Team:NMU China/Notebook

Administrative Work:
Publicity: IGEM competition was advertised in our synthetic Biology class!
Recruiting: We collected nearly 100 students who were interested in participating in the iGEM competition!
First Training: Email etiquette and Synthetic Biology
Second Training: Analysis of iGEM award conditions

Laboratory Work:
Literature Reading and Learning: Understanding recent developments and research methods related to COVID-19.

Human Practice:
Promotion of Synthetic Biology: We held a synthetic biology awareness session for freshman, sharing project content as well as overview and applications of synthetic biology from previous years, especially in the areas of disease treatment and diagnosis, food production, and environmental governance.
HP Sharing: We read the iGEM integrated HP award conditions and shared HP's best cases.

Communication and Education:
We introduced synthetic biology and iGEM to freshmen
we participated in the data review and partial compilation of the synthetic biology study manual.

Administrative Work:
Homework: Read related literature and submitted a review.
First Presentation: Analysis of Excellent wiki over the years
Best wishes for the New Year! We prepared New Year gifts (cards and team USB flash disks) for each team member.

Laboratory Work:
Learning theoretical knowledge related to experiment: plasmid construction, cell culture, lentivirus transfection, etc.

Human Practice:
Expert Interview: On the treatment of COVID-19 patients, we interviewed Professor Li Chengzhong, Director of the Infection Division of Changhai Hospital. We initially established the theme "Treatment of COVID-19 patients, particularly for those severe cases with a high risk of hyperinflammation" and continued to seek possible treatment options.

Communication and Education:
We participated in the data review and partial compilation of the synthetic biology study manual.

Administrative Work:
Third Training: Academic English writing standards

Laboratory Work:
Brainstorm: Student members were encouraged to raise ideas about the project this year. After discussion with professors and instructors, the direction of this year's project was set as cell therapy for COVID-19. We began to do a lot of literature research and constantly improved our project design.

Human Practice:
Expert Interview: After literature research, we interviewed the immunology professor Han Chaofeng and doctor Dong Yuchao from Naval Medical University. We understood the specific relation between infection and COVID-19. The professor suggested that we start with the CAR cell therapy which is a cynosure. And professor Han suggested that CAR components should enhance cells’ phagocytic capacity and decrease the release of cytokines. At the same time, doctor Dong stated that we need to design a cytokines’ sensor in order to seek proper time for therapy.

Communication and Education:
Through intention investigation and application for courses, our team members facilitated the opening of synthetic biology elective course in our school.
We participated in the data review and partial compilation of the synthetic biology study manual.

Administrative Work:
Second Presentation: Interpretation of champion projects in the past years Registered and paid the registration fee

Laboratory Work:
IGEM safety and security rules learning

Human Practice:
Expert Interview: Professor Han Chaofeng pointed out that our project are limited for only novel coronaviruses, and we’d better further consider the inflammatory response that mediated by cell fragments. We continued to optimize the experimental design. Also, he suggested that we should focus on bi-directional regulation so CAR-macrophages can improve immune response at the early stage of COVID-19 for recovery and decrease it later for safety.
Establish Cooperation with Lanzhou University: We have identified long-term and in-depth cooperation with LZU in HP, experiments and model.
“Virus Police” Seven-school Seminar: we gather teams from China in the past two years with the theme of novel coronavirus diagnosis and treatment to hold a seminar for seven schools, namely “Virus”. During this period, we received specific suggestions on the competition.

Communication and Education:
We compiled four articles on antibody banking and CAR-T therapy, and displayed them on our WeChat official account.

Administrative Work:
Brainstorm: Determined the direction of the project

Laboratory Work:
Basic Operation training: New team members stepped into the lab and began to learn experimental skill.

Human Practice:
Public education: Due to the repeated outbreaks in the country, we mainly pushed out education of popular science. According to the results of the questionnaire survey, we first identified the topics: the application of synthetic immunity, the introduction of COVID-19, the treatment plan and principles of COVID-19 patients.
Project Manual Production: Complete the production of the project manual, to provide assistance for the follow-up team to carry out publicity and education activities.
Suggestions for the Rural Elderly in the Epidemic: We interviewed Dr. Zhang You, who supported Wuhan last year, to understand the inconvenience of the rural elderly living conditions under the conditions of the domestic epidemic. Then we wrote "Reflections and Suggestions on the Basic Life and Medical Security of The Elderly in Rural under the Epidemic", delivering them to the relevant departments and expecting to be answered.

