Team:OUC-China/Public Engagement

Team OUC-China: Main

Public Engagement

Achievements

★We drew a popular comic book and translated it into 13 languages. It is popularized in 16 schools all over the world. 27 iGEM teams participated in our science education and gave us feedback.
★We held a 5 day life science summer camp, recruiting high school students from 3 different schools. They learnt a lot from 7 lectures and 4 experimental operations. It is worth mentioning that all campers did a report based on gains in the final Jamboree.
★We designed a game "Csy4 Go!" based on our project, perfectly integrating our project this year with a creative game as well as game brochure.
★We share our fundamental research experience with other iGEM teams and form a joint report with them for future iGEMers.
★We went to 3 biotech companies and 2 research institutes to integrate our project with reality and consult them how to narrow the gap between the companies and the public.
★We shared our biotech companies research with other team and formed a report, providing future iGEMers a reference.
★We formed a syn-group and helped more than 20 students improve a lot in synthetic biology. We dialogued with them once a week regularly, promoting the inheritance of synthetic biology in ocean university of China.

1. Introduction

"How to spread science knowledge around the public in an effective way? How to narrow the gap between synthetic biology and the public? We hope everyone to actively participate in science popularization, achieving the purpose of improving the depth and breadth of science popularization, strengthening the inheritance of synthetic biology."

1.1 Comic book all over the world

In order to provide a platform for children of primary and middle school students in the world to know more about synthetic biology, we decided to display some concepts of synthetic biology in the form of stories and pictures and enlighten the thinking of scientific exploration of them. OUC-China drew a comic book and till now it has been translated into 13 languages. More than 27 iGEM teams participated in our science education with different languages versions. Our comic book left a footprint in 10 countries and popularized in 16 schools.

1.2 A five day life science summer camp

We held a 5 day life science summer camp from August, 8th, 2018 to August, 13th, 2018, recruiting students from 3 different schools. During 5 days, we gave 7 lectures to these students, involving synthetic biology and iGEM, metabolic engineering and synthetic biology, PCR technology and cytometry introduction, literature search ability training and so on. Apart from that, we taught them 4 experimental operations in our lab, such as DNA extraction, PCR experiments, marine microbial separation and observation, butterfly specimen making. Finally, every summer camper did a report according their interests and literatures, which was a show time similar to Jamboree.

1.3 A game "Csy4 Go!" based on our project

As is known to us, the mechanism of biological and chemical reaction in microorganisms is difficult to understand for most amateurish people. But our game can successfully solve this problem. The leading role of this game is an enzyme Csy4 that is used in our project. The game presents a microscopic view of the world with a more vivid picture. In this way, we can tell the story of Csy4 as well as the CRIPSR system to more people, thus achieving the goals of propagandizing our project and synthetic biology.

1.4 Establish a bridge with biotechnology company

Given that the ultimate goal of fundamental researches is application and benefiting for human, we suppose that making a dialogue with biotechnology companies is significant and meaningful. We went to 3 biotech companies and 2 research institute to integrate our project with social reality. In this way, we can know about the current social needs and improve our project accordingly. At the same time, we established a long-term relationship with them. On the one hand, they can provide us an effective way of converting fundamental research to actual application, on the other hand, we will inform them of the latest results in the lab, by which we can promote each other and make progress together.

1.5 Provide examples for iGEMers

Now many iGEM teams engaged in fundamental advances are confused how to integrate their project with practice. So another five teams and us form the fundamental research transformation group. We used our project as an example to specifically describe how to apply project to practice and how to adjust our project accordingly. Then we shared our experience with Tianjin University, Zhejiang University and National Defense Science and Technology University to explore the transformation of fundamental research results and formed joint a report, hoping to provide a reference to future iGEM teams.

1.6 Give lectures in OUC

In order to promote the spread of synthetic biology in our campus, we gave lectures to those who are interested in it and helped them form a syn-group. More than 20 students form different majors join this group. These members gave presentations once a week according to their interests and interacted with others, improving their ability of reading papers and their understanding of synthetic biology. As their advisors, we do our best to help them and guide them. During one year, syn-groupers have learn synthetic biology, molecular biology, microbiology and lots of papers, which helped them improved a lot. It is really a good way to promote the spread and inheritance of synthetic biology in our school.

