Team:KUAS Korea/HumanPractices/PublicEngagement
Public Engagement |
Figuring out the current status of Synthetic Biology in Korea: Interview with a synthetic biologist
Our team visited one of the few synthetic biologists in South Korea, Professor Jihyun Kim of Yonsei university whose research focuses on the optimization of the system of organisms and the fine-tuning process. We requested an interview to Jihyu Kim because he was a synthetic biologist who meeted the reuirements of well-knowing the reality and status of Synthetic biology in Korea.
Throughout the interview, we discussed the history and the realistic prospect of synthetic biology. We first talked over the birth of synthetic biology and how the actual word “Synthetic biology” was born. We also compared the benefits and disadvantages of utilizing synthetic biology with chemical or physical methods in problem resolvation. The biggest difference is the direction of approach and the ability to easily synthesize macromolecules. Unlike small molecules, macromolecules are hard to build in a chemical way, and as the length gets longer the error rate increases exponentially. However, using organisms and designed synthetic biology methods solves the problem and at a considerable cost.
Furthermore, as a synthetic biologist, we pointed out the reality synthetic biology having low recognition to the public in Korea. We thought this atmosphere was formed by Korea’s education environment which only focuses on developing one’s major and directing attention away from other possible interests. To solve this problem, our team conducted an education session for Yeouido high school on introducing the general basis of Synthetic biology. Excessive competition in the academic field also removes the possibility of taking an attempt to a new field of science. We also considered the need of breakthrough in the synthetic biology field since we reached to an plateau resulting from our lack of knowledge of the organisms.
Moreover, the negative image of Gentic engineering displayed by the media also contributes to the avoidance of implementing this new branch of study. The interview led us to set our plans on changing out the recognition of Synthetic biology and Genetic engineering. We also felt the need to take a close look in the discomfort people are indicating about genetic engineering. The negative image imposed on GMOs and genetic engineering also made us acknowledge the current status of Synthetic biology in Korea and hold an open seminar for all undergraduate students.
Legislations and ethics of GMM and synthetic Biology in Korea
As a part of the effort to popularize synthetic biology, we arranged a mentoring/lecture session for high school students interested in biology and considering it as their future major. We mainly focused on introducing the concepts of synthetic biology and showing how they are applied in real-life situations.
Synthetic biology is not yet a widely recognized field in Korea, and not many students hear of it in high school. This is problematic, since high school years play a vital role in investigating and deciding one’s own majors and careers. Therefore, we wanted to give these students a chance to learn about yet another aspect of biology, and share some first-hand experience as to how this field actually is from a researcher’s point of view. This way they will have some solid bases of facts and experiences on which they can decide their future, reducing trial and errors many students are going through.
The session was held in Yeouido high school, a science-priority school. Many of the participants were members of the biology club, although other students interested in biology were also present.
The mentoring was mainly comprised of three parts. First, we had a brief introduction about our university and team to the students. Next, we followed up with the definition and various techniques of synthetic biology, along with some actual examples of the studies. Finally, we had an exercise on using KEGG and the RSBP to search for parts to build their own synthetic organisms from. We received questions during the session, and between each successive part of the lecture.
During introduction, we explained the four departments in the college of life sciences & biotechnology, and how they differ from each other. We then talked about iGEM and our team’s activities related to it. We went over some of our previous projects, the Giant Jamboree and other efforts at studying and promoting synthetic biology.
In explaining the concepts of synthetic biology, we started off with the scientific backgrounds that led to the establishment of the field and explained its progress in diachronically. Next, we introduced the concept of Biobricks, and the meaning it has in formulating scientists’ point of view in biology. We then showed some basic assembly methods in synthetic biology, and how this can be used to ‘build’ organisms using biobricks.
We then went over some actual studies in synthetic biology, which includes PROP-Z, recombinant luminescent bacteria and efficient biofuel production. There were students in the lower grades present, and some of them seemed to have trouble keeping up during this part, so we tried to simplify the details, focus on key concepts and use metaphors to help them understand. This seemed to help, but we still received numerous questions during and after this part.
Exercise session began with each student setting an objective, such as a heat-sensing bacterial thermometer or edible antibiotics. We then explained how to use KEGG (Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes) and did a pathway-searching exercise with some simple metabolites. After that, we showed them the RSBP (Registry of Standard Biological Parts) that iGEM supports, and encouraged students to look for genes that are needed for their synthetic organisms. Both exercises were done via smartphones, and although their small screens proved somewhat of a problem when reading pathways and so on, they worked surprisingly well, and the students were quick and eager to catch up. However, some were disappointed at the limited choices on the current part list, which led to a discussion on the future of synthetic biology and its visions.
There was a Q&A session between each part of the mentoring, and the students had quite a number of questions. Many were about our high school days, and our studies in college. But others were about synthetic biology, such as the differences between synthetic biology and genetic engineering. A lot of students were also interested in iGEM, and were impressed by college undergraduates and even high school students participating in actual research projects.
Overall, this session was a valuable opportunity for not only the high school students but also for us, too. The students got to learn about the unknown but prominent field of synthetic biology, and hear about the everyday life of a science lab. We were able to see how little ordinary students knew about synthetic biology, and improve our educational methods and material. Although synthetic biology still has a long way to go, it is bound to reach its goal someday.
High school education session in Yeouido highschool
Open seminar
아 밀려썼다
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