Communication and Education:
Questionnaire Survey: After establishing the project theme, we designed a questionnaire on the degree, method and content of the public's understanding of cellular immunotherapy. We collected 300 questionnaires and analyzed them to establish a final publicity plan.

Administrative Work:
CCiC (Conference of China iGEMer Community) registration
Confirmed as presentation candidates

Laboratory Work:
Carried out detailed project design and experimental feasibility analysis

Human Practice:
Project promotion: We used multiple platforms for creative video production of synthetic biology, with videos posted by our team members.

Communication and Education:
We made science popularization videos on synthetic biology and vaccination for Sars-Cov-2 and we uploaded them on the video website.

Administrative Work:
Third presentation: Each group reported the latest work progress
Promotion video
Filled in the Check - in forms

Laboratory Work:
Brainstorm and modify the design: Added IL-6 receptors to control the activation of Silent-CAR

Human Practice:
Popular science adjustment: For large-scale outbreaks in many parts of the country, we adjusted the content and object of popular science. At the same time, we analyzed the reasons for the failure of prevention and control of many previous outbreaks, making recommendations to the relevant departments to help prevent disease.
Expert Interview: We asked professor Guo Meng to evaluate the overall design of our project. He proposed that the existing IL-6 receptors need to be improved so that in the early stage of novel coronavirus infection, macrophages could initially convert to Kill CAR for an immune response, and in the late stage of infection, they could convert to Silent CAR to avoid further upregulation of inflammatory factors.

Communication and Education:
We start to write our education package. We first conducted data review, research on education, proposal planning and collaboration discussion.

Administrative Work:
Formed a paper on the relationship between our synthetic biology curriculum and the iGEM competition
Attended CCiC

Laboratory Work:
Plasmid construction of the main experiment was carried out
Completed CAR Macrophages construction

Human Practice:
Team Building Management Sharing Conference: We asked National University of Defense Technology, which has won the iGEM Gold Award for many years, about the construction of the iGEM team at the military academy.
Collaboration with NUDT-China: We achieved agreement with NUDT-China in the aspects of experimental collaboration, proposed some advice and received feedback so as to revise our project.
Collaboration with High School: We provided technical guidance to four high school teams in China, who also raised questions about the failure of macrophage treatment when the viral load was too high. We used model to verify this problem. At the same time, we asked professor Yin from affiliated hospital to help them solve the problem of experimental model.

Communication and Education:
The content of the education package began to be written. During this period, we conducted interviews and communications with stakeholders.

Administrative Work:
Made track selection on our Team Information Page

Laboratory Work:
Finish the experiments of characterization
SARS-CoV-2 Pseudovirus and Cell Infection Experiments
Phagocytosis Assay
Analysed inflammatory cytokines released by CAR macrophages

Human Practice:
Hold a project sharing meeting with team Worldshaper-Shanghai. Helped the team contact the interviewee, Professor Yin you.
Academic Evaluation: In order to evaluate the application of this therapy in real clinical environment, we interviewed Dr. Du Juan from the Hematology Department of Shanghai Changzheng Hospital since cell therapy is mostly used in the field of hematology at present. She gave us specific suggestions based on treatment cost and patient compliance. At the same time, she popularized the deficiency of current laws and regulations in relevant fields in real scenes, providing guidance for our investigation of laws and regulations in this field.
Industrial Evaluation: In order to explore the development of this therapy in the commercial environment, we investigated cell therapy companies in Shanghai, drafted a business plan based on what we learned, and evaluated the development of the future commercialization of this therapy with Mr. Gao, director of investment Banking Division of Guosen Securities in Shanghai.

Communication and Education:
The education package was put into use and feedback was obtained. We started to produce children’s book.
We investigated related information of cellular immunotherapy, including policy, business and insurance.

Administrative Work:
Submitted team project title and abstract
Completed safety form
Finished wiki

Laboratory Work:
An improved experiment was carried out

Human Practice:
Completed the education package: We have completed the education package covering the content of synthetic biology in the fields of disease treatment, environmental management, etc. After the review of education experts, the volunteer teaching team of three school, including our school, Lanzhou University and Ocean University of China began to share synthetic biology education package resources to help children in poor areas receive scientific education.

Communication and Education:
Education package application in progress. Children’s book collection started.