2. Education for children: Comic book all over the world

To popularize synthetic biology in a more interesting way, we put our comic book collaboration request on the website and more than twelve teams contacted us and helped us translate comic book into other languages. Furthermore, they used our comic book to popularize synthetic biology at the local, hoping to let more people in more countries know the comic book. Under the help of other iGEM teams all over the world, now, our comic book has been translated into more our comic book into Chinese, English, French, Estonian, Russian, German, Italian, Spanish, Catalan, Greek, Portuguese, Lithuanian and Turkish, totally 13 languages. 16 iGEM teams take our comic book E.coli SPACESHIP to local areas for science education.

A comic book E.coli Spaceship.

The cute cover of E.coli Spaceship.

2.1 Click to download different comic book versions:

French version: translated by Team Aix-Marseille
Greek version: translated by Team Thessaloniki
Portuguese version: translated by Team McMaster
Lithuanian version: translated by Team Vilnius-Lithuania
Turkish version: translated by Team Bilkent-UNAMBG
Estonian and Russian version: translated by TeamTartu_TUIT
German and Italian version: translated by Team Duesseldorf
Spanish and Catalan version: translated by Team UPF_CRG_Barcelona

Our comic book left a footprint in more than 10 countries.

2.2 Social influence

Having translated into 13 languages, we took comic book E.coli spaceship to some local educational bases. Children like our comic book very much and we printed some to send them as gifts. It worth mentioning that many iGEMers thought it a great science education textbook, so they contacted us and hoped to use our comic book to do science education at local. We were proud of it and glad to provide them with different versions of comic book according to their needs.

iGEM Foundation Executive Vice President Meagan Lizarazo appreciated our comic book in CCiC.

Foreign iGEM teams popularized synthetic biology in their country using our comic book.

2.3 Feedback

These children love our comic book very much. It is a welcome idea to display synthetic biology in the form of colorful pictures supplemented with texts. Here are the summaries of our science education.

Foreign iGEM team gave us some comments on our comic book.

Foreign iGEMers gave some good feedback on our comic book.

You can see comic book popularization Feedbacks in 12 schools in China.

2.4 Future

According to their feedback, we will continue to improve our comic book and expends the contents of this book. At the same time, we hope more iGEM teams will join us and popularize synthetic biology, making synthetic biology a household word rather than an obscure concept. Furthermore, there are some minor flaws in the book that need to be found and revised.

3. Education for high school students: A five day life science summer camp in China

We held a summer camp and recruited students from different schools in China. Before summer camp, we prepared a detailed schedule, safety precautions, uniforms and presentations for these campers. These lectures involve synthetic biology and iGEM, metabolic engineering and synthetic biology, PCR technology and cytometry introduction, literature search ability training and so on. During that time, they were taught 4 experimental operations in our lab, such as DNA extraction, PCR experiments, marine microbial separation and observation, butterfly specimen making. Furthermore, we made a summer camp book for them.

A life science summer camp.

3.1 The details of summer camp:

Timetable of life science summer camp.

The cover of campers' manaul.

Campers' manual made by OUC-China.

See our campers's manaul PDF here.
See our Opening Ceremony PDF here.
See iGEM and CRISPR Introduction PDF here.
See Literature Search Ability Training PDF here.
See PCR Technology and Cytometry Introduction PDF here.
See Marine Microbiology PDF here.
See Metabolic Engineering and Synthetic Biology PDF here.
See Nutrition and Health Science knowledge PDF here.
See Giant Jamboree PDF here.

3.2 Social influence

As the organizer of this life science summer camp, we invite students from Shandong University and Qingdao Agricultural University to join in the preparation of summer camp. Students from different cities took part in our summer camp. Not only have they learnt a lot of knowledge about synthetic biology, but they also could make full advantages of their strengths, found their personal interests and improved their learning methods. Then we put the summary of this activities on our Wechat Subscription. There are some screenshots.

We put the summary of this activities on our Wechat Subscription.

3.3 Feedback

At the end of the activity, the campers expressed their thanks to us. In this activity, they not only learned a lot, but also made good friends. On the one hand, they broadened their horizons and learned theoretical knowledge, on the other hand, they experienced the operation of molecular experiments for the first time. “So cool!” They were surprised when they saw the DNA belt they extracted.

3.4 Future

We hope more universities can join us to make this summer camp more colorful. We also look forward to training campers to think and solve problems independently rather than guided by us at most time. This will be a challenging and meaningful job for us.

4. Education for children: A game "Csy4 Go!" based on our project

Based on our project, We design a game "Csy4 Go!". In this way, we can tell the story of Csy4 as well as the CRIPSR system to more Amateurish people, thus achieving the goals of propagandizing our project and synthetic biology. Apart from that, to make people have a better understanding of both the game and our project, we designed six comic pictures represent the six game levels separately. The picture will be shown before the game starts to help players understand situations more clearly.See more in our human practice

You can download our windows version game.

