LabNotes Project

Lorraine Kerr

SynthSys University of Edinburgh

KE Scotland Conference, 5 October 2012

LabNotes Project

• Collaboration between – Scientist – Dr Lorraine Kerr – Composer – Dr Jane Stanley – Social Scientist – Dr Christine Knight – Freelance film maker – Martin Clark

• Compose a musical work and create a short accompanying film inspired by a specialised robot used in laboratory research at SynthSys, University of Edinburgh

• Harness the fascination of the general public with robots and challenge common conceptions

• Professional and personal leadership and development programme

• For experienced post-doctoral researchers and those in their first academic position

• Open to all academic disciplines as well as industry-based researchers

• Increase innovative capacity amongst highly promising research leaders of the future who are building their careers in Scotland

• Enhance participants’ ability to think creatively and innovatively in their work

• Increase participants’ understanding of how research can impact on society and how they could communicate their work to a wider audience

• Project fund criteria – Interdisciplinary – Innovative – Sustainable – Cross institution

Kinetic Parameter Facility - KPF

• Core experimental resource

• Hub of high-end state-of-the-art quantitative equipment and expertise

– Synthetic and systems biology research

– Parameterisation of mathematical models

– Used by variety of researchers across UoE and beyond

• Housed in purpose-built controlled environment laboratory

KPF Platform: People and Instruments

Gene Expression

qPCR

Protein Expression

Molecular Interactions

Surface Plasmon Resonance

Liquid handling robot

Auto Isothermal Titration Calorimetry

Automation

HPLC-MS

Eliane Salvo-Chirnside

Lorraine Kerr

Sarah Martin

Thierry Le Bihan

Martin Barrios-Llerena

Bioanalyzer

Molecular Analysis

Applications of Robot

High throughput nucleic acid extraction – Silica membrane based – Illustra RNAspin 96 (GE Healthcare)

• Total RNA – Plants (Arabidopsis seedlings) – Yeast – Mammalian cells (MRC-5)

• Genomic DNA from blood – Soay sheep

Assay set up • Genotyping • qPCR for gene expression • Screening • Biosciences KTN SPARK award

Methods

• Sonic and visual “study” in robotic gesture

• Machine movements related to human gestures – “punching” – “dabbing” – “dipping” – “rippling” – “patting”

• Piano – robot gestures are pianistic in character

• Robot must be programmed (“choreographed”) to perform a range of operations – composer, film maker and scientist worked closely together on this

• Musical score will showcase sonic “analogues”: musical patterns imitating physical motion

Outputs

1. 10 minute integrated music and film piece

2. Musical-gestural language analogous to the robot’s movements

3. Innovative, audiovisual method for arts-science engagement and public engagement with science

4. Article for Tecan Journal (international journal of the robot manufacturer)

5. Article for science communication community

Project so far…

• Several preparatory meetings – meeting the robot

• Practicalities of filming & arrangements – engineer availability

– working in busy lab with other equipment & users

– equipment noise

– light & reflections

• Filming

Robot video

Filming

Filming

Project so far…

• Rough cut of film

• Initial composition

• Refinement of film

• Composition

• Dissemination – Article in Tecan Journal

– Published Feb 2012

– Invited presentation at ESRC Genomics Network Conference

Next: Public Engagement

• Harness the fascination of the general public with robots and challenge common conceptions

• Online dissemination through YouTube and Vimeo

• Launch event at Cameo Cinema, Edinburgh – Planning for Jan 2013

• Festivals – Science Festivals (eg Edinburgh) – Experimental film festivals (eg, Ann

Arbor Film Festival) – International experimental music

festivals (eg, ISCM World Music Days)

Acknowledgements

• Eliane Salvo-Chirnside

• Paul Noble

• Funders