Our Device

• Permeates through to the source of cellulitis.

  Through the use of a skin penetrating peptide (SPP), our antibiotic treatment will have the unique ability to traverse the layers of the skin and concentrate at the source of the infection. This makes NiSkin different from other treatments which cannot directly cross the basement membrane or other layers of the skin such as the epidermis.

• Minimizes undesired effects.

  NiSkin is designed to remain inactive until it reaches the pathogens that cause cellulitis. This controllled inactivity reduces effects that result from disturbing surrounding microbiota or interacting with patients’ cells.

• Reduces the risk of antibiotic overuse.

  Our device offsets the current trend of antibiotic resistance. By utilizing nisin A, an antimicrobial peptide that is not currently used in medicine and has proven effectiveness against S. aureus at low concentrations, we decrease the reliance on current antibiotic treatments and prevent our new treatment’s overuse.

Parts

Composite Part

We successfully fused a skin-penetrating peptide, TD-1, to a natural antimicrobial peptide, nisin A. This contribution will allow future iGEM teams to continue to test and implement our transdermal fusion protein system, which has many applications in both medicine and cosmetics.

Part Collection

We have successfully expressed the three most important nisin proteins that are crucial to its function. First, we expressed NisA which modifies to Nisin, and Nisin has antimicrobial properties. Additionally, we expressed NisB and NisC which are essential proteins for post-translational modification of NisA. Altogether, Virginia 2023 envisions future iGEM teams utilizing our part collection to produce a fully functional form of nisin.

Tips for Future iGEM Teams

1. Make sure you keep track of your inventory of reagents at all times, and order things when you are somewhat low, not when you run out. Shipping for different items can vary greatly!
2. Keep track of time! Almost everything will take longer than you anticipate it to, so plan accordingly. It’s helpful to do multiple tasks in parallel even if the result of one task may impact the other.
3. BEFORE you see results (restriction digest, protein gel, etc.) predict what might happen and why it might happen. It’ll save troubleshooting time when things go wrong and help you get back on your feet.
4. What was your positive control? How about your negative? Controls are used not only to validate results but also to trouble shoot.
5. Do your research as soon as possible and meet with experts as soon as possible to introduce your project and get their feedback. The earlier you talk to experts, the earlier you can change the trajectory of your project if vital and the easier it will be to make important changes to your project.
6. Be as thorough as you can in your research before you dive into lab work. Although it can be tempting to get started right away, you can save yourself a lot of time and effort by taking it slow and understanding the potential pitfalls of your project.