Our Human Practices activities are arranged according to the "PPPP" principle: Professional, Producer, Public, Policymaker.
By researching these groups, we aim to comprehensively evaluate the value, impact, application prospects, and implementation methods of the entire project.
On March 12, 2024, the Nanjing-China team of Nanjing University, along with the NJU-China team and the ShanghaiTech-China team, jointly held an academic event titled "Workshop: iGEM and Innovation Talent Development." The core theme of this workshop was to explore how the iGEM competition can cultivate innovative talent, enhance disciplinary strength, and support the development of participating teams.
The event aimed to facilitate in-depth exchanges between the three teams through experience sharing and project presentations, helping teams achieve better results in the iGEM competition. At the same time, it sought to promote the development of innovative talent in the field.
Through a combination of keynote presentations and roundtable discussions, the event addressed the following key points:
The workshop fostered robust dialogue among the teams, leading to fruitful collaborations. Several collaborative projects were initiated, with shared resources and expertise contributing to each team's competitive advantage.
Considering the vast potential for synthetic biology applications in space exploration, we consulted experts from China's aerospace sector to understand the feasibility and future application of our project in extraterrestrial environments.
We aimed to identify specific aerospace applications that could benefit from synthetic biology and to ensure our project aligns with long-term goals in space research.
We interviewed space industry experts to explore potential uses of synthetic biology in space. Topics included life support systems, resource regeneration, and biomanufacturing in space missions.
The discussions highlighted potential breakthroughs our project could achieve in space-based bioproduction, offering valuable insights into how synthetic biology can support future space exploration efforts.
As synthetic biology is still a relatively new field, public understanding and awareness are limited. To address this, we organized a public science event to introduce synthetic biology and its role in sustainable development.
Our goal was to educate the public about synthetic biology, focusing on its applications for sustainability, and to gather feedback to better tailor our project for public needs.
The event included interactive exhibits, live demonstrations, and educational talks. Participants were encouraged to ask questions and engage with experts from our team.
The event successfully engaged the public, with over 200 attendees providing feedback. Public understanding of synthetic biology and its relevance to sustainability improved significantly, as reflected in post-event surveys.
As synthetic biology continues to develop, it presents new regulatory challenges. We held meetings with local government representatives to discuss how policy might need to adapt to accommodate advancements in synthetic biology.
We sought to ensure that our project operates within legal frameworks and to understand the broader regulatory implications for synthetic biology in China.
Our team prepared policy briefs and met with government officials to present our project and discuss potential regulatory changes that could support synthetic biology innovation.
The government expressed interest in supporting synthetic biology projects and agreed to consider developing new policies that encourage innovation while ensuring safety and ethical standards.
Through these targeted Human Practices activities, our project has received substantial feedback and support from a variety of sectors, including academia, industry, the public, and policymakers. These contributions have significantly shaped the direction of our project and its implementation, ensuring that our work aligns with both immediate and long-term goals in synthetic biology and sustainable development.