Difference between revisions of "Team:Aix-Marseille/Public Engagement"

Revision as of 14:42, 7 October 2018

PROJECT

PARTS

HUMAN PRACTICES

Education & Engagement

Collaborations

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Education & Engagement

Bed bugs infestations are increasing each and every year in Marseille and all over the world. The grounds of our breaking bugs project was that heavy increase. We wanted to help our local community as well as the whole world. We engaged in our society by going to as many fairs and gatherings as possible, with three main messages to deliver:

What is iGEM?
What are bed bugs and how to prevent infestations?
Engaging the public in the breaking bugs project.

Science market

Created in 2003, the science market is a place to exchange ideas and popularize science using interactive, accessible, and fun activities. The aim is to sharpen the scientific knowledge of the general public. At the market, we had two main products to sell to the public: synthetic biology and the current challenges, and the breaking bugs project.

We met kids and adults, succeeded in delivering our ideas, and got multiple feedbacks on the project. Furthermore, we met with researchers with whom we discussed the bioethics challenges surrounding our plan.

Science festival

The fête de la science or science festival is a national event that promotes scientific culture and, in a festive setting, exchanges between science and society! Led for 27 years by the French ministry of higher education, research, and innovation, it is a meeting point between the general public and the actors of science who through experimentation, debate, and exchange, offer the opportunity to build new knowledge and to form opinions about the issues facing our society.

To cover the most cities as possible, science villages are set up where universities, research institutes, associations, and companies occupy stands, each of them bringing several interactive experimentations. It is the diversity that contributes to the wealth and success of the festival.

Social housing union convention

The social housing union is a confederation which gathers all the French social landlords ie about 730 organisms managing 4.5 millions of housing. The sector, like many others, is confronted to bed bugs infestations. The union organized its national congress in Marseille on the 9th, 10th and 11th of October, bringing together around 22,000 people over 3 days and 10,000 social housing professionals. The congress was covered by about 90 journalists. Following our nationwide advertisement campaign, we got invited to the convention to present the breaking bugs project as an innovative solution to develop, for bed bugs infestations treatment, that can directly impact the inhabitants.

Biotechnology forum

In collaboration with Polytech Marseille, we were able to get a stand at the 19th biotechnology forum. The forum brings together students and professionals. Conferences are held to address the current challenges of biotechnology, which now occupy a major role in the health and environmental sectors. Participants were able to exchange with experts on the latest biotechnology advances. This year, four main topics were addressed: gene therapy, genetically modified organisms, the pharmaceutical industry, and genomics.

Our team took part in the forum with three main goals to achieve:

Promoting synthetic biology through presenting the iGEM organization.
Presenting the breaking bugs project and getting the community's feedback.
Recruiting engineers for next year's iGEM team.

European researchers night

The gathering aims to attract a public that is not familiar with science and awaken the desire to develop and maintain a connection with research after the event.

Through the art of storytelling, we engaged with the public in a game of exchange that enables all participants to critically discuss communication and to come to a better understanding of what research activity entails. Our team had two tales to share with the audience: synthetic biology and the breaking bugs project.

Survey study

Interviews with experts

Reaching out to experts was the key factor in shaping the breaking bugs project. By interviewing them, we had critical evaluations and feedbacks around our work. Furthermore, they pointed out the challenges we might face. We reached out to experts from multiple fields: finance, entomology, entrepreneurship...

Jean-Michel BERENGER

Mr. Jean-Michel BERENGER is one of the leading entomologists in France working on bed bugs. He was a true mentor throughout our whole project. We met with him at the IHU-MI (University Hospital Institute-Mediterranean Infection) in Marseille. He was one of the first person we met for human practices and gave us pointers about bed bugs: the different species, the infestation rates evolution in France and around the world, how to run tests on them, and the current challenges. Here you can find the entire interview he gave us: REUUUUUNIIIOOOONNN MERCREDI 10/10

Later on, we went to him to verify the relevance of our trap and get the proof of concept. Furthermore, he helped us with the trap design in order to find the safest application for future consumers. Mr. BERENGER gave us precious advices to develop our project.

