Hangzhou-MedX is dedicated to developing innovative nutritional supplements for infants by engineering Saccharomyces cerevisiae to produce human lactoferrin and N-acetylneuraminic acid (sialic acid). These compounds are essential for promoting infant health, boosting immunity, and supporting cognitive development. To raise public awareness about infant nutrition and showcase the potential of synthetic biology, we designed a comprehensive series of educational outreach activities that progressively expanded our reach—from school-based events to larger, online platforms like live broadcasts and YouTube.

We tailored our activities to different audiences, ensuring accessibility and engagement at every level. For instance, we created a children's picture book titled The Amazing Journey of Lactoferrin, as well as related merchandise such as stickers and badges, to make our outreach more interactive and enjoyable. These creative elements not only captured the attention of younger audiences but also enhanced the overall learning experience, fostering curiosity and interest in science.

Children's Picture Book: The book was distributed at outreach events, and initial feedback from parents and children was overwhelmingly positive, with many expressing interest in using the book as a learning resource at home.

Peripheral Gifts:

1. Shanghai Biology Summit

Event Date: June 23rd

At the Shanghai Biology Summit hosted at Pinghe School, we engaged with a diverse audience of students, parents, and educators. Our booth was designed to introduce the fundamentals of yeast biology and the importance of lactoferrin and N-acetylneuraminic acid in infant nutrition through interactive, hands-on activities. By integrating a yeast fermentation experiment and microscope observations, participants could visually and practically connect with the scientific concepts we presented.

Key learning outcomes:

• Over 100 participants visited our booth, with 85% reporting that they gained new insights into synthetic biology’s applications in nutrition.
• We incorporated participant feedback into our project design, enhancing our outreach approach for future events.

Event Date: July 25th

In collaboration with another iGEM team (Shanghai-BioX), we organized a community event aimed at parents and young children. We presented information about essential nutrients for infants, distributed educational materials, and conducted a short survey to gather feedback on public awareness of infant nutrition. The event provided us with valuable insights into how to tailor our messaging to effectively reach our target audience of parents.

Key learning outcomes:

• Survey results indicated a gap in public understanding of the science behind infant supplements, highlighting the need for simplified educational materials.
• This insight led us to adapt our content for better accessibility, ensuring our materials were more understandable for non-expert audiences.

Event Date: August 3rd

We participated in an educational event at STEMHUB in Shanghai, titled "Synthetic Biology: A Journey Through the Design of Life." The event attracted a crowd of elementary, middle and high school students, as well as their parents and some office workers. We presented our project, explaining the technical aspects of engineering yeast to produce human lactoferrin and sialic acid. Our interactive session included a yeast fermentation demonstration and a DNA double helix model activity to engage students and parents.

Outcomes:

• We surveyed participants, with 70% stating they learned something new about synthetic biology.
• Based on participant feedback, we plan to shorten future sessions for better engagement.

Event Date: August 4th

We organized an educational event focused on nutrition and healthy eating habits for elementary and middle school students aged 6 to 15. The event consisted of a lecture on essential nutrients, an interactive Q&A session, and a creative drawing activity. We explained how a balanced diet contributes to children’s growth and development. The goal was to raise awareness about maintaining healthy eating habits and understanding nutrition’s role in overall health.

Outcomes:

• Many students actively participated in the Q&A, showcasing a good grasp of basic nutrition concepts.
• Over 80% of students demonstrated a basic understanding of nutrient functions and sources by the end of the event.

Event Date: August 15th

We organized an educational workshop aimed at elementary school students to teach them about the importance of nutrition and how our project supports infant development. The workshop consisted of three main activities: a basic introduction to essential nutrients (carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, and minerals), an interactive Q&A session, and a creative drawing activity where students illustrated their understanding of healthy eating. The children were highly engaged throughout the session, especially during the Q&A, and several students expressed excitement about learning more about science and nutrition.

Outcomes:

• 95% of participants demonstrated improved knowledge of essential nutrients, as measured by pre- and post-event surveys.
• Teachers noted that the workshop successfully sparked students' interest in science and nutrition, highlighting the importance of early STEM education.

Event Date: August 15th

We extended our outreach to include elderly caregivers in a local care home. Many elderly participants serve as primary caregivers for their grandchildren, making them key influencers in infant health practices. Our session introduced synthetic biology’s potential in producing affordable nutritional supplements.

Outcomes:

• Discussions revealed both interest and skepticism, underscoring the need for continued education and public trust-building in biotechnology.
• Over 60% of attendees expressed interest in learning more about how synthetic biology could benefit their families.

Event Date: August 18th

We collaborated with 10 iGEM teams to host a live broadcast on WeChat, aiming to raise awareness about synthetic biology and introduce our respective projects to a broader audience. Our presentation focused on the potential of engineered yeast to produce infant supplements, particularly highlighting the health benefits of lactoferrin and sialic acid.

Reach and Engagement:

• The broadcast attracted over 3,700 viewers, with 90% rating the session as informative.
• Viewer suggestions to include more interactive elements will be incorporated into future broadcasts to enhance engagement.

Launch Date: Ongoing

To broaden our global reach, we launched a series of experimental micro-lectures on YouTube, explaining key concepts like yeast fermentation and the production of lactoferrin and sialic acid. These short, accessible videos make complex scientific ideas understandable for the general public.

Outcomes:

• This platform has allowed us to engage a wider, more diverse audience, furthering our educational mission.

Launch Date: Upcoming

We have developed a mini-program to introduce synthetic biology and the iGEM competition. The program features educational content, a bio-synthesis game, and interactive functions like a check-in system and message board. Our goal is to make learning about synthetic biology engaging and accessible to a broader audience, particularly younger users.

Future Plans:

• After launch, we plan to gather user feedback to improve the game’s educational value and user experience.
• We aim to regularly update content and add more interactive features to maintain user engagement and foster a deeper understanding of synthetic biology.

Event Date: September 10th to 14th

We launched a meaningful outreach program aimed at promoting the importance of lactoferrin for children’s health. The first phase took place at a kindergarten in Shanghai, where we used our custom-designed picture book to educate young children about the role of lactoferrin in growth and immunity. Recognizing the unequal access to education and health resources, we extended this effort by reaching out to a welfare center in Guangxi. We sent our picture books and used team funds to purchase nutritional supplements for children in impoverished areas, ensuring that they, too, can benefit from this essential knowledge.

Outcomes:

• The children in the kindergarten responded positively to the picture book, and many showed interest in the role of nutrition in their health.
• By expanding our outreach to the welfare center, we hope to bridge the education gap and support children in less privileged areas, promoting equal opportunities for learning and growth.
• Moving forward, we aim to continue this initiative by seeking partnerships with more welfare centers and underserved communities, enhancing the impact of our educational and health outreach.

Looking ahead, we will continue to expand our educational outreach through interactive workshops, live demonstrations, and digital content. By engaging with diverse audiences—students, parents, caregivers, and the general public, we aim to raise awareness about the potential of synthetic biology to improve infant nutrition. Our efforts contribute not only to the advancement of science education but also to the long-term health and well-being of future generations.