Project RECOVER's journey towards revolutionizing CO2 capture and biofuel production is a story of collaborative triumph, with Team REC-CHENNAI leading the charge. Guided by a shared passion for sustainability and driven by unwavering determination, our team embarked on a scientific quest with the potential to change the world.
Project RECOVER, showcasing the innovative spirit of Team REC-CHENNAI and acknowledging the invaluable support of our college, advisors, and the science community. Their unwavering faith and expertise empowered us to navigate challenges, refine our project, and ultimately present it to the world at the iGEM Grand Jamboree. As you delve deeper, you'll discover the scientific ingenuity behind Project RECOVER, learn about the remarkable individuals who made it possible, and gain a glimpse into the lasting impact we hope to have on the planet. Join us on this ongoing journey as we continue to evolve and refine our project, striving to make a positive and lasting difference for generations to come.

Team: REC-CHENNAI

NAME ROLE TASKS SPECIFIC TASKS
GAYATHRI VIJAYAKUMAR Primary PI Conceptualization, Investigation, Project Administration, Background Research Dr. V. Gayathri, our Principal Investigator, has played a crucial role in our project from its inception. She assisted us in navigating college bureaucracy and regulations, facilitated the acquisition of project funding from the college management, and provided invaluable support in project ideation and design. Dr. Gayathri also demonstrated her expertise in networking with various experts, allocating resources efficiently, and troubleshooting issues, particularly in optimizing our downstream processing. Her dedication and contributions have been instrumental in the success of our project.
JAYASHREE HAREENDRAN Secondary PI Project Administration, Public Engagement, Investigation Dr. R. Jayasree, our secondary principal investigator, played a central role in recruiting the team and collaborating with other investigators and researchers. Her efforts extend to connecting with industry experts, providing critical laboratory support, optimizing processes, managing budgets, and performing analysis and interpretation of Experimental data. Dr. Jayasree is known for her unwavering encouragement and support, fostering a positive environment for all team members. In addition, she diligently monitored project security throughout the process.
SHREENIDHI K S Instructor Analysis, Project Administration, Conceptualization, Data Curation, Background Research Ms. Shreenidhi plays an important role in various aspects of our research efforts. She provided excellent support with dry lab modeling, ensuring a solid foundation for our project. In addition, she carefully monitors the group's promotional activities, ensuring effective outreach. Ms. Shreenidhi's expertise in data analysis and interpretation provides invaluable insights. Her commitment to safety and ethical guidance is paramount, ensuring the well-being of all involved. In addition, her proofreading of documents has significantly improved the quality of our work. her role in overseeing human activities and promoting cooperation is crucial. Ultimately, her valuable contributions to building the genetics of our project contributed greatly to its success.
PARINITHA K Student Leader Project Administration, Conceptualization, Background Research, Writing, Visualization As a core team member and leader, Parinitha was crucial to our project "Recover." She conducted in-depth research on CO2 fixation and Iso-butanol production in E. coli, and led plasmid construction. Parinitha managed wiki content and editing for effective knowledge dissemination, and orchestrated team coordination, delegation, and project administration. She specialized in wet lab troubleshooting and experimental optimization, directed project promotion, and oversaw the production of presentation videos. Additionally, Parinitha meticulously documented the part registry and kept track of the engineering cycle, ensuring a systematic and effective progression of project milestones. She also implemented REC tracker for team management.
KAVYA PRATHAP KUMAR Student Leader Background Research, Public Engagement, Writing, Visualization, Analysis, Safety Kavya, as the team leader, conducted in-depth literature research for experimental validation, ensuring the project's robust scientific foundation. She took charge of lab and project safety, implementing rigorous protocols for a secure working environment. Kavya also played a pivotal role in optimizing bioreactor conditions, enabling optimal growth of engineered E. coli strains. Her expertise and dedication significantly contributed to the project's success. Additionally, she scripted the engaging promo video and spearheaded education and outreach initiatives, further amplifying the project's impact.
VARSHA B Student Conceptualization, Background Research, Writing, Visualization, Analysis,Safety Varsha is a key member of our wet lab team, excelling in project conceptualization, plasmid construction, and meticulous parts registry documentation. Her expertise in wet lab experimentation ensures reliable results. Varsha's skills extend to project budgeting and dynamic poster design. She has also demonstrated excellent organizational abilities in leading events at Scigenics and Lark Innovation. Her contributions are integral to our project success.