Jean-Louis MONCLERC

Mr. Jean-Louis MONCLERC is an independent consultant and associate professor at Aix-Marseille University. We went to him to learn methods to captivate the sponsors and get them to support our project. Firstly, we presented the iGEM organization and its goals. Then, we talked about our project so he can help us engage the right sponsors. Furthermore, he gave pointers to the team members in charge of funding so they can enhance their productivity and get better results. His expertise and mentorship helped put the members on the right track towards getting the team's budget.

Olivier GREMAUD

Mr. Olivier GREMAUD is the founder of Cynoscan. The company trains dogs so they can quickly detect bed bugs. We reached out to them by email with a series of questions and concerns to help us shape the breaking bugs project. They were very encouraging and brought a collaboration opportunity to the light. The plan is as follows: prior to applying the trap in infested premises, they can intervene with their trained dogs to spot the areas where we can apply the trap. Along these lines, we are targetting the infestation, narrowing down the range of application, and increasing the trap's efficiency.

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 ===Jean-Michel BERENGER===
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-'''Mr. Jean-Michel BERENGER''' is one of the '''leading entomologists''' in France working on bed bugs. He was a true '''mentor''' throughout our whole project. We met with him at the [http://en.mediterranee-infection.com/ IHU-MI]  (University Hospital Institute-Mediterranean Infection) in Marseille. He was one of the first person we met for human practices and gave us  pointers about bed bugs: the different species, the infestation rates evolution in France and around the world, how to run tests on them, and the current challenges. Here you can find the entire interview he gave us:
+'''Mr. Jean-Michel BERENGER''' is one of the '''leading entomologists''' in France working on bed bugs. He was a true '''mentor''' throughout our whole project. We met with him at the [http://en.mediterranee-infection.com/ IHU-MI]  (University Hospital Institute-Mediterranean Infection) in Marseille. He was one of the first person we met for human practices and gave us  pointers about bed bugs: the different species, the infestation rates evolution in France and around the world, how to run tests on them, and the current challenges. Here you can find the entire interview he gave us:  '''REUUUUUNIIIOOOONNN MERCREDI 10/10'''
-''On the 30th of March, we had the chance to meet Mr. Jean Michel Bérenger, a bed bugs specialist. This passionate and recognized entomologist has given us his time to answer a lot of our questions in his laboratory at the IHU (Institut Hospitalo-Universitaire Méditerranée Infection).''
-'''What are the main bed bugs species, and what differences can we spot?'''
-The two main species of bed bugs are Cimex hemipterus and Cimex lectularius. These two species are the most studied and most likely to be the cause of infestation. There are no morphological differences (at least not with the naked eye), nor any metabolic differences between them. Thus, a basic bug trap can attract both.
-It is already known that Cimex hemipterus is originally found in Russia and Sweden. The same goes for Cimex lectularius. It is assumed that the first individuals of these species appeared in these countries.
-'''What do bed bugs feed on?'''
-Like mosquitoes, bed bugs are exclusively hematophagous insects. Even though humans are the first victims, they can survive by feeding on the blood of other animals, such as cats, dogs, birds and even the gecko. It has been shown that with bed bugs feeding on non-human blood, the number of females’ spawning decreased and that the different stages of their development cycle were longer.
-'''What are the essential nutrients for their survival and how are they assimilated?'''
-Bed bugs draw vitamins A and B from their blood meals, essential for their survival. The blood digestion will be done thanks to symbionts that they carry in them at the intestine in the mycetoma. These symbionts will draw essential nutrients from the blood.
-The insect’s body is at room temperature (22/24°C). A hematophagous insect should instantly die by thermal shock with a 37°C meal (Humans’ blood). An adaptive temperature regulation system is set up: specific to each hematophagous insect. For bed bugs, this mechanism is maintained by a ‘’Heat Shock Protein’’ (HSP) that sucks in the occurring thermal shock, protecting its environment.
