# Key Points from IRC Discussions

• Researchers discussed directed evolution techniques, noting that sequencing after the first selection round can identify variants that would appear in round 20, suggesting opportunities for early optimization in protein engineering.

• Kent Kemmish proposed automated research facilities using "bodies on chips" technology that could represent every human with hundreds of autologously derived organ systems for high-throughput pharmacological testing.

• Participants debated immune system engineering approaches, contrasting natural diversity with a centralized development model for "downloadable" novel immunities.

• There was technical discussion about potentially reversing aldehyde fixation in preserved tissues using enzymes, with speculation about designing larger fixative molecules that could be more easily cleaved.

• The group examined a retracted paper on "protein transistors" by Yu Shiun Chen that claimed impossible performance metrics (50kb reads better than last-generation DNA sequencing), while sharing related patents (US20150065353, US8697469) on biological computing interfaces.

• A retracted article about DNA potentially having superconducting properties was discussed, with participants noting that despite the retraction, the concept remains scientifically interesting and similar approaches were pursued by companies like PacBio.