SAI SANDHAYA SREE Student Background Research, Visualization,Writing, Analysis Sandhya, a key member of the Research team, played a pivotal role in developing the capture system. Her contributions ranged from conceptualizing and researching carbon capture technologies to designing and assembling a lab-ready system. She conducted crucial experimental trials and also took charge of various creative tasks, including designing a wiki layout and scripting a promotional video. Sandhya's organizational skills were evident in managing meeting minutes and organizing an event at the Chennai Port Authority. She also demonstrated her technical prowess by designing an enclosure for the CO2 capture reactor's stirrer controller through additive manufacturing. Her diverse contributions were instrumental in driving the project's success.
RHEA HARRY WILLIAM Student Background Research, Conceptualization, Writing Rhea Harry Williams is a cornerstone of the Dry Lab team, demonstrating exceptional proficiency in mathematical modeling, particularly in enzyme kinetics. She adeptly utilized COAPSY for mathematical modeling and gene regulation, leveraging Matlab in her research pursuits. Additionally, Rhea played a vital role in refining the entrepreneurship model. Her invaluable contributions have been instrumental in propelling the team's objectives, encompassing both mathematical and computational modeling.
PRIYANKA NANDAKUMAR Student Wiki Coding, Writing, Background Research Priyanka was a vital member of the drylab team. She excelled in various crucial roles, including codon optimization of components and construction of plasmids. Additionally, Priyanka took charge of computational modeling, illustrating potential interactions between the large and small subunits of Rubisco. Her expertise extended to mathematical modeling for enzyme kinetics, meticulous documentation in the parts registry, and seamless coordination in designing the RECOVER logo. Priyanka also played a pivotal role in crafting the AIIM presentation.
KRITIKA S Student Writing, Visualization, Background Research Kritika contributes significantly to our research efforts, focusing on the design and procurement of equipment for our emission capture system. She conducts thorough literature reviews on emission capture, ensuring that our project remains well-informed and current. Kritika also plays a crucial role in coordinating interactions with esteemed experts, including Stanford Professor and Dr. Natarajan Ganesan. She manages all social media platforms for Team REC Chennai, which includes Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and Gmail. Additionally, Kritika is responsible for cultivating collaborations and serves as our dedicated content writer.
SHRIDHARANI S Student Safety, Investigation, Hardware, Notebook/record keeping Shridharani, an indispensable member of the Dry Lab team, showcased outstanding proficiency in mathematical modeling, specifically in enzyme kinetics. Her significant contributions to wet lab experimentation were noteworthy. Additionally, she displayed adeptness in team finance management and maintained meticulous records. Shridharani's versatile skills and unwavering diligence were pivotal in the team's success. Furthermore, she took charge of all graphical representations of results pages, adding an extra layer of expertise to her contributions.
KADHIRAVAN S Student Safety, Conceptualization, Background Research Kadhiravan plays a vital role within the Project Recover research and development team. His expertise lies in conducting thorough literature studies on metabolic pathways, as well as performing detailed stoichiometric analyses of engineered pathways. He is also an expert in growth curve experimentation and excels in interpreting graphical data. Kadhiravan has successfully collaborated with the Axis Marseille team, demonstrating his strong collaborative skills. Additionally, he is responsible for the design and procurement of Project Recover merchandise and manages the documentation on the parts page wiki. Kadhiravan also takes charge of recording and distributing minutes for all meetings, ensuring effective communication within the team.
MADHU BALA Student Safety, Notebook/record keeping, Investigation Madubala is a dedicated member of the wetlab team, entrusted with the critical responsibilities of overseeing project and laboratory safety. She meticulously manages lab stock, ensuring that resources are maintained efficiently. Additionally, Madubala contributes her expertise to the Social Media team. Her role extends to optimizing plasmid construction protocols, while also focusing on the paramount aspects of project and human practices safety and security management. Madubala conducts thorough research on the ethical regulations surrounding GMOs, providing valuable insights to the team. She has also taken the initiative to create a comprehensive safety page for the wiki, further emphasizing her commitment to safety and best practices within the laboratory environment.
AKSHAYA B Student Investigation, Public Engagement, Other. Akshaya is a pivotal member of the wet lab team, demonstrating exceptional proficiency in conducting experiments. She excels in transformation techniques and takes charge of wet lab experimentation as well as lab maintenance. Akshaya also serves as the lead for the Beach HP project. Her expertise extends to conducting extensive literature research on co-transformation in E. coli and implementing identified phase separation methods for downstream processing of isobutanol. She played a key role in the AIIM Presentation and fostered valuable collaboration with NTHU Taiwan. Additionally, Akshaya is responsible for curating and maintaining the protocol page on the wiki.