-'''We know that bed bugs have a carapace, what is it made of?'''
-The bed bug shell consists of chitin and hydrocarbons at all stages of its development cycle. Moreover, one of the major phenomena of resistance in bed bugs is the thickening of the cuticle. The treatment used to eradicate them will have more difficulty to penetrate, and therefore will be less efficient.
-'''What about the phenomenon of resistance?'''
-The bed bugs’ resistance phenomenon is mainly caused by humans. If you use a lambda insecticide on a wild bug, it dies instantly, which is not the case with some bed bugs. This is because most people use products with molecules to which the bug resists, which maintains its resistance somehow. So, from the outset it must be known with which individual we are dealing. Thanks to their strong sense of smell, some dogs can spot bed bugs’ larvae and adults, even through a double wall.
-'''What are bed bugs attracted to?'''
-Bed bugs are guided to us by 3 main factors: CO2, temperature and odors. In addition, recent studies have revealed their attraction to colors, such as red and black as well as contrasts (juxtaposed black and white). This attraction would be explained by a camouflage behavior.
-Finally, the pheromones are very important. The black spots that can often be found around the areas where they are, are made of their own droppings. It is digested blood, containing pheromones that are very detectable particles by bed bugs. This detection can be done in a very wide area around the point of emission. After a series of meal hunting, they use the pheromones released by their droppings to guide themselves back and find their dark den. They capture the pheromones via their antennas.
-'''What are the optimal conditions for bed bugs’ development cycle?'''
-Bed bugs live at room temperature (about 25°C). Some people think that lighting is a very important parameter, while others feel that it is not, since originally these insects live in dark caves with bats.
-When are bed bugs the most vulnerable in their life cycle?
-Bed bugs are the most vulnerable in their first stages of life. It is at this point that individuals exhibit a high metabolic activity that decreases as one goes through the life cycle. It is therefore easier to target metabolic pathways essential to the individual during these life stages.
-'''Which microorganisms are bed bugs sensitive to?'''
-They are not sensitive to viruses, but a recent study has been conducted on their contamination by bacteria and especially by pathogenic fungi, for example Beauveria bassiana.
-Do they Interact with other insects? Do they have any predators?
-Bed bugs live inside our houses; thus, they don’t interact much with other insects. The House Centipede (Scutigera coleoptrata) is one of its natural predators, but I do not think anyone agrees with the idea of bringing them inside their home to get rid of bed bugs.
-'''What about their evolution cycle?'''
-Bed bugs are insects that have become simpler over time. They have no more wings, no more complex eyes but compound eyes, compared to their wild counterparts. Set over against triatoma (wild hematophagous bugs in the Amazon jungle), they only have about fifty pheromone sensors. Their wild counterpart has more than 3000. This is a good example of simplification; bed bugs are no longer in need for wings and many sensors since their prey, us humans, is a few steps away.
-'''Are bed bugs pathology vectors?'''
-To date, no pathogen can be transmitted by the bite of a bed bug, since there is none in the salivary glands. Pathogens are only found in their droppings and intestines.
-'''What are the limits of the solutions?'''
-The use of gas is misguided, because bed bugs can also hide behind a piece of furniture against the wall, where the gas does not reach. Individuals will not all be affected.
-There is already a passive trap that puts together an odorant tube (coriander odor) and an adhesive tape. It’s an interesting solution for the bugs that have just arrived in the room and have not yet installed. Otherwise, the use of an active trap (CO2, temperature, odor) is more efficient. These traps already exist (heat and smell) but are more or less effective. On the other hand, there is not yet a trap putting together the three attraction factors of bed bugs.
 Later on, we went to him to verify the '''relevance''' of our trap and get the '''proof of concept'''. Furthermore, he helped us with the trap design in order to find the '''safest application''' for future consumers.