Team:SZ SHD/Entrepreneurship
Entrepreneurship
As a team of high school students, we're not necessarily more advanced in synthetic biology than any other team, but we want to emulate other synthetic biology companies and beauty companies. The Alpha Gel project is built as a product to provide consumers with the benefits of biotechnology, which is also the original intention of our entrepreneur idea. During Human Practices, as a biological hair removal manufacturer, our team has sorted out a product research and development process, which includes three parts: preliminary research, research and development, and product promotion.
Marketing Research
1. Competitive Analysis
In the market research stage, we conducted an interview and research on the beauty cosmetics market related to hair removal. On the one hand, to understand the market situation; on the other hand, understand consumer needs.In more detail, we learned from beauty bloggers and analyzed competing products.
2. Consumer Research
As described in the Human Practices section, in the first phase of the project, we participated in the China International Cosmetics Exhibition held in Suzhou, which gave us a good opportunity to really see the technology applied in the cosmetics industry, including emulsion, gel, laser, protein freeze-drying technology and so on. We did send questionnaires to different groups of people, whether they were in the cosmetics industry or not, to get more comprehensive and reliable data on their thoughts and expectations about appropriate hair removal products.These feedbacks include customers' preferences on the quality, price and compliance of enzyme-based hair removal products, and the feedback content is made into a statistical chart of consumer demand survey displayed in the Description section.
Research and Development
1. Method development
Plasmid construction and protein purification
The optimized sequences of four keratinases KerBIMKU3 (BBa_K3895005), KerBteQ7 (BBa_K3895004), KerBIER15 (BBa_K3895006), and KerAVDZ50 (BBa_K3895003) were constructed into PET 28a (+) plasmids separately, which contains karnamycin resistance genes for colony selection and lacI for Isopropyl β-D-thiogalactoside (IPTG) induction.
Two iterations of purification methods were developed: using discharged Ni-risen beads or purification columns. Through trial and error, the most effective method was developed from the two methods, and has been evaluated based on several aspects including efficiency, practicality, and simplicity.
2. Effectiveness verification of keratinases
To test keratinase activity, qualitative and quantitative experiments were performed, including testing the effect in artificial and natural substrates.And on porcine skin and hair clippings. Through data analysis, mathematical modeling was carried out to select the most suitable protease and find out the best activity of protease.
The keratinase that has been proved to be effective in a pilot experiment is moved on to the next step: trail development and scale-up production.
Trail Development
Iteration I
The first generation of α-Gel only concentrates and preserves keratinase (KU3 and Q7). There are still many defects in practical applications, such as transportation and storage, and usage methods.
Iteration II
The second generation of α-Gel was packaged in a sodium alginate capsule, of which the shell can protect the keratinase from degradation. The packaging method was developed in collaboration with NDNF and tested, and the data showed that the hydrogel packaging did indeed prolong keratinase activity compared to normal liquid storage.
Therefore, based on the partnership with NDNF, the α-Gel product has been iterated into hydrogel packages. The packaging method includes :
1. Preparation of keratinase-alginate core
2. Packaging in hard dense capsules
Details of the process can be found in Protocol section. The thickness of hydrogel capsule determined on the time of crosslinking.
Furthermore, future commercial products have undergone effect testing and packaging design.
Iteration III
The third generation was developed based on the collaboration with FAFU_China, whose aromatic ingredients were used in the gel to prevent a non-desirable scent from the keratin. As discussed with professionals from COTY Beauty, skincare products containing enzymes and proteins always have a bad scent.
Promotion and Marketing
Logo & Mascot
We designed a product logo inspired by alpha keratin, which is contained in hair, and iterated on the logo design. The current logo is more lively and lovely, in line with the positioning of beauty makeup products. And our mascot (check out on our Home page), which evolved from the love story of rambutan and lychee, represents the product image: whether hairy or not, people's aesthetic is free.
Promotion Video
The love story of rambutan and lychee is also filmed in our promotion video, which tells the story of rambutan and lovely Miss Lychee falling in love, but suffering from "allergy" to Miss Lychee caused by their furry appearance, they have to find SZ_SHZ for hair removal, which is processed by α Gel. He successfully shed his hair and lived happily with Miss Lychee at the end of the story.
Product Publicity
We explained the concept of our project to the public at school lectures and publicity agencies, and tried our best to popularize the knowledge of synthetic biology. Also, we are running a social media acount on Wechat (id: AlphaGel).
Manufacture
In terms of production, in order to learn the production process, we specially visited Intercos - the world's largest skincare OEM. Inspired by this, we not only design the hair removal product itself, but also think about the product packaging. As one of the key point in manufacturing process, product packaging is also very important, bright packaging is easier to attract consumers. Since the AlphaGEL also has a potential usage in hair softening, we design a series of softening products for Hair Salon. The packages were finally made and shape for use.
