Summary
In the process of project promotion, considering that the implementation of the concept
of synthetic biology has a long way to go in China, especially in the student groups in
the underdeveloped areas of educational resources in the central and western regions. According
to the results of our questionnaire, the public does not have a high degree of understanding of
new therapeutic tools and novel coronavirus-related knowledge, so we are determined to carry out
some educational activities to popularize these knowledge to the public. Therefore, we carried
out a series of activities to increase the public’s understanding of synthetic biology and other
related knowledge: making educational materials according to different target groups and
entering the school to promote, making picture books,cartoons in an interesting and vivid
way and publishing popular science content through the network platform. Happily, we got a
good response.
At the same time, we realize that only by continuous exchange of learning can we find our
shortcomings and learn from experience. During the exchange and discussion, the team can learn
a lot of knowledge, and then optimize and improve the experimental projects, which is very
precious to us.
1 Education package
In order to popularize the knowledge of synthetic biology better and introduce the two therapies
of LZU-CHINA and NMU_China, we plan to collaborate with the NMU_China plan to develop education
packages, promote iGEM competition and synthetic biology, help the cause of education.
We targetedly planned education packages for students of different ages from primary school, junior high
school and high school. LZU-CHINA has also worked with the Darwin Association of Lanzhou University
to carry out educational activities and to use the education package as one of the promotional materials
of the Darwin Association of Lanzhou University. At the same time, in order to make the education package
have a broader and deeper impact, We also work
with NEU_CHINA carried out educational activities in Shenyang No. 20 middle school through team cooperation.
Even if the pandemic separates many iGEM teams, the bridge of communication and cooperation between
iGEM teams cannot be blocked. We will also provide educational kits and promotional materials to
poorer areas and guide their use. Assist biology education and promote synthetic biology.
Fig.1. PPT cover of education package
Fig.2. NEU_CHINA member introduces COVID-19
2 Environmental education
On September 14,2021, we cooperated with the Darwin Association of Lanzhou University to
conduct educational activities on iGEM and our team's experimental projects in the primary
school affiliated to Lanzhou University in Gansu Province. Promote iGEM and synthetic biology
to students in a preaching way.
We conducted friendly and close exchanges with the students of the affiliated primary schools
of Lanzhou University in the course of the presentation. Students responded enthusiastically
and actively interacted with members of the LZU-CHINA speech team. This educational activity
has not only achieved good publicity, but also increased the biology education of primary
school students and the popularization of knowledge about the novel coronavirus.
Fig.3. LZU-CHINA member introduce the experimental project
Fig.4. LZU-CHINA member communicate and interact with primary school students
Fig.5. Students display flags
3 “Cell Factory” picture books
Fig.6. Picture book making discussion Poster
Fig.7. Exhibition of Picture Book Cooperation Team Online Meeting
Sponsored by the NNU-China team, LZU-CHINA, UM_Macau, NMU_China, NWU-CHINA-B, and FZU-China teams worked together to carry
out popular science education for children. The six teams discussed the publicity content and the presentation
form of the picture book through online meetings. Finally, they decided to make a cartoon picture book entitled
"Cell Factory". The content of the picture book is to make the children better accept and understand our experimental
project content, CRISPR technology and iGEM competition mainly through vivid ways. Increase children's understanding
of iGEM and cultivate interest in synthetic biology.
Fig.8. LZU-CHINA's picture book content
4 Cartoon
In cooperation with the NMU_China, we visited the team related to SARS-CoV-2 detection in 2020.
It was found that the OUC-China team involved CRISPR/Cas system technology in their 2021 project,
so we contacted the OUC-China team in the later stage and determined further cooperation. After
discussion, according to the characteristics and specialized fields of the two teams, we identified
the content of cooperation: co-production of public tweets on the popular science of CRISPR/Cas system
technology in the form of cartoons. LZU-CHINA team members are responsible for comic painting, OUC-China
team members complete comic script and official account. After the completion of the comic content,
the two teams release the comics on their respective team's WeChat public account to promote CRISPR/Cas
system technology to the public.
Fig.9. Comics completed by OUC-China and LZU-CHINA
5 Media
LZU-CHINA team carried out extensive media publicity in the early stage of
the project. Publicity of iGEM and team projects and popularization of biological knowledge
for the public and people of all ages.
The team created the bilibili account LZU-iGEM in bilibili, China's large video community.
