Team:XJTU-China/Entrepreneurship
Public Engagement
Abstract
Our product, D-psicose, has a variety of medical benefits, such as a certain effect in controlling blood sugar. We believe that our products can benefit many people and achieve commercial success. To commercialize our project, we have done a lot of related work.
In order to understand the public's awareness and acceptance of our products, we interviewed several target customers to collect their suggestions and requirements, which have had a great impact on the development of our products.
We conducted extensive market research, compared existing products with our products, and analyzed possible costs and profits, which has a profound impact on our analysis of the future development of our products.
We have consulted and researched the law on patent and product technology conversion. We summarize our entrepreneurial work in terms of product application, market analysis and financial summary.
Product application
Research on the feasibility of entering the market and patent applications
Shangwei Lu, Xi’an Jiaotong University
Teacher Lu is an expert in the transformation of basic achievements. In order to ensure that our project products can be patented and have the potential to enter the market, we discussed it with him on related issues.
After discussion, we believe that industrial production of psicose is feasible, but there is still a lot of work to be done.
Through Mr. Lu, we also learned that commercial production needs to focus on the following four aspects.
- The complete process of the laboratory is the basis of industrialization.
- The production technology of naloxone involves property rights issues, and the ways of cooperation with the company include technology transfer, technology transfer, technology shareholding, cooperative R&D, university R&D, cooperation with enterprises, joint training of talents, etc.
- If you choose to start a business, the issues that need to be considered in the early stage are: source of funds, plant, production equipment, management team, raw materials, market, etc
- Product pricing needs to be taken into account: raw material costs, equipment costs, plant fees, utilities, depreciation rates, labor costs, production, sales, total market for similar products, market growth, market growth, advantages of this product, etc.
Laboratory Open Day: Bacterial Painting
For our project we have a science camp on synthetic biology. One of the most interesting activities is Bacterial Painting. We used solid-state medium as the "paper" for painting, using heat-activated, IPTG-activated expression of RFP, GFP, and BFP as luminescent proteins. We also invited the school's professors to give a lecture on aseptic handling and microbes before the event began.
In this way, we showed the infinite possibilities and fun of IGEM competition and synthetic biology to the students in the lower grades. At the same time, they also like to have a broader exchange and discussion with us. The proximity with us allowed them to communicate and ask many questions around fields of study in biology and jobs.
In addition to this, we also had a remote interaction with TUST's IGEMers to promote team and team communication.
Teaching in Mawu Primary School
Mawu Primary School is a very common public elementary school in Xi'an with limited teaching resources. In order to give children a chance to get to the field of synthetic biology earlier, we volunteered to go there for a simple tutorial. We showed them bacteria in a way that was shown in a drawing and a model, letting them understand that small bacteria are a perfect small factory for a variety of tasks. In the classroom, they are eager to ask for knowledge and raise their hands frequently. We did achieve the purpose of our trip by answering questions and getting them to participate actively. In the communication with the children we taught them some simple biological knowledge, they taught us to expand our thinking, and we can make the road in IGEM wider and wider.