MADHAVAN T Student Hardware, Data Curation, Writing Madhavan, a final-year student in the Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering, developed hardware to provide a congenial environment for the engineered E. coli in the marine environment. He designed an IoT-controlled marine bioreactor system and "The Nautical Nexus," a device for monitoring and logging marine variables. Madhavan also invented a gyroscopic gimbal system for the orientational stabilization of the bioreactor and has contributed a MicroPython library for future team projects.
KRITHIK RAGHUNATH K Student Public Engagement, Visualization, Other Krithik Raghunath K is a versatile team member, overseeing project sustainability and maintaining comprehensive documentation on the wiki platform. They also lead podcast and voiceover initiatives, ensuring engaging and informative content. Krithik is responsible for coordinating human practices and outreach activities, including engagements with Beyond Blue Beach, an orphanage, and a school. Additionally, they handle the procurement of cyanobacteria strains from Bharathidasan University and DH5alpha from Sathyabama Institute of Science and Technology. Finally, Krithik plays a crucial role in wet lab activities, contributing to hands-on experimental work.
KRITHICK RAJ R S Student Public Engagement, Visualization, Other Krithick Raj R S is responsible for a diverse range of roles within the team. This includes recording promo and presentation videos, conducting field tests for Nautical Nexus hardware, organizing human practices in Agarwal Vidhyalaya, and serving as the team photographer. Additionally, Krithick handles the procurement of Cyanobacteria strains from Bharathidasan University in Trichy, as well as DH5alpha strains from Sathyabama Institute of Science and Technology. They are also involved in wet lab budgeting, overseeing routine wet lab experiments, and ensuring thorough documentation.
ANUSH Student Entrepreneurship, Background Research,Investigation Anush, a final year Chemical Engineering student, has demonstrated exceptional prowess in conceptualizing and prototyping industry-adaptable flue gas capture and carbon dioxide separation systems. His innovative designs are specifically tailored for seamless integration with E.coli in the production of isobutanol. Anush has played a pivotal role in spearheading entrepreneurship development efforts for recovery processes. His expertise extends to conducting comprehensive thermodynamic studies, adeptly modeling chemical equations, and rigorously simulating various capture methodologies.
NANDINE Student Wiki Coding, Visualization,Other Nandine played a pivotal role in crafting and refining the content for Team REC Chennai's 2023 Wiki. Her innovative ideas and editing skills contributed to a unique and engaging presentation.
YOGA MITHRA S Student Visualization,Other Yoga Mithra possessed exceptional skills in video editing and production. She wholeheartedly created the promotional and presentation videos for the project.
ALAGAR K Advisor Background Research, Investigation. Alagar as a valuable advisor who gave may insight about the wet laboratory experiments and also help to troubleshoot the queries that we had during the project
VIBHA MURALI Advisor Background Research,Investigation, Writing Vibha contributed valuable insights on plasmid construction, provided content for the wiki, aided in conceptualization, and played a crucial role in interpreting an evaluating experimental results
DEEPAK KUMAR SUNDARAMOORTHY Advisor Background Research, Conceptualization Deepak played a pivotal role in guiding our team on plasmid construction, excelling in primary designing and optimizing protocols. His expertise was instrumental in the successful validation of the plasmid.

EXTERNAL ATTRIBUTION

NAME ROLE TASKS SPECIFIC TASKS
RAJALAKSHMI ENGINEERING COLLEGE Sponsors Fundraising, Other Team REC-CHENNAI and Project RECO2VER gratefully acknowledges the invaluable support of Rajalakshmi Engineering College. The project's success would not have been possible without the unwavering encouragement and guidance of the esteemed Chairperson, Vice Chairman, Principal, and the Management who provided critical resources and assistance throughout the project's journey, from its inception to the Grand Jamboree. We also extend our sincere gratitude to the Department of Biotechnology, including the Head of Department, Dean, Academic Head, and faculty members, for their unwavering commitment and contributions. Their expertise and guidance were instrumental in moving the project forward, and we are deeply grateful for their support.
