2022-07-26T12:41:48-07:00 2021-12-31 990 2021-01-01 460738285 Baltimore Under Ground Science Space Inc BALT 4434528498 101 North Haven Street Suite 105 Baltimore MD 21224 Thomas Burkett PhD president 4434528498 2022-05-31 1 11 1 AAL2 X 2021 2022-09-23 18:48:47Z Thomas J Burkett PhD 14 Howard Avenue Catonsville MD 21228 202106 0 X bugssonline.org X 2012 MD Baltimore Under Ground Science Space, Inc.'s (BUGSS) mission is to foster a community of citizen scientists, who can explore biotechnology in a safe, constructive, and socially-responsible manner. A community laboratory that promotes education and understanding of biotechnology, BUGSS does so by offering courses, informational talks, community projects, workshops, student science-fair assistance, and an open laboratory, where individuals can conduct biotechnology experiments. At BUGSS, we believe that biotechnology and synthetic biology are the fabrication technologies of the future, and a key component of a sustainable economy in the mid-Atlantic region. 8 8 1 0 0 0 24799 2967 27028 170338 0 0 9981 28801 61808 202106 0 0 0 0 1534 2584 0 0 0 49136 129972 50670 132556 11138 69550 28323 100638 6043 8808 22280 91830 See page 1, Part I, 1. 0 0 69546 0 151886 Program 1, Community and Individual Member Projects. Central to BUGSS' mission is providing laboratory space to individuals and groups within our community, who wish to conduct experiments of their own design. Individuals pay membership fees to BUGSS that enable them to access equipment and facilities in the BUGSS laboratory, as well as a small amount of disposable reagents. In this way, we dramatically reduce startup costs for those interested in pursuing high-risk, non-traditional, multidisciplinary, and early-stage projects. In 2021, the BUGSS laboratory supported two community projects. In the first, the Inner Harbor Project, eight BUGSS members extracted and sequenced DNA from samples of organism communities in Baltimore's Inner Harbor. Collaborating with scientists at Baltimore's Institute of Marine and Environmental Technology (IMET), BUGSS members analyzed DNA sequencing and environmental-quality data to identify all of the organisms living throughout the Harbor community. The second, Open Insulin, was an initiative to synthesize and produce insulin at community scale, to compete with high-cost insulin analogs produced by pharmaceutical companies. BUGSS members devised strategies to insert the DNA of insulin analogs into bacterial and yeast cells, and induce the cells to produce the pro-insulin form of the protein, and they collaborated with scientists at UMBC to identify and confirm the protein produced. Experiments continue, to scale up production of the two forms of insulin (long-acting glargine and short-acting lispro). In addition to our community projects, we had individual members who pursued projects, ranging from the production of plant cellulose in bacteria to the engineering of bacteria to support corals against environmental change, and genetic engineering of plant species for which few genetic tools currently exist. We also increased our support for early-stage entrepreneurs, with four companies now being based at BUGSS to conduct research in our facility. Two participate in our joint membership program with HarborLaunch Associates at IMET, thereby benefitting from the scientific resources at BUGSS and the business and legal resources provided to HarborLaunch. 8031 0 6367 Program 2, iGEM. In 2021, BUGSS hosted, sponsored, and mentored the Baltimore Bio-Crew, a team competing in the 2021 international Genetically Engineered Machines competition (iGEM). We provided mentoring for the team throughout the spring and summer, in both in-person and virtual formats. Students met via Zoom to design experiments, to research the social and ethical implications of their project, to interview experts, and to produce poster and video presentations of their project. They also attended BUGSS on Saturdays to conduct their laboratory work, this year focused on genetically engineering bacteria to produce neurotransmitters that could combat depression and anxiety for those who are reluctant or unable to use prescription drugs for these conditions. Our program accomplishments include the establishment of a team of eighteen high school students from Baltimore City and surrounding counties, and seven mentors who were professional scientists, plus postbaccalaureate and graduate students. The team attended the virtual 2021 iGEM Jamboree where they earned a silver medal. 1531 0 9038 Program 3, Youth Courses and School Programs. BUGSS also offers courses to groups of students (school programs) in partnership with other local nonprofits and by direct recruitment of student populations such as home-schooled students. Due to the COVID pandemic, we developed and taught a new course for students this year, At-Home Microbiology, in collaboration with scientists from Carnegie Institute of Washington and Project Bioeyes. In addition, we delivered our What's Living In The Harbor? course virtually for home-schooled students. Our four courses averaged twelve students each and were able to provide additional and supplemental STEM opportunities during a time when students were cut off from other STEM out-of-school programming. 