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• Stress Level: Participants were asked to rate their stress level on a scale from 1 to 10, with 1 indicating minimal stress and 10 representing extremely high stress.
• Physical Well-being: We inquired about common physical issues associated with stress, such as headaches or sleep disturbances.
• Awareness of Aromatherapy: We explored participants' familiarity with the concept of aromatherapy.
• Acceptance of Synthetic Algae-Based Scents: Participants were questioned about their willingness to embrace scents created using synthetic biology with algae.

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• High Stress Levels: The average stress rating among Shenzhen locals was notably high, averaging at 6.25 on our 1 to 10 scale. A significant portion of the population, approximately 70%, reported experiencing stress-related symptoms such as headaches, while 75% reported difficulties with sleep. An overwhelming 82% of respondents acknowledged feeling varying degrees of anxiety, strain, and pressure. These results underscore the prevalent issue of stress, particularly among students of all grades, in the Shenzhen community.
• Limited Awareness of Aromatherapy: Surprisingly, our survey indicated that aromatherapy, a known stress-relief technique, is relatively unknown in this demographic. A staggering 58% of respondents had never heard of the term "aromatherapy," and merely 5% were familiar with or had previously tried it.
• High Willingness to Explore Aromatherapy: Despite the lack of awareness, the data revealed a strong inclination toward trying or continuing with aromatherapy among participants. An impressive 98% of respondents expressed their willingness to explore this stress-relief method if given the opportunity.

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1. 59% of the respondents do have issues with sleeping coherency or have a hard time sleeping.
2. 81% of the respondents have symptoms of anxiety, shockingly, up to 33% of them have chosen the option “Often”.
3. Up to 22% of them have rated their pressure of study/work at 7 out of 10, which is a very high rate of pressure.
4. After listening to our project description, an impressive 98% of respondents expressed their willingness to explore aromatherapy and our product if given the opportunity.

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• BIPH Presentation (Park Lane Harbor): The presentation was designed and delivered through the collaborative effort of our BIPH team members and our project instructors. We had an audience of around 30 students for the four parts of the activity: presentation on synthetic biology, Q&A, lab experiment of algae beads, and survey.
• BBSZ Presentation (Shenzhen): To further expand on promotion of synthetic biology, our team made presentation that introduce the students to the intriguing world of iGEM (International Genetically Engineered Machine) and the fascinating realm of synthetic biology. We then delved into the core of our project, which revolves around the innovative production of fragrances using cellular factories. Taking lessons and improving on the inefficiencies of previous presentations, our team extended the time for lab work and Q&A, and modified the PPT.
• BISZ Presentation (Shenzhen): Our presentation lacked more involvement to the professional aspect of biology, thus the communication at BISZ come in. In BISZ, our team members interacted with the former IGEM members of LINKS-CHINA and AIS, and communicated on the possible ways to achieve this project. This communication brought valuable opinions as we traded opinion and ideas on each others' iGEM project over magnitudes of HP, Chassis, and chemical pathways. Additionally, we cooperated with the pre-med club of BISZ, showing them our promotion and PCR video, displaying synthetic biology to more people.

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• Through popcorn and souvenirs, we attracted the participation of many students and faculty, who asked and answered questions and made meaningful contributions.
• A presentation to high school students expanded knowledge and allowed us to listen to more opinions from our audience.
• Communications with a large ample size helped us determine what we really need to do to attract popular attention to our project.

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1. Understanding Synthetic Biology (15 minutes)
   • Definition and essential concepts of synthetic biology.
   • Illustration of synthetic biology applications.
   • Highlighting ongoing research and significant breakthroughs.
2. Aromatherapy and Benefits (10 minutes)
   • Introduction to aromatherapy and its historical roots.
   • Explanation of essential oils and extraction methods.
   • Exploration of the therapeutic benefits in holistic wellness.
3. Our iGEM Project (20 minutes)
   • Overview of iGEM.
   • Detailed project description.
   • Accomplishments to date.
   • Discussion of potential advantages, challenges, and ethical/safety considerations.

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• The Influence of Scents on Well-being: Ms. You discuss how different scents can influence an individual's physiological state, affecting mood, stress levels, and overall productivity.
• Challenges in the Fragrance Industry: The fragrance industry faces challenges due to a heavy reliance on natural plant sources, which are affected by factors like weather conditions and seasonal fluctuations. This reliance results in an unstable supply chain and increased production costs.
• Innovative Project: Ms. You believe that our project can address the industry's challenges, including supply chain uncertainties, and make fragrances more accessible and sustainable.

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• BBSZ interview: Three of our members interviewed the psychological counselors at BBSZ. The counselors shared the current mental situation of our peer students, as well as suggestions toward our project.
• BIHZ interview: Two of our members at BIHZ interviewed their psychological counselors. They gathered information like the daily duties of counselors and the number of people that visits the psychological counseling room each day.