KIRTIK SONI Sponsors Fundraising,other With a decade of experience in various cutting-edge technologies, including drone design and blockchain, Kirtik Soni's sponsorship for the Nautical Nexus hardware is greatly appreciated. His innovative expertise significantly supports our project. Provided insights on various types of CO2 sensors for our capture system.
DR. S. MUGESH, ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR, DEPARTMENT OF BIOTECHNOLOGY, VEL TECH RANGARAJAN DR.SAGUNTHALA R&D INSTITUTE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY Sponsors Other Dr. Mugesh had provided us with the K12 Strain which is crucial to our project.
SATHYABAMA INSTITUTE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY (SIST) Sponsor Other Sathyabama University Provided us with DH5-⍺ strain.
MAYA KASHAPOV Industry Conceptualization, Other Maya Kashapov's task was to elucidate the technical intricacies of Captura's CO2 removal system, with a focus on bipolar membrane efficiency, aiding knowledge transfer for sustainable project development.
DR. B. ANANDAN Academic Conceptualization, Other Dr. Anandan gave guided on system development, optimizing pathways for isobutanol production, plasmid transcription,gene cloning and co-transformation methods, and offered insights on enzyme quantification.
DR. PROF. DAVID KOWEEK Academic Conceptualization, Other Dr. Prof. David Koweek offered insights to improve the project by recommending measuring dissolved inorganic carbon in water and exploring the use of carbonic anhydrase with bubble stripping for more efficient CO2 capture.
CHIEF OFFICER BALAJI Government Conceptualization, Other The Chief Officer of the cargo vessel TCI Lakshmi provided insights on ship fuel use, pollution, waste management, water measurement, and water sources, enhancing our maritime sustainability project.
MARINE OFFICER SHANKER Government Conceptualization, Other He provided valuable insights into real-time maritime emissions, innovative electricity supply to ships, pollution reduction, particulate matter management, and comprehensive engine testing protocols.
MR. SATHYA NARAYANAN Academic Conceptualization, Other Provided essential guidance for our project, emphasizing considerations for introducing a new pathway into the host organism, including metabolic balance, by-products, antibiotic production, and gene expression optimization. His expertise was pivotal for project success.
DR. ARUN SAMIDURAI Academic Conceptualization, Other Dr. Arun Samidurai shared insights on the dual plasmid system in E. coli, gave suggestions on how to improve project outcomes.
DR. S RAMA REDDY Academic Conceptualization, Other Recommended LVDC lamps, a suitable processor, the inclusion of a stability factor, and cost accuracy, ensuring technical robustness and strategic planning.
MR. HARISHCHANDER ANANDARAM Academic Conceptualization, Other Mr. Harishchander 's guided us on protein interactions, molecular dynamics, and computational tools. We used Clustro, Hpep Talk, molecular dynamics simulations, and Cell Designer for insights into molecular stability and cellular mechanisms. Linear optimization, MATLAB, and Cyto Scale aided stability analysis, while Gromacs GPU installation enabled faster simulations. Hre also guided on protein docking.
DR. NATARAJAN GANESAN Academic Conceptualization, Other Dr. Natarajan Ganesan stressed sustainability, data collection, system uniqueness, structured presentations, biogeochemical cycles, protein folding for overcoming challenges with the RuBisCO enzyme.
MR. KARTHIGEYAN Industry Conceptualization, Other Mr. Karthigeyan helped us in sensor selection, feed system design, materials for bioreactors, and lighting conditions, enhancing overall efficiency and precision.
MANIRAJ .C.P Industry Conceptualization, Other Enriched our understanding of bioreactor design, including sterilization, controlled environments, and CO2 management. Gave insights on gas recovery systems, temperature control, and flow conditions.
DR. K L VINCENT JOSEPH Academic Conceptualization, Other Gave his expertise in exhaust gas emissions and separation techniques, different absorption columns, emphasized the importance of membrane-based separation, and advised focusing on the bioreactor aspect initially.
DR. J ARUN KUMAR Academic Conceptualization, Other Emphasized a feasible solution, considering maritime waste as a feed source, conducting carbon emission audits, and stressed the use of statistical data.
PREETHI DUNGA Academic Conceptualization, Other Offering alternative approaches, practical advice, and creative ideas.
DR.N.THAJUDDIN Academic Conceptualization, Other Taught us cyanobacteria cultivation in conical flasks, electropho reactor use, subculturing, and cost-effective growth.
DR. THOOYAVAN Industry Conceptualization, Other Insights into Cyanobacteria's circadian clock, competence, and environmental control.