39070 0 3047 Program 4, Adult Courses and Seminars. BUGSS teaches courses to members and the general public, exploring aspects of modern biotechnology, bioinformatics, genetics, and molecular biology, and focusing on teaching participants concepts and laboratory techniques. While our offerings are usually in-depth, hands-on laboratory courses, in-person offerings were limited in 2021 due to the pandemic. In person, we offered Meat Mimicry: The Science Behind Burgers Without Blood, in collaboration with the Johns Hopkins Alternative Protein Project. Online, we offered Seeing, Learning, and Memory Through The Microscope, in which participants had the opportunity to analyze biological data in a virtual format. Additionally, we hosted an Agar Art workshop in which participants could create living artwork, and Raaz: A Multimedia Bio-Art Installation, a public presentation of a member's art-science project conducted at BUGSS. We also offered fourteen seminars, trivia nights, and book clubs, serving 301 people. Topics included Disruptive Innovations To Reduce Healthcare Costs, COVID-19: Vaccines And Variants, Zombie Ants And Brother Killers: Ecology And Evolution Of Fungal Pathogens, A Developmentally-Informed Approach To Youth Justice, Privacy And Security Of Genetic Information, and Healthy Harbor And Mr. Trash Wheel. 39070 0 3047 118178 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 3 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 X 8 8 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 1 1 1 1 1 0 1 1 0 MD X Lisa Scheifele PhD 4434528498 101 North Haven Street Suite 105 Baltimore MD 21224 Joel Tyson director 1.00 0 X 2400 0 0 Thomas Burkett president 2.00 0 X X 0 0 0 Linda Saffer secretary 1.00 0 X X 0 0 0 Michael Johnson treasurer 1.00 0 X X 0 0 0 Lisa Scheifele director 10.00 0 X 0 0 0 Anne Hamburger director 1.00 0 X 0 0 0 Jennifer Winters director 1.00 0 X 0 0 0 Nina Rajpurohit director 1.00 0 X 0 0 0 2400 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2967 0 2967 Adult Courses and Seminars 813990 3047 3047 0 0 Youth Courses and School Programs 813990 9038 9038 0 0 iGEM 813990 6367 6367 0 0 Community and Individual Member Projects 813990 151886 151886 0 0 0 0 0 0 170338 0 0 0 0 0 donations, non-programmatic 813990 2970 2970 0 0 grants, non-programmatic 813990 24000 24000 0 0 sales of equipment, and other 813990 1831 1831 0 0 0 0 0 0 28801 202106 199139 0 0 X 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2400 2400 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 184 184 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1007 0 1007 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 78 78 0 0 101 0 101 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 35567 26278 9289 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1741 0 1741 0 2240 0 2240 0 89238 89238 0 0 132556 118178 14378 0 18958 75467 0 0 0 0 7856 500 0 0 0 0 0 0 296 173 1213 1164 26175 2841 0 23334 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 28323 100638 6043 8808 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 6043 8808 X 22280 91830 0 0 22280 91830 28323 100638 69550 0 0 0 0 0 X 1 X 0 1 0 X 99651 118898 26825 51827 180282 477483 13627 24599 29801 9931 1831 79789 0 0 0 0 17026 17026 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 113278 143497 56626 61758 199139 574298 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 574298 17 0 0 0 0 17 0 0 0 0 0 0 17 0 0 0 0 17 0 0 0 0 0 0 6533 5176 4503 50 2967 19229 119828 148673 61129 61808 202106 593544 0.96757 0.96 0.00003 0.0001 X Schedule A, Part III, Line 12 Fees, $2,000; other, $967. RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED RESTRICTED 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 26175 2841 23334 0 0 0 0 23334 Form 990, Header, Line C U. S. taxpayers, including not-for-profit, tax-exempt organizations, wishing to perpetuate their de minimis safe-harbor election from year to year are required to append such election, annually and every tax year, to the rear of the return's filing. Such election is made here, having the same force as if appended. Section 1.263(A)-1(F) De Minimis Safe-Harbor Election. Taxpayer name: Baltimore Under Ground Science Space, Inc.; Taxpayer address: 101 North Haven Street, Suite 105, Baltimore, MD 21224; Taxpayer FEIN: 46-0738285. Taxpayer hereby makes the de minimis safe-harbor election under Regulation 1.263(A)-1(F). Form 990, Part VI, Section B, Line 11b A draft of the complete 2021 Form 990 and supporting schedules was reviewed by senior officers and the finance committee, followed by a review and sign-off by the full Board of Directors early in Q2 of 2022. All parties reviewed the data and had an opportunity to offer refinements to narrative language, as well as the overall presentation. The independent account also reviewed the draft. Copies of the 2021 Form 990 package were provided to the full Board of Directors before it was filed with Internal Revenue Service (IRS), and the 2021 Form 990 filing, with supporting schedules, was electronically submitted to IRS shortly after approval. Form 990, Part VI, Section B, Line 12c Semi-annually, members of management and members of the Board of Directors are required to review and sign a conflict-of-interest form disclosing any such issues. Forms are reviewed to ensure compliance, and any areas of concern are thoroughly discussed and remedied at the time, and throughout the year. Board members having a conflict of interest are required to recuse themselves from voting on matters for which they have a conflict. Form 990, Part VI, Section B, Line 15 In contemplation of new hirings, management consults industry pay scales for guidance, documenting such information and decision-making in contemporaneous minutes of Board of Directors meetings. Form 990, Part VI, Section C, Line 19 The organization maintains copies of its governing documents, conflict-of-interest policy, whistleblower policy, and financial statements, which are available for inspection during regular business hours at the organization's office. The organization complies with all requests (written or oral) for copies of these documents. Form 990, Part IX, Line 24e Bank charges, $50; delivery and shipping, $721; disposals, $150; fees, $1,049; internet, $1,800; permits, $150; postage, $11; stipend, $52,002; subscriptions; $27; supplies, $29,706; personal property tax, $16; unemployment tax, $53; utilities, $3,503.