols provided by kits and machines used, such as the Nanodrop and Midi and Maxi Prep kits. Also contains other basic protocols such as transformation, nucleotide removal, etc. Protocols provided by kits and machines used, such as the Nanodrop and Midi and Maxi Prep kits. Also contains other basic protocols such as transformation, nucleotide removal, etc. Useful for students who need to use a certain piece of equipment or need a general guideline to perform a specific step. Useful for students who need to use a certain piece of equipment or need a general guideline to perform a specific step.

In the Lab Our Protocols The main pages for step-by- step walkthroughs of protocols followed by team members, along with important conclusions and thoughts. The main pages for step-by- step walkthroughs of protocols followed by team members, along with important conclusions and thoughts. Constantly updated so teammates can keep continual track of what’s going on. Constantly updated so teammates can keep continual track of what’s going on. A way for students to learn without making the same mistakes that other team members have made. A way for students to learn without making the same mistakes that other team members have made. Contains many links to other pages in order to access pertinent information. Contains many links to other pages in order to access pertinent information.

Lab Notebooks Gels, Plasmids, Sequences, etc. Important data resulting from certain procedures, both useful and not, all labeled accurately. Important data resulting from certain procedures, both useful and not, all labeled accurately.

Media Center Pictures and Video Recording memories of the team in times of work and times of fun. Recording memories of the team in times of work and times of fun. Ideally, we are looking to create some sort of documentary video that we can release to teach other teams about the experience and further gain support. Ideally, we are looking to create some sort of documentary video that we can release to teach other teams about the experience and further gain support.

And finally… Some things you never knew you could do on the Wiki.

Well…maybe that was a bit much… Anyways, moving on…

Technology’s Role in the Future of Laboratory Practice. Have you ever thought about how much expanding technology will advance the way we operate in lab? Sure, we know that more advanced technology will speed up processes and make them more user-friendly, but what other potential for change exists?

According to a study regarding technology in medical training, respondents unanimously expressed that technology skills were important in medical training and felt it most important to learn about electronic medical records and accessing scientific information on the Internet. (Briscoe GW et al)

Open and Closed Science Open and Closed Science (Jean-Claude Bradley) Traditional Lab Notebook (unpublished) Traditional Journal Article Open Access Journal Article Open Notebook Science (full transparency) CLOSED OPEN

Where is Science headed? Where is Science headed? (Jean-Claude Bradley) WE ARE HERE

Things to Look Into Keeping an online lab notebook – allows for sharing of ideas and a simple transfer/management process. Keeping an online lab notebook – allows for sharing of ideas and a simple transfer/management process. Open-source projects such as the Harvard 2007 team Wiki or blogs in order to better collaborate a team research effort. Open-source projects such as the Harvard 2007 team Wiki or blogs in order to better collaborate a team research effort. Making lab benches directly computer accessible, with PDAs or something similar used as an interface to pull resources and protocols from the web, and allowing for direct transfer from the lab bench to a wiki, blog, or database. Making lab benches directly computer accessible, with PDAs or something similar used as an interface to pull resources and protocols from the web, and allowing for direct transfer from the lab bench to a wiki, blog, or database. Allow students to access/borrow the protocols and works of other teams who have worked on similar projects, a database that allows for communication between researchers with common goals. Allow students to access/borrow the protocols and works of other teams who have worked on similar projects, a database that allows for communication between researchers with common goals. Create a common database for researchers around the world to submit information and forgo the often hazy process of submitting papers and waiting for publication Create a common database for researchers around the world to submit information and forgo the often hazy process of submitting papers and waiting for publication Etc. Etc.

Planning… Alain, Mike, and I have been brainstorming ideas for a potential paper involving this idea of technological innovation in laboratories. Alain, Mike, and I have been brainstorming ideas for a potential paper involving this idea of technological innovation in laboratories. Potentially hope to write a paper to submit to a new journal called Nature Precedings, a place to share unpublished manuscripts, presentations, posters, white papers, technical papers, supplementary findings, and other scientific documents. Potentially hope to write a paper to submit to a new journal called Nature Precedings, a place to share unpublished manuscripts, presentations, posters, white papers, technical papers, supplementary findings, and other scientific documents. From there we’ll see how far it goes. From there we’ll see how far it goes.

Thanks