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1. The counselors shared insights into common student concerns, including academic-related stress and peer relationships. The counselors at BIHZ mentioned that over 200 students visited the psychological counseling room, which is a significantly large number compared to the upper schools’ population.
2. The psychological counselors explained the theory and benefits of aromatherapy, adding depth to the project's understanding. BIHZ and BBSZs’ counselors all used aromatherapy in their counseling room, in order to create a confortable and relaxing environment.
3. The counselors expressed support for the project, recognizing its potential to improve students' emotional well-being.
4. The counselors advised on safety precautions to ensure the project's responsible execution.

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• Be ware of transformation of codons when using E. coli as a medium host
• For plant-originated genes for terpene synthesis, does signal peptides come into effect? If yes, then how does it affect the result?
• Current biosafety is very effective, does not need further editing
• Does the cyanobacteria and E. coli that synthesizes the terpenes reach GRAS level for use in food and medicine?
• How does cyanobacteria compete with more effective organisms, such as E. coli or yeast?

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• Advantage of cyanobacteria: Cyanobacteria is one of the oldest organisms on earth, with a long history of genetic evolution and change, allowing it to be highly adaptable. Three more points:
  1. Cyanobacteria and algae, as photosynthetic microorganisms, have garnered attention in the realm of synthetic biology for a variety of applications, from optimizing metabolic pathways for industrial biochemical production to harnessing their potential for microbial energy storage. Photosynthetic microorganisms possess a unique set of traits that make them prime candidates for synthetic biology, such as their relatively simple physiology, rapid growth through photosynthesis, the presence of established model systems, and valuable subcellular structures.
  2. Achieving carbon neutrality by 2050 is a pressing global challenge. To tackle this issue effectively, it is imperative to advance and promote new technologies for CO₂ recycling. Among these technologies, cyanobacteria stand out as the sole prokaryotes capable of oxygenic photosynthesis, allowing them to convert CO₂ into biomass under sunlight. They play a crucial role as primary producers on Earth, making them a key player in the fight against climate change.
  3. [why cyano instead of yeast or bacteria? Cyanobacteria offer distinct advantages as a synthetic biology chassis over traditional yeast and bacteria. First, their photosynthetic nature allows them to harness solar energy directly, reducing the need for external carbon sources, making them more environmentally friendly. Second, cyanobacteria's prokaryotic simplicity simplifies genetic manipulation, enabling the efficient engineering of metabolic pathways. Lastly, their ability to fix carbon dioxide from the atmosphere provides a sustainable route to produce valuable compounds, contributing to a greener and more cost-effective synthetic biology platform compared to yeast and bacteria.]
• Concept of GRENNESS: In order to select a sustainable chassis, we turned to cyanobacteria, whose capability of photosynthesis allowed for the production of Oxygen, corresponding to ecological sustainability. [We introduced the concept of "GREENNESS," where we opted for cyanobacteria as the foundation for sustainability due to their photosynthetic capacity, enabling the eco-friendly generation of oxygen.]
• Plasmid introduction: selecting a microorganism that has photosynthetic ability and can easily accept plasmids is not easy work, but Dr. Wang has recommended us to take a significantly new approach on this issue. [When it comes to introducing plasmids, the challenge lies in finding a microorganism with photosynthetic capabilities that readily accepts these genetic elements. However, Dr. Wang has advised us to explore a novel approach to tackle this issue effectively.]

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• The efficiency of cyanobacteria should not be a worry, due to the pathways naturally existing in cyanobacteria, the production of precursor chemicals is already in place. Therefore, only minor edits had to be made.
• Improvements to the synthesis rate of cyanobacteria, however, should contribute to our project, the solution is the selection of the Trc-Theo promoter, which is an efficient chemical promoter that can significantly increase the rate of production.
• Comparison to other microorganisms: preliminary research had shown that the efficiency of cyanobacteria is comparable to other microorganisms, such as E.coli and Yarrowia Lipolitica mentioned above.

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• Automated lab system, allowed for us to see how computer science and synthetic biology can be combined to promote efficient work.
• Systemic analysis of lab procedures and organizations
• Inspiration on how we can use synthetic biology to make the world better
• Initial concept of bioreactor, which will serve our future incorporation of project

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• Communication with iGEM teams such as LINKS-China, SUSTech/SUSMed, SZU, and other iGEM groups who also participated actively in Southern China.
• Presentation and survey collection for promotion and HP of our project
• A dance by our group member
• The communication contributes to our experience and the society as a whole.

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• Communicated with iGEM teams like Links, SCIE and Keystone.
• A lot of valuable questions asked in the Q&A session that contributed to the further developement of our project.

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• Project Introduction: The central objective of this presentation was to disseminate information about our Cyanoscent project and convey our innovative ideas. We accomplished this by delivering a comprehensive PowerPoint presentation within the premises of JET's lab, providing students with a deeper understanding of our work.
• Collaborative Feedback: Beyond simply introducing our project, we leveraged the presence of another iGEM group during the presentation to gather constructive feedback on our overall project. This collaborative approach allowed us to refine and enhance our project based on valuable input from peers.
• Expert Consultation: Our visit to the JET company's lab was instrumental as they possess substantial expertise in creating substance reactors. This visit facilitated discussions regarding our algae reactor, enabling us to benefit from their knowledge and receive valuable advice for its improvement.

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