This project aims to increase interest in the current state of data collection practices and privacy concerns by demonstrating greater salience of the types of data collected by commercial websites and the potential risks involved, along with the uses and value for those collecting it. (Note: This project originally won in the Big Ideas “Science, Technology, and Engineering Policy” category.)
Hundreds of U.S. companies have a stake in continued use of coal-based electricity. Unfortunately, burning coal is a major source of greenhouse gas emissions which in turn cause climate change. This paper examines potential solutions to this problem and suggests policies to commercialize an emerging technology called carbon capture and storage. (Note: This project originally won in the Big Ideas “Science, Technology, and Engineering Policy” category.)
Rising healthcare spending is a serious issue for the United States. Electronic medical records are seen as an effective way to solve the problem, however they are difficult to implement. We propose the development of personal portable healthcare record smart cards and a corresponding framework to simplify maintenance and transfer of patient records as an incremental step towards a nationalized electronic records system. (Note: This project originally won in the Big Ideas “Science, Technology, and Engineering Policy” category.)
This project proposes to make a synthetic coral-like material using the methods of synthetic biology for bone graft applications.
Cyanobacteria transform solar energy into chemical energy through photosynthesis. Once modified by plasmid transformation, they will be able to use this chemical energy to establish electric potentials across their membranes. This project aims to design a plate, based off the extracellular organization of Electrophorus electricus, that will be able to harness this stored energy.
Intake of saturated fats has been linked to heart diseases such as atherosclerosis and coronary heart disease. Engineering probiotic bacteria that can turn saturated fats into unsaturated fatty acids, generally deemed healthful, could help reduce saturated fat intake and lessen the chance of developing a saturated fat linked disease.
The study will evaluate the performance of the OSOM® Trichomonas Rapid Test for the detection of trichomoniasis in women from rural and peri-urban areas of Mysore, India, in comparison to PCR, culture and wet-mount preparation.
In Northern India, nearly 60% of viral hepatitis in pregnant women is attributed to hepatitis E infection (HEV). Given the growing rates of HEV in South Asia and the hypothesis that levels of hormones may affect disease severity in pregnant women with HEV, this study proposes a cross-sectional approach to examine estriol levels and seroprevalence of anti-HEV (IgG and IgM) in village dwellers in Uttar Pradesh, India.
Blum Center for Developing Economies
The University of California, Berkeley
bigideas@berkeley.edu
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