Some pictures in "Csy4 Go!"

Our distinctive game Brochure "Csy4 Go!"

The interesting way of reading the game Brochure "Csy4 Go!"

4.1 Social influence

"The principles of all fundamental scientific research are obscure for us non-professionals." In the preliminary investigation process of social practice, we tried to explain our projects to some amateurish people. But They found it hard to understand these obscure biological principles. Based on this situation, we designed our game and incorporated the principles of our project into the game. Now by this game, people can understand our project in a much easier and happier way, which is a great achievement for us.

4.2 Feedback

We showed the game "Csy4 Go!" to people of different. Having played the game, they can clearly describe the overall situation of the game. Combined "Csy4 Go!" and the game comic brochure, they can easily understand some principles of biology exactly. We have achieved the goal of achieving science education and allowing more people to participate in an interesting way of playing games.

4.3 Future

Now our games can only run on the windows system. In the future, we will go further and develop our game on mobile phone version, Mac version and iPad version.

5. Education for biotech companies: Narrow the gap between biotech companies and society

Given that all basic researches aim at application and benefiting for human beings , we suppose that visiting the biotechnology companies to investigate the prospect of our project is a great idea. We went to the BGI, Qingdao Youdu Biotechnology Co. LTD and Qingdao Bright Moon Seaweed Group Co. LTD 3 biotech companies and 2 research institute to integrate our project with social reality. In this way, we can know about the current social needs and improve our project accordingly. At the same time, we established a long-term relationship with them.

5.1 Social influence

Finally, we wrote a complete survey report, which summarized our preliminary preparation, research methods, research results and experience and teammwork. People's network, Ocean University of China news network reported our research results. And we put the summary of this survey on our Wechat Subscription. There are some screenshots.
Click here to download our report.

People's network reported our results

Ocean University of China news network reported our research results.

The timeline of our biotech companies' journey.

5.2 Feedback

We established a long-term relationship with them. On the one hand, they can provide us an effective way of converting foundational research to actual application, on the other hand, we will inform them of the latest results in the lab, by which we can promote each other and make progress together.

5.3 Future

After perfecting our project, we will apply our results to the actual production according to the requirements put forward by the biological company, achieving the goal of transformation of basic research achievements.

6. Education for iGEMers: Provide examples for iGEMers

Now many iGEM teams engaged in foundational advances are confused how to integrate their project with practice. So four other teams and OUC-china form the foundational research transformation group. We use our project as an example to specifically describe how to apply project to practice and how to adjust our project accordingly. Then we shared our experience with Tianjin University, Zhejiang University, National Defense Science and Technology University to explore the transformation of basic research results and form joint a report, hoping to provide a reference to future iGEM teams.
Click here to download our report.
See more in our collaborations

6.1 Social influence

Four other teams and OUC-china form the basic research results transformation team. We conduct joint research with Tianjin University, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Zhejiang University, National Defense Science and Technology University to explore the transformation of basic research results, providing references to other iGEM teams.

6.2 Feedback

The main content of this report is analysis and study of foundational research transformation process, including theory and case analysis. The theoretical part is jointly completed by Tianjin University and National University of Defense Science and Technology. The actual case analysis is completed by Ocean University of China. In the part of our own project analysis, Zhejiang University wrote the follow-up application in detail, and others wrote the research thoughts and inspiration to the project.

6.3 Future

In the future, we will make further amendments to the report and make more examples of basic research achievements to the report.

7. Education for students in OUC: Form a A syn-group and give some lectures

In order to promote the spread of synthetic biology in our campus, we gave lectures to those who are interested in it and helped them form a syn-group. These members gave presentations once a week according to their interests and interacted with others, improving their ability of reading papers and their understanding of synthetic biology. As their advisors, we do our best to help them and guide them. During one year, syn-groupers have learn synthetic biology, molecular biology, microbiology and lots of papers, which helped them improved a lot. It is really a good way to promote the spread and inheritance of synthetic biology in our schools.

7.1 Social influence

More than 20 students from different majors join this group. They majored in mathematics, economics, biological science and so on. Because of their love for synthetic biology, students from different majors gather together. Interdisciplinary brings them better ideas.

Syn-groupers share their opinions with each other

7.2 Feedback

During one year, they had mastered literature search ability, summary, teamwork, and communicate with others rather than a student who knows little knowledge of synthetic biology.

7.3 Future

In the future, we will invite some experts to give lectures in the field to syn-groupers, making them understand the development and research status of synthetic biology. We will also convey our iGEM experience to them.