Sub Menu
- Databases
- Assignment
- Preceding Research
- Tips for DNA Design
- Seminar Information
- SciNetS Concepts
- SciNeS library functions
-
Reference
Already entered
links
FAQ about Entry
- Is there an age limit in the category for high-school students?
- Can I submit more than one entry?
- Can I ask for assistance from teachers at school?
- Is there any rule or restriction for re-utilizing the contents (such as programs, designed DNA sequences, and reports submitted by myself and other participants) released on this website?
- When I click `My Page`, the following message -`requested page is not found` is displayed on the screen and I can not view `My Page`.
- I cannot jump to the JavaScript Editor by clicking the `Script` button in the table shown in the bottom of `My Page`.
FAQ about Genome Design
- What kind of facility do I need to enter GenoCon?
- What kind of knowledge do I need to enter GenoCon?
- Please tell me the difference between genome designs and drug designs.
- Why should I make a program in order to design Genome sequences?
- Can I see the plants in which the designed DNA sequences are inserted?
FAQ about Safety
- Robot engineering seems to be safe. How about Synthetic Biology?
- Why do you release the submitted genome designs on this website?
FAQ about Programming
- The system replies the following message, `SciNetS : syntax error.'○○' was used before …` and I can not execute a program.
- The system replies the following message, `SciNetS : syntax error.The body of a for in should be …` and I can not execute a program.
Other FAQ
Answers for FAQ about Entry
Is there an age limit in the category for high-school student ?
If you are aged 15 or over and haven't graduated from high school as of April 1, 2010, you are qualified to enter the category for high-school students.
Can I Submit more than one entry?
We accept maximum of five entries per participant. If you wish to submit more than one entry, fill out each form separately. `My Page` displays all the entries in a tabular form with each row corresponding to a single entry. Each entry will correspond to a program. Participants can create different programs as long as the maximum number of entries is under the limit. Different programs can be submitted separately or as one entry. Once a program, a report, and the designed DNA sequences are completed, go to `My Page` and change the status of submission to `completed`. Only entries with the status `completed` will be reviewed by the selectors.
Can I ask for assistance from teachers at school?
You can get any support from your teachers. We expect many high-school students like you to enter GenoCon as one of their club activities at school.
Is there any rule or restriction for re-using the contents (such as programs, designed DNA sequences, and reports, submitted by myself and other participants) released on this website?
You can freely re-use or display the contents released on this website as long as you credit an author of the original contents and license your creation under the identical terms properly by using the URL of the page which displays the original contents. We release all contents under a Creative Commons license (Attribution Share Alike, BY-SA) in order to share ideas among other people and encourage creation of new ideas from them.
When I click `My Page`, the following message -`requested page is not found` is displayed on the screen and I can not view `My Page`.
1.Have you completed your entry? If you have not completed your entry yet, your `My Page` has not created yet and the system displays the error message. So please complete your entry first.
2.If you have completed your entry and still have a problem with viewing `My Page`, please make sure if you have logged on RIKEN SciNetS. You can log on RIKEN SciNeS from the log-on box shown on the right side.
I cannot jump to the JavaScript Editor by clicking the `Script` button in the table shown in the bottom of `My Page`.
Browser software installed on your PC might not be supported by RIKEN SciNetS. If you are using Internet Explorer Version 6 or Version 7, and not able to open JavaScript Editor. Try using other browsing software such as Firefox.
Answers for FAQ about Genome Design
What kind of facility do I need to enter GenoCon?
You need a PC with access to the Internet. The following browsers are recommended:
We highly recommend using Firefox as your web browser to entry GenoCon. Our website has not be optimized to use with other browser software such as Internet Explorer. If the system administrator (your teacher) of your school does not allow students to install such software, please consult the relevant person. (※To Teachers: we employ a highly-secured protocol called `https` for this contest. This protocol allows users to exchange confidential information such as passwords safely. Please provide a system environment for students in which they can use both `http` and `https` protocols.
What kind of knowledge do I need to enter GenoCon?
You can create a simple program by referring to the sample programs. However, if you wish to create an original design program, you need a basic knowledge of Biology including protein and functions of organisms and genetic information. Also, knowledge of JavaScript is necessary. Knowledge of Molecular Biology and Bioinformatics may enhance your program.
Basic knowledge required for entering this contest will be provided via this website. It may be a good idea to have a study session with an expert in the mentioned fields. You may even make good friends by participating in this contest. Furthermore seminars and workshops on this contest are planned to be held. Detailed information of these seminars and workshops will be announced on this website.
Please tell me the difference between genome design and drug design.
Genome design and drug design are similar in their concepts.
Drug design is a technology for designing a structure of organic compounds which is expected to be a medicine (drug) with relevant information. This technology is much practiced in the drug discovery research.