The content includes the display video of each team in the Environment section hosted
by the LZU-CHINA team in the China Meetup Online meeting conference, the Promotion Video
of the LZU-CHINA project, and so on. A total of hundreds of views were obtained, which
not only promoted the communication between teams, but also expanded the popularity of
LZU-CHINA team and iGEM, and publicized the knowledge of synthetic biology to the public.
Fig.10. Official bilibili account data of LZU-CHINA team
Fig.11. LZU-CHINA Team Official BiliBili Account
Since May 15,2021, LZU-CHINA has established its official public number LZU iGEM
on WeChat. As of October 1,2021, a total of 8 tweets were sent, including exchange
meetings, project background introduction, project content introduction, team member
introduction and cooperation results. In only five months the LZU-CHINA official
public account received, a total of 1'008 times of reading, 57 praise, and the number
of subscriptions increased steadily. Good social effect and publicity effect were obtained.
Fig.12. Official WeChat public number data of LZU-CHINA team
Fig.13. LZU-CHINA Team Official WeChat Public Number
6.Communication with other teams
1 Northwestern China iGEM Meetup
Fig.14. Northwestern China iGEM
Meetup poster
Fig.15. Northwestern China
iGEM Meetup online communication
In order to promote exchanges and cooperation between iGEM teams in northwest China,
and to communicate project design and progress, NWU-CHINA-A, as the organizer of the
event, with the assistance of CCiC, convened a real iGEM team exchange in northwest
China. Seven iGEM teams participated in the meeting: LZU-CHINA, NPU-CHINA, NWU-CHINA-B, DUT_China, XJTU-China and NWU-CHINA-A. This online meeting not only strengthens the
links between teams, but also helps promote and carry out team projects by sharing
experiences and lessons in the process of team communication.
2 The 8th China Regional iGEMer Exchange Conference CCiC
Fig.16. The 8th China Regional
iGEMer Exchange Conference CCiC Opening Ceremony
The iGEM team in China jointly held the 8th China Regional iGEMer Conference (CCiC).
The offline venue is located in Fudan University in Shanghai, China. Hundreds of iGEMer and thousands
of visitors participate in the event through the combination of online and offline. The conference
invited representatives from the academic and industrial fields of synthetic biology to make wonderful
reports, with a total of 79 iGEM team demonstration projects.
At this conference, the various teams actively demonstrate their project progress and results,
the exchange and discussion between the team is also enthusiastic. Many iGEM teams have also
obtained valuable suggestions from judges after the project presentation, and then optimized
and improved the experimental projects. Our LZU-CHINA team successfully introduced the project
and explained the poster, and the experimental design was also unanimously affirmed by the
judges. Finally, our excellent performance has also achieved good results in the third place
of the group and won an active participation award. It also represents the affirmation of many
iGEM teams and judges for LZU-CHINA.
Fig.17. LZU-CHINA team
achievements display
3 ICII（into CHINA，into iGEM）
The education cooperation activity "ICII", co-sponsored by NAU-CHINA and
CPU-CHINA, which means "into China, into iGEM" and involves 18 iGEM teams
from China, including LZU-CHINA, aims to have a greater impact on synthetic
biology through the joint promotion of multiple teams throughout China, not
only enhanced the friendship between iGEM teams, but also increased communication
between iGEM teams in China. We have also produced a video of the lecture,
through the iGEM international stage, so that more people can see China's colorful.
4 Communication with BIT
Fig.18. Project exchange with BIT
On July 14, we had an offline communication with the members of the BIT team.
We introduced the experimental projects of the two teams and their current progress.
During the communication, we put forward some opinions and suggestions on the
progress of the BIT team project, such as "can miRNA be directly amplified as a sample?".
At the same time, the members of bit team also put forward some suggestions on our current
experimental ideas and methods, which made us realize that our design is incomplete.
The communication with BIT team makes our experimental design more complete, and we benefit a lot !
5 Short-term exchange
LZU-CHINA initiated short-term sessions prior to the start of the project
and conducted exchange sessions with SJTU-BioX-Shanghai, XHD-Wuhan-Pro-China,
LZU-HS-CHINA, Think_Edu_China, NJTech_China. During the exchange, we refined
and optimized our respective project plans and project descriptions, during
which we made some suggestions for improvement. It has helped shape and determined
our project plan.
