Letter from one island to another

Dear Mandy,

Due to finals early this week and you having left for Hawaii, second life team members have been sparse. I wanted to stay in touch and keep you up to date somehow.

As you are aware, since scripting and equipment in the lab has been completed, last week we began the base of the Biobrick spiral where some of the fundamentals of molecular biology, including the central dogma will be located. You will be happy to know I have completed the DNA replication animation that avatars will be able to click on in order to learn what is required to happen for successful replication as well as a initiation point/button to begin the activity as well as reset it. All that is left is make it user friendly since everything that can be touched will perform some action and these actions just need to be explained and secured so that order is important. This may also be done with the help of a notecard that has been made. The only reason this went so slowly is the fact that I am attempting to complete wiki notebook updates in parallel and believe me, it has been a painful experience decrypting the notes that I have. Now, transcription and translation will have to be added and will most likely be tackled by either you or myself in the near future. I have started the initial framework for transcription, but most likely will not be able to complete it before this week is finished.


As I understand it, the biobrick simulator is basically completed and now the levels have to be organized and the textures for the buttons of the biobrick simulator interface. Thank you for completing the buttons Patrick required for the HUD he has made. They look great and I’m sure he really appreciates it.


I see the area avatars first enter the island has been expanded by you and Stefan and now includes a map (including teleportation areas) and directive tubing into synthetic kingdom. To ignore the big red X’s and arrows would have to be intentional and pathway stones litter the landscape throughout. Stefan has been working on his eukaryotic cell and finishing up his disease hunting bacteria within it. Also, I would like to thank you for allocating an area for previous iGEM projects and I see that the logo now decorates the outer walls of the virtual lab. A section of the island will now be filled with worthy iGEM projects, which may be done in the fall with enough linden dollars.


Hoping you are able to locate a bobtail squid,

Katie