Collaborations
Translation of a Children's Book
Our first collaboration was with the iGEM Patras Team from Greece. We translated their educational comic, which brilliantly used the story of Odysseus as a metaphor to explain the immune system's defense mechanisms. This creative approach made complex biological processes more accessible and engaging, especially for younger audiences.
Science Communication - 2024 BIOME Book
Next, we worked with the iGEM McGill team on their 2024 BIOME Book, a beautifully illustrated collection that showcases RNA- and DNA-related proteins in synthetic biology. As part of this initiative, we contributed an explanation of MbCas12a fused with SpCas9, a fusion protein we call Fusion Cas, which plays a key role in our project. This collaboration allowed us to not only share our research but also connect with a broader audience interested in the cutting-edge science of CRISPR systems.
Mini Jamboree Eindhoven
Finally, in early October, we will participate in the Mini Jamboree organized by the TU Eindhoven iGEM Team. This event will bring together iGEM teams from the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, and Luxembourg to share projects and focus on specific prize categories. We are excited for the opportunity to present our work and exchange ideas with other teams, further strengthening the collaborative spirit of iGEM.
Communication
We submitted an article to BioSpektrum, one of Germany's leading life science magazines published by the Springer group. Alongside contributions from other German iGEM teams, our article detailed the evolution of our innovative project, highlighting how our initial concept developed over time. The article was featured in the June 2024 issue, providing an opportunity to share our progress and insights with the broader scientific community.
Social Media - @igem.heidelberg
In a time when TikToks travel faster than light, reaching people means meeting them where they are—on social media. We have taken on the challenge and made science the next big thing to double-tap, actively engaging on Instagram, LinkedIn, and TikTok to maximize our outreach.
Informational Posts
Social media is not just for memes and cat videos anymore; it is also where we share our passion for science, sparking curiosity with every click and scroll. We brought cutting-edge science into everyone's daily life through informational posts, making complex topics accessible and engaging.
Outreach for our Workshop Series
To open our Workshop Series to the broader public—including Inclusive Science Thursdays and Friday Lectures—we actively reached out via Social Media. This approach made it much easier to connect with our target audience, and we were happy to answer every DM with details and encouragement.
Make our Workshops Available for Everyone
Through recap stories on Instagram, we made sure the key takeaways from each workshop were accessible to those who could not attend in person. By posting these recaps on our social media platforms, we extended the reach of our lecture series even further.
Share Project Insights
Providing insights into highly specialized, top-level research is rare in both educational programs and on Social Media. Naturally, we wanted to share our journey and showcase our project, PICasSO, bringing advanced science into the public eye.
Time to Have Fun
We believe that getting people excited about science does not always require serious content. To provide an easy entry into STEM, we made sure to start with fun, sharing our unique and special moments with the public.
