The Loop-Initiated RNA Activator (LIRA) is a novel RNA detection technology based on RNA secondary structure. When the target RNA of LIRA is present, it binds to the LIRA recognition region, disrupting the stem-loop structure of LIRA and exposing the RBS and AUG, thereby initiating the translation of downstream reporter genes. If other iGEM teams need to detect certain RNAs, they can solve this problem with LIRA. Our project has provided the method of design LIRA Model, construction of relevant plasmid Parts and usage of cell-free system Results.

The parts are the core of iGEM competition. We have designed many new basic parts and assembled many new composite parts. To verify its function, we have conducted a variety of experiments. iGEM works to enhance standardization in synthetic biology. To achieve this goal, iGEM builds “Registry”. We have added information related to our new parts, including information from our own wet lab and model work particularly, to Registry so that other iGEM team can get to know our new parts easily. If you want to know more, please go to Parts.

Our team has used a comprehensive pipeline that includes a variety of bioinformatics and experimental methods to enhance the accuracy of target miRNA identification, providing valuable insights in biomarker screening for similar iGEM projects.

The performance of the LIRA detection is strongly connected with the stability of the LIRA structure. Hence, we established lock/unlock metrics to simulate the stability of the double-arm LIRA secondary structure and introduced Random Forest to explore indicators for optimizing LIRA performance.

We conducted kinetic simulations of the LIRA expression system, considering the interactions among various complexes during the reaction process. This provides a reference for understanding how the LIRA system responds to specific inputs and regulates gene expression.

Inspired by the 2024 Paris Olympic Games, we organized a series of sports activities to effectively raise public awareness about the importance of early cancer screening and cardiovascular health. These activities were designed to be both engaging and highly participatory, which not only enhanced our social impact but also significantly increased the public’s awareness and interest in health management. This approach serves as an excellent model for other iGEM teams to adopt or adapt, enabling them to make a positive global impact through innovative and interactive methods.

During the implementation of Human Practice, we emphasized the ethical considerations of the project and highlighted the ethical responsibilities in every stage of the project. We collaborated with several teams to co-author the "Ethics of Synthetic Biology" handbook, providing other iGEM teams with a comprehensive and standardized ethical framework. This handbook may help them better understand and adhere to ethical principles in their project design and implementation.

To ensure the sustainable development of the project, we have developed a comprehensive entrepreneurship section, covering market analysis, financial forecasts, and marketing strategies, etc. Additionally, we have prepared a detailed business plan for Heartecho. This not only lays a solid commercial foundation for the future of the project but also serves as a model for other iGEM teams on how to combine scientific research with commercialization, further promoting the entrepreneurial spirit within the iGEM competition.

Before each human practices or education activity, we conducted thorough preparations. We have implemented standardized planning procedures and designed a comprehensive activity planning template. This template covers various aspects such as the background and purpose of the activity, activity theme, target audience, and so on, aiming to provide a comprehensive framework for activity design. We sincerely invite other iGEM teams to adopt this template to help them plan.

To achieve effective communication with participants, we have carefully designed an educational activity feedback form. The form covers a wide range of topics, including opinions and suggestions on educational activities, whether the activities promote the understanding of synthetic biology, and whether the activities are interesting. After each activity, we encouraged participants to fill out this form, and their valuable feedback is extremely helpful for our continuous improvement.

Combining education with entertainment is one of our core concepts. We innovatively integrated popular science knowledge of synthetic biology with UNO cards. We have replaced the names on the cards with important terminology from synthetic biology, such as " chassis "and " reporter gene ", thereby designing a completely new set of SYNO cards. Each card contains relevant knowledge of synthetic biology, aiming to allow players to gain knowledge while having fun. To facilitate usage, we have made PDF files of the cards available on the education page for free download by anyone.

Electronic games have a broad participant and are excellent educational carriers for promoting synthetic biology. This year, we have launched two educational games: "My Little Octopus" and "RevPipes". Both games promote knowledge of synthetic biology through fun and engaging experiences. We have attached the game codes on the Education page. Other iGEM teams can also personalize the design based on this to create more innovative educational games.

We also compiled four handbooks, namely “Protocol Handbook”, “Ethics in Synthetic Biology”, “Synthetic Biology: The ‘LEGO’ of Biology”, and “Ten Scientific and Practical Tips for Cancer Prevention”. These handbooks cover basic knowledge of synthetic biology, experimental operation guides, ethical considerations, and related knowledge of scientific cancer prevention, aiming to provide comprehensive and in-depth learning resources for readers. We encourage other iGEM teams to refer to and draw inspiration from the content of these manuals to further enrich and improve their educational materials and scientific research projects.

To popularize microbiological knowledge to children in a more engaging and lively way, we created the picture book "Invisible Bacteria". Through interesting illustrations and storylines, we hope to help children exploring the wonderful world of microorganisms and cultivate their scientific literacy and curiosity. We welcome other iGEM teams to adapt and innovate based on this, creating more popular science picture books suitable for readers from different age groups, and jointly promoting the popularization and dissemination of synthetic biology knowledge.

When writing a wiki, we need to handle materials consisting of text, images, tables, and other elements, and add corresponding HTML tags and CSS selectors for them. To reduce the workload of this process, we used HTML+CSS+JS to write a webpage as our tool. The main function of this webpage is to wrap the imported text and add specified tags and selectors. In addition, it can quickly insert images, generate tables, and customize code blocks for insertion. To get the corresponding files and documents, please contact us in e-mail.