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From July 12th to 14th, the 11th annual Conference of the China iGEMer Community (CCiC), an affiliate of the International Genetically Engineered Machine Competition (iGEM), was convened at Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University. The event drew a crowd of nearly 1,000 participants, featuring 89 teams from esteemed institutions such as Tsinghua University, Peking University, Zhejiang University, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, and Fudan University, in addition to 35 teams from high schools associated with Renmin University of China, who shared and showcased their iGEM projects.
During this year's CCiC, members of the NJtech-China2024 team witnessed a multitude of innovative and valuable iGEM initiatives. Each iGEM participant eloquently presented their respective projects and actively engaged in answering inquiries from their peers. Furthermore, seasoned individuals like Jiang Shan and Bao Yu-han proffered constructive feedback to enhance our project. Simultaneously, the team had the privilege of interacting and discussing with representatives from prestigious universities, including Tsinghua University and Peking University, resulting in significant insights.
At the conference, the NJTech-China team delivered presentations encompassing three key areas: wet laboratory experiments, dry laboratory experiments, and Human Practices (HP). The wet laboratory experiments were segmented into five pivotal modules: recognition sensing, repair adhesion, immunosuppression, anti-inflammatory, and safety. The team has achieved partial completion of these experiments and plans to validate the current findings and proceed with the remaining tasks in the subsequent phase. The dry laboratory division is tasked with mathematical modeling and the development of wiki web pages, with the intention of utilizing the Bootstrap framework to enrich CSS styles and JavaScript components for the swift construction of aesthetically pleasing and responsive web interfaces. The HP division has successfully designed the team logo, flag, uniforms, and other creative elements, while also engaging in collaborative exchanges with numerous universities.
On the 19th of April, 2024, the team leader Mr. Zhou Xinquan, accompanied by Mr. Wang Tao and members of the HP group as well as the experimental cohort, ventured to the Nanjing Agricultural University to engage in the iGEM Yangtze River Exchange Meeting. During the assembly, our ensemble engaged in substantive dialogue with various iGEM contingents from across the nation, where each respective team delineated the status and advancements of their projects. This colloquy was designed to enhance mutual understanding and foster collaborative endeavors amongst the teams, thereby establishing a solid foundation for the seamless progression of the project and future collaborative initiatives.
The accompanying photograph captures a presentation of the team's cohesive uniform design by HUBU-CHINA via a PPT demonstration.
An illustrative diagram is provided, depicting the HP activity schema for NAU-CHINA.
A separate image portrays Mr. Wang Tao, the team leader of NJtech-China, elucidating the intricacies of the project.
The intricate patterns adorning the HUBU-CHINA team uniforms, along with the ingenious fusion of project content into the team's aesthetic, have served as a wellspring of inspiration for our subsequent design endeavors. NAU-CHINA is poised to embark on a series of science popularization initiatives within primary and secondary educational institutions, aiming to promote the discipline of synthetic biology and sow the seeds of biological scientific inquiry among the younger generation, which has profoundly stimulated our approach to educational outreach. In light of our discussions, we have incorporated a plan to conduct science popularization lectures within community settings during our summer practical activities.
On the 14th of May, 2024, an interactive symposium was convened at Nanjing University of Technology, in collaboration with Hubei University. The event featured the participation of the iGEM HBT and HUBU-CHINA teams from Hubei University, who were invited to engage in academic discourse and scholarly exploration. During the symposium, the triad of teams delivered presentations pertaining to the advancement of their respective projects, along with comprehensive work reports, thereby fostering a deeper understanding among the participants and establishing a framework for future collaborative endeavors.
Concluding the session, Liu Guannan, an instructor affiliated with NJtech-China, engaged