BioBuilder’s BioBistro

The CVHS BioBuilderClub is a group that focuses on the hands-on aspects of biology and natural sciences. Members have been able to demonstrate this in their at-school projects, as well as in local and out-of-state events, one of which recently took place, entitled “The Future is Now.”

This workshop was held on Oct. 6, and was part of the Synthetic Biology Week event at the SynBioBeta conference.

The workshop was led by biotechnology teacher and club advisor Laura O’Brien, as well as juniors Yasmin Alrawi and Kristie Tu, chemistry teacher Christopher Bing, and past BioBuilderClub member Toby Hung, who now attends CSUEB.

O’Brien, alongside Alrawi, Tu, Bing, and Hung, ran the workshop, which was entitled
“BioBistro.” The workshop addressed the development of potential future foods which could serve as alternatives to certain food items seen in today’s market via synthetic biology, as well as whether or not people would be willing to try them.

In addition to this, there were several more activities happening at this conference, including demonstrations of the workings of biological systems using paper cutouts, as well as performing experiments using dyes and plasmids.

In the past, BioBuilderClub has conducted and presented the results of their own tests regarding various local and larger-scale environmental issues, one of which being their 2017 project, which addressed the growth of toxic, blue-green algae in Lake Chabot.

Currently, the club is raising funds to attend a final conference in Cambridge in March, where they will present their findings from this year’s activities.

At this conference as well in future events, BioBuilderClub has and will be able to exhibit their findings, research, and general passion for biology. In attending events such as Synthetic Biology Week and their upcoming conference in Cambridge, O’Brien and the rest of the club will likely continue to do this, as well.