I was really glad to have the opportunity to work with SMQB again due to both the good memories of my part in the inaugural Seedcorn Residency Programme and because it’s a rare opportunity to be part of something that can be life changing. And on this occasion, it has given me the opportunity to be part of the development of something that is a literal science fiction holy grail.
The project is looking at computer modelling methods to speed development of extracellular vesicles (EV’s), nanoparticles that effectively transport the specific building blocks you need to heal. The key is best designing these to transport specific proteins, which is where the modelling comes in.
As a long time Sci-Fi fan it is tremendously exciting to me to be working with something on a nano scale, and something that could make these fantastic medicinal techniques a reality. The basic techniques of handling EV’s is exquisitely alien, from the fluorescent colours used to be able to see them to the use of light refraction to measure them. However, there is also something uncannily homely in their production, with many of the processes resembling food preparation.
My first experiments involved neon food dye, ferrofluid and jelly. Having been told about the movements of EV’s being similar to that of ferrofluid I wanted to see if I could create that same movement on a scale perceptible to humans.
My next experiments related to the shapes of the lipids that make up the EVs, consisting of a hydrophilic ‘head’ (which love water) and a pair of hydrophobic ‘tails’ (which avoid water). This put me in mind of rosettes, the glorious celebratory ribbons which we use to celebrate successes, birthdays and much more. I was also drawn to the notion of having the correct EV to transport the correct protien, and the centres of the rosettes seem a perfect means to represent that – and what common building block has a multitude of designs to build different things?
Lego.
So by filling the centre of the rosettes with lego I had the potential to build my own model EV with lego connectors. This then gave me the opportunity to look at other connecting materials, with rosettes using magnets, velcro and fuzzy felt to be able to ‘transport’ materials to where they needed to be.
Finally, I wanted to explore the odd homliness of the process of making EVs, including the use of temperature changes, resting process and so on on the final result. The process of baking shortbread uses lots of mixing, cooling, resting and so on in order to make biscuits which retain their shape while baking. So my last experiment was making a full model of an EV in iced shortbread, using a rosette shaped cutter and using neon icing to reflect the colours common in nano particle production.
Vicky Roden 