Biotechnology Archives - Northeastern University College of Science

Dr. Melissa Caimano, UConn School of Medicine presents a seminar entitled "A Tale of Two Networks: How Lyme disease spirochetes navigate their way through the enzootic cycle "

https://health.uconn.edu/spirochete-lab/radolf-and-caimano-laboratory/research/

Dr. Klaas Van Wijk, Cornell University presents a seminar entitled "Control of chloroplast protein homeostasis by intra-organellar proteases in plants"

https://cals.cornell.edu/people/klaas-van-wijk

Dr. Chris Sassetti, UMass Chan School of Medicine presents a seminar entitled "Cryptic Variation in the M. tuberculosis genome impacts pathogenesis and treatment"

https://www.umassmed.edu/sassettilab/

Children and bacteria –– normally they’re a parental nightmare, a cocktail of late-night pediatrician calls and ruined weekends.

The idea of a toy filled with bacteria probably sounds like a recipe for disaster. This team of designers says otherwise.

Meet SquidKid, a prototype toy designed by Northeastern University students that is, essentially, an organic Tamagotchi. Children take care of the bioluminescent bacterial culture in this squid-shaped toy, keeping it alive and glowing. The hope for SquidKid, which earned a finalist spot in the international Biodesign Challenge, is to create not only a lasting friend but a lasting connection between children and the natural world.

“Our real goal was to create a bioreactor that would be ongoing, so you would keep a bacterial culture alive for an extended period of time like you would keep a fish tank or something,” says Deirdre Ni Chonaill, an experience design master’s student and associate director of creative and experience design at Northeastern’s Bouvé College of Health Sciences. “Kids don’t always treat their toys very well. With Tamagotchi, there are times where if you ignored it, it died. In this case, you’re actually killing something.”

Children must maintain the bacteria housed in SquidKid, providing oxygen, the right “broth,” or food, and consistent agitation. The toy is even designed with a squeezable tentacle that injects oxygen into the system and moves the bacteria, prompting them to glow.

SquidKid began life in the classroom. The team of students designed it as part of their Critical Making for Adaptive Futures class taught by Katia Zolotovsky, an assistant professor of design and biotechnology.