Anyone who has some knowledge about drug discovery can design a structure of compounds. Software for such design is released on the net.
Outcome of genome design is information of DNA sequences, while one of drug design is structural information of compounds, which is the difference between those technologies.
Design software for both technologies are released on the web, software itself is completely harmless.（Only design software and related information are released through GenoCon.）
On the other hand, actual process for synthesis of compounds is implemented within high-security experimental facilities, which is also true for synthetic DNA.
Only specialists can implement each process for safety assessment of synthetic DNA or synthetic compounds. Professional research institutes implement those processes with particular attention given to safety.
Synthetic compounds should be tested for their safety and efficacy over a long period prior to approval. Generally, it takes around a decade for the synthetic compounds to reach the market. The public is not able to obtain such compounds before the test process is completed within test laboratories.
Why should I make a program in order to design Genome sequences?
Expressing a process of designing Genome sequences as an algorithm is essential for scientific development of Genomic Design. Existing methods for genome design such as designing genome sequences by copying and pasting publicly available sequences are lack of accuracy and prevent its reuse. One of the purposes of holding GenoCon is to promote knowledge sharing among researchers by making participants describe their ideas of designing DNA sequences by programs (algorithms). Creating a new tool for designing DNA sequences is not what the contest intends to.
Can I see the plants in which the designed DNA sequences are inserted?
You will not be able to see plants during the experiment, but we plan to release some photos, experimental results, and other relevant information on this site. However, the plants themselves will not be distributed since it would require a laboratory with certain experimental installations (P1-Level).
Answers for FAQ about safety
Robotic Engineering seems to be safe. How about Synthetic Biology?
In the past, people thought that robot engineering itself was dangerous and some people were even afraid of the possibilities of robots harming or dominating humans. Of course, if you use robot technology for manufacturing weapons or use itself as a weapon, it is truly dangerous. However, safety of robotic technologies for nursing-care robots or assistant robots has been highly evaluated and there is now a greater understandings of such technologies.
Today, more and more people acknowledge safety and convenience of robotic technologies and ordinary people can join robotics-related contests.
On the other hand, as research in synthetic biology is still in early stages, some people refuse to acknowledge the very concept of synthetic biology.
Therefore, synthetic organisms are required to be studied within laboratories and there are strict safety control standards and facility criteria for the laboratories. After evaluation tests for its safety are fully implemented, in the future synthetic biology (synthetic organism) might be accepted by the human society as safe a technology as robotic engineering.
Why do you release the submitted genome designs on this website?
If we compare genome design to architecture, it is equivalent to `designing an architectural plan of a house`. GenoCon is, in its way, a design technology contest in which participants compete in the design skills of architecturally planning a house.Only information related to a design plan is released through this website. Actual items such as DNA or synthesized living organisms are never distributed publicly. (As there are some legal restrictions for building a house, handling those items are highly restricted.)GenoCon could be a new type of academic exchange site where participants can inform each other of the latest scientific information published by scientific magazines. GenoCon also could be a site for collecting design tools as open resources and dedicating to improve capabilities of the tools.
FAQ about Programming
The system replies the following error message "SciNetS : syntax error.'○○' was used before …" and I can not execute a program.
Whole error message：
"SciNetS : syntax error.'○○' was used before it was defined. at line xx position xx."
To avoid this error, please define a function at the line prior to the line where the function is used.
The system replies the following error message "SciNetS : syntax error.The body of a for in should be …" and I can not execute a program.
Whole error message：
"SciNetS : syntax error.The body of a for in should be wrapped in an if statement to filter unwanted properties from the prototype. at line xx position xx.』
To avoid this error, please make sure if properties beginning with in or for exist by using the Object.hasOwnProperty method.
Example）
Answers for Other FAQ
What is the difference between GenoCon and similar contests such as iGEM?
`iGEM` (International Genetically Engineered Machine competition) is a Synthetic Biology competition organized mainly by MIT. Participants in the competition actually do synthetic experiments with a kit of biological parts called `BioBrick (including DNA sequence such as protein sequence, promoter sequence, and others which have various functions). On the other hand, GenoCon is a contest which puts emphasis on design than actual synthesis.
Other differences are as follows:
Target organisms
In iGEM, target living organism is a bacterium (E. coli) in order to speed-up the experiment while GenoCon designs for a model plant (Arabidopsis thaliana) aiming direct application to bio-energy and environmental problems.
Required Facility
In order to participate in iGEM, participants should secure a laboratory for conducting experiments of verification. On the other hand, participants in GenoCon only have to secure a PC with access to the Internet. Experiments of verifications are to be conducted by research institutes (RIKEN).
Participants
Major participants of iGEM, are undergraduate and graduate students since they need to secure a laboratory while GenoCon allows a wide range of people, from high-school students to adults (including professional researchers) to participate in the contest as long as they have a PC with access to the Internet.