Microbe Hackers

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Welcome to the Microbe Hackers!

In this FRI stream we do research in the vast and emerging field of synthetic biology. We genetically engineer bacteria for a purpose of our choosing. To facilitate this we also study how to better engineer the microorganisms that we use and how to create better "genetic devices". Genetic devices are the DNA sequences that we create. They code for some specific function inside the cell.


Want your cell to glow green instead of its boring "normal color"?

Agar plate of E. coli containing different genetic devices created by the students of Microbe Hackers, including a green glowing E. coli.

Give it a genetic device that codes for a green fluorescent protein!

Or, maybe a different color. In Microbe Hackers, you work with these genetically engineered bacteria and you engineer your own learning the techniques that will allow you to do partake in more comprehensive projects that may span not only your time in Microbe Hackers, but also the time of past and future students. Virtually every organism that you work with was created by a previous Microbe Hacker.


Want your bacteria to be "addicted" to caffeine?

Let's modify its genome and then throw in a genetic device that allows it to live off of caffeine. Previous research by our students can be found covering the creation of caffeinated coli and its use by our students in Austin and further ongoing research on applying the system to complex beverages. This work is currently being written up for submission to a scientific journal. All of the authors are either current or former Microbe Hackers.


Fall 2016 Open House

If you are interested in hearing about these topics or some of the projects that we have in the research lab, visit us during the Fall 2016 open house or contact Dr. Mishler.

Open House hours will be determined shortly.

For Spring 2016

  • The Lecture portion of this FRI stream will be Mondays 4pm - 5pm GSB 2.122.
  • The Lab portion of this FRI stream will be determined during the first week of class based on student schedules. You will have a 4 hour lab period that meets once a week during the first part of the course. Later, you will be able to schedule your own lab time.
  • The stream can be taken for EITHER: BIO206L or CH204 credit


If you have other questions, please contact Dr. Mishler.

We are looking forward to an exciting 2016!

More information later.

FRI students at the annual iGEM conference on synthetic biology in Boston. The students presented their research at the end of September to an international audience. The six students in the back row were Microbe Hackers in 2015, and some have continued on as mentors or researchers. The three students in front are high school students from LASA, a local Austin high school that also had an iGEM team in 2015.