Human practices

Every year on June 20th, we celebrate International Horseshoe Crab Conservation Day, though this special day often flies under the radar. Our team wanted to change that and bring more attention to these amazing little creatures. To do this, we asked some of our classmates, who are passionate about drawing, to create a fun, cartoon-style horseshoe crab image.

In the end, we chose an adorable design created by our talented classmate, Yutong Dou, and paired it with our team emblem, designed by our team member Junru Huang. We printed these cute designs as small stickers and handed them out to the public on International Horseshoe Crab Conservation Day. Our hope is to raise awareness about the need to protect horseshoe crabs, especially Tachypleus tridentatus, which you might spot along the shorelines of China, Japan, South Korea, and the coastal regions of Southeast Asia.

Our project is both sustainable and inspiring. Throughout several months, we advanced our research while also mentoring younger students in exploring their interests in synthetic biology and familiarizing them with laboratory practices. From the outset, our team members Fangming Liu, Yuxuan Wu and Nancy Zhao organized a series of synthetic biology classes that provided both theoretical knowledge and hands-on experience in the lab.

These classes are devided into ten sessions over three months, with overwhelmingly positive feedback from participants. We gave the younger students deeper understanding towards genetically modified organisms by using our team's specific topic on recombinant Factor G in the last two sessions. Many considered it the best practical course they had attended, viewing it as a significant stepping stone into the world of synthetic biological and genetically modified organisms exploration. By cultivating an environment of curiosity and learning, we aim to empower the next generation of scientists and inspire them to pursue their passions in synthetic biology.

Our engineering success would exert a significant impact on the pharmaceutical enterprise and contribute to ecological sustainability.

The most direct benefit would definitly be the preservation of horseshoe crabs. Currently, they are captured in large numbers to extract their blood, leading to potential harm or even death, which poses a threat to their population. A recombinant alternative would significantly reduce the need for harvesting, allowing their numbers to recover and maintain ecological balance.

At the same time, many bird species, particularly migratory shorebirds like the red knot, rely on horseshoe crab eggs as a critical food source during migration. A healthier horseshoe crab population in the food chain would mean a more stable and abundant food supply for these birds, benefiting bird populations and biodiversity.

Pharmaceutical companies could have the chance to reduce costs and improve the sustainability of their production processes too. Currently, harvesting horseshoe crab blood is labor-intensive and expensive. A reliable recombinant alternative would streamline production, increase efficiency, and potentially reduce regulatory hurdles related to animal welfare.

For people, particularly patients relying on the safety of injectable medications and vaccines, Successful production of our recomninant protein could provide a more ethical and scalable solution for testing bacterial contamination (endotoxins) in drugs. It would help ensure drug safety while avoiding reliance on animal-derived products.

Conservation organizations and environmentalists concerned with biodiversity and sustainability would support a recombinant alternative as well, as it aligns with efforts to protect marine ecosystems and reduce human impact on wildlife.

In the course of our project, our team has consistently emphasized the ethical dimensions of our research, particularly adhering to the core principles outlined in China's "Synthetic Biology Ethical Governance Declaration." We firmly believe that research and applications in synthetic biology should be conducted with respect for biodiversity and ecological balance. The declaration highlights the importance of sustainable use of biological resources, ecological protection, and the assessment and management of potential risks.

Our team is committed to practicing these principles in our research, ensuring that our products promote scientific advancement while protecting and enhancing the health of natural ecosystems. We actively evaluate the environmental and societal impacts of our research, striving to develop solutions that align with sustainable development goals, thereby achieving a harmonious balance between scientific innovation and ethical responsibility. This is not only the foundational starting point of our project but also the common ideal we pursue in building a better world.