We are strongly aware of the significance of communication and cooperation on the development and functioning of the project. It is also extensive and adequate communication that can promote the progress and development of science. We always keep in contact and make cooperation with other teams when expanding and implementing our pre-developed programs. This year, iGEM HUST-China has cooperated in a diverse way with other iGEM teams. We have organized and participated in events such as Central China Meetup, Yeast Meetup, etc., and have built in-depth alliances with multiple teams. In addition, utilizing relevant project experience and knowledge, we have provided a variety of help and guidance to some teams.

1 Cooperation Between Teams

1.1 Cooperations

Central China Union

As the organizer, iGEM HUST-China assembled main enrolled iGEM teams in central China: HUST-China, HUST2-China, WHU-China, HZAU-China, NUDT-China and CSU-China. After iGEM HUST-China's proposal and joint discussions, all the teams have successfully reached a long-term consensus of strong collaboration. During the development of the project in the past six months, Central China Union as an exoteric platform, provided all participating members with opportunities for communication & cooperation in various aspects such as discussion on experimental operation, collaboration on Education, consulting about Human Practice, etc., promoting the shared development of iGEM teams in central China.

Members

Figure 1: WHU-China

WHU-China's project aims at acne caused by such factors and hopes to develop a drug for acne treatment with less side effects and convenience. On the one hand, the engineering bacteria have stronger ability to break down fatty acids, unblocking the pores, which will destroy the anaerobic environment. On the other hand their engineering bacteria can secrete bacteriocin which is able to kill acnes.

Figure 2: CSU-China

CSU-China's project aims to find a new method of treating type l diabetes with the help of synthetic biology. Their engineered cells will be implanted subcutaneously by mature embedding technology. Blue light activates the automatic insulin production pathway in the cell.

Figure 3: HZAU-China

HZAU-China aims to develop a method based on synthetic biology to detect IBD at an early stage. The engineered bacteria have the capability to sense the concentration. Their engineered bacteria will be enhanced since heterologous health-care units are constantly produced.

Figure 4: NUDT-China

Integrating with a raspberry pie-based blue light illumination device, NUDT-China's system enables convenient control of cell cycle synchronization and remote spatiotemporal control of cell division. Their work may provide novel tools for fundamental research and therapeutic purposes, including dealing with complex diseases like superficial cancer, melanoma, psoriasis or chronic skin wounds, which are all caused by cell abnormal division.

Figure 5: HUST2-China

HUST2-China designed an engineered bacteria that can bind to the base of the mask express two fusion proteins under infrared-induced condition. The two fusion proteins can be aggregated into nanospheres to achieve killing and blocking of Propionibacterium acnes. Inflammation can achieve the purpose of curing acne and repairing the skin.

NWU-China-A

Figure 6: NWU-China

NWU-China-A project this year is the production of Tyrian Purple. Due to natural yield little, difficulty in chemosynthesis and the potential pollution, its high yield production hasn't been realized. Therefore, they plan implement a two-cell reaction by spatiotemporally separating the two consecutive procedures of the production, so that the enzyme in tyrian purple metabolic pathway could achieve its highest efficiency. Since our project also relates to pigments, we quickly reached an agreement to collaborate after having an in-depth understanding of each other's projects. We exchanged suggestions and experimental experiences on intracellular expression to jointly promote the development of project. In the later stages of the experiment, we received the dye products from NWU-China and explored the best conditions for coloring together.

ZJU-China

Figure 7: ZJU-China

ZJU-China's project designed a genetically modified adenovirus using synthetic biology approach to overcome current problems with oncolytic virus. We also enables engineered adenovirus to escape from immunity trap with immune camouflage, which increases the titre of viral infection. It is highly hoped that our project can give a new insight into precise oncolytic of HCC.

HUST-China team have made collaboration with ZJU-China and have made a visit to Zhejiang University. During the visit, we have made detailed discussion and have given advice to each other on various aspects, such as the composition of our team structure, recruitment model, development, project progress, from which we have learned valuable experience from each other.

UCAS-China

Figure 8: UCAS-China

We had an offline meeting with the UCAS-China team to provide advice on each other's projects. In addition, we also exchanged the work of team building and training of new members, and reached a cooperative intention on building an iGEM mooc community.

The UCAS-China team failed to purify the protein many times, and we advised them on their team experience.

Their products and hardware designs give us inspiration. For the sake of user acceptance, we can cross-link the relevant enzymes in the reaction container and add substrate solution to produce pigment directly.

Our two teams teach synthetic biology to freshmen every year, and in this exchange, we reached a cooperative intention to build a mooc community based on iGEM team. At the same time, UCAS-China team members also have a great interest in Mr.Tony products, they are willing to help us promote Brave color challenge.

CAU-China

Figure 9: CAU-China

CAU-China hopes to treat the saline-alkali land through y-PGA by soil bacteria Corynebacterium glutamicum using synthetic biology. They transfer the related genes from Bucillus subtilis into C glutamicum to make it use glutamate to produce y-PGA.

The HUST-China team responded to THEU-China's summon to conduct a volunteer lecture on synthetic biology for all college students in the Beijing community. In addition, we exchanged and discussed information and commented on each other's projects, and HUST-China provided advice to CAU-China on the questionnaire.

UESTC-China

Figure 10: UESTC-China

UESTC-China sent us their product, a special piece of paper. Then we took pictures with the paper in our school famous places to help them popularize their product.

1.2 Guidance

Worldshaper-Nanjing

Figure 11: Worldshaper-Nanjing

HUST-China's modeling team members organized an online meetup with the Worldshaper-Nanjing team on August 24 to give guidance to this team about the fermenter design. The Worldshaper-Nanjing team member first introduced the team's current fermenter design and asked the our team for guidance. Our leader made suggestions about optimization of the details of the fermenter, such as the type and number of blades in the mixing paddle, the number of bezels, the number and type of detectors, etc.; After the meeting, HUST-China shared information about fermenter design with Worldshaper-Nanjing.

Yeast Union

Figure 12: Yeast Union

We participate in the construction of the Yeast Union as the first generation of managers. The Yeast Union is committed to constructing the construction of the synthesis biology of yeast chassis, providing a rich experimental experience and standard experimental process for subsequent IGEM entities, making them less detours. We actively participated in the first ever yeast meetup, aiming at promoting the collaboration for teams opted yeast as the chassis organism. HUST-China set up a discussion about issues like conditions to induce expression of yeast and measures to prevent bacteria contamination. Later our team edited the meetup video and shared the protocols used in experiment involving yeast.

We united NWU-CHINA-B, UESTC-China, CPU-CHINA and other teams to complete a handbook on Pichia pastoris, which aims to exchange experimental experience while leaving a valuable asset for future experimental teams.

2 Conferences and Meetups

2.1 Central China Meetup

Figure 13: Central China Meetup

In order to strengthen the exchange of inter-regional events, promote learning and mutual assistance among teams, and promote the in-depth development of synthetic biology, the HUST-China team hosted 2021 iGEM Central China Meetup. The participating teams exchanged their respective projects and put forward suggestions for improvement to each other, and helped each other at many levels. In the end, all the teams also successfully reached a consensus on long-term cooperation, formed a Central China Union, and worked closely in the follow-up schedule.

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Central-China-Meetup

10:00a.m. 7/10 2021 iGEM Central China Meetup ran the opening smoothly in the meeting room 717 in the College of Life Science and Technology. Several iGEM teams, respectively from Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan University, Huazhong Agricultural University, National University of Defense Technology, Central South University participated in the meeting.

Figure 14: Central China Meetup

At the beginning of the conference, Changxin Fan, team leader of HUST-China made the opening speech and expressed his sincere welcome to all the iGEM teams. In the morning, each team presented the project and made a related Q&A one by one. Each team gave detailed introductions of their projects on project design, experimental processes, modeling development, and comprehensive practices, and carefully answered questions from members from other teams. In addition, participants generously made sincere suggestions for things to improve of each project, promoting win-win cooperation between the teams more deeply.

After a pleasant lunch and photo-shooting, the meetup entered the free discussion part. Participating Teams friendly discussed on four sections, namely experimental design, modeling, human practice process, and team management. The questions and doubts raised by each team have been effectively and adequately addressed. In the end, all the teams also succeeded in reaching a long-term consensus on collaboration, and the meetup came to a smooth and.

The development of the 2021 iGEM China-Central Meetup has promoted communication and collaboration among iGEM teams. The teams have found shortcomings in their individual projects, gave a hand to each other and progress together, reached a long-term consensus on etensive cooperation, and created a harmonious and friendly iGEM community atmosphere.

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2.2 Yeast Meetup

Figure 15: Yeast Meetup

We actively participated in the first ever yeast meetup, aiming at promoting the collaboration for teams opted yeast as the chassis organism. Team members from UESTC shared their knowledge about pichia pastoris including promoters that has been used and the pros and cons of choosing it as the expression vector. They also raised some problems met or conquered during experiments like the low expression of the yeast. Our team, along with CPU-China presented our project and also communicated with each other about issues like conditions to induce expression of yeast and measures to prevent bacteria contamination.

2.3 CCiC8

In the 8th China Conference of iGEM Competition (iGEM CCiC8), hosted by Fudan University, which ended on August 29th, hundreds of iGEMer and thousands of audiences participated offline or through the livestream. The theme of the conference, Overcoming Challenges, highlighted the belief of young enthusiasts on synthetic biology to collaborate and forge ahead to overcome the challenges of the future.

After two days of defence, discussion and voting, only 12 teams qualified for the award, and HUST-China's Mr. Tony project won Active Participation Award in the event and the 3rd place in the industrial circuit, and was well received by the students, teachers and judges.

2.4 Zhejiang Meetup

Figure 16: Zhejiang Meetup

On July 15th, HUST-China went to Zhejiang University to visit ZJU-China's team lab and held an offline meetup. We shared our project and make suggestion on project to each other. This collaboration made us have a deeper thinking on our project and a further understanding about the actual application of the project.

During the meetup, ZJU-China specially invited HiZJU-China and ZJUT-China to join this meetup together. All teams have shared their ideas of project design. After meetup, members of ZJU-China leaded us to visit their laboratory and invited us to have lunch together. In a pleasant atmosphere, we have made communication in details about several perspectives such as the member structure, the ways of recruitment, the team development and the progress of the project, and we have gained precious experience from each other.

Participating Team:

Figure 17: Participating Team

2.5 SynBio United

Figure 18: SynBio United

SynBio United aims to build an international synthetic biology community with the headquarters of regional synthetic biology organizations, providing a platform for these organizations to communicate and help them find common goals. HUST-China was actively involved in SynBio United, interacting with synthetic biology scholars and organizations around the world to identify regional challenges, and to explore what things should be done to overcome difficulties and embrace the future of synthetic biology together.

Your project was ultimately completed with the guidance of such a great deal of collaboration, communication and hands-on practice! Let's see how you make contributions to the whole world! Just Take a look at the fourth part: Broaden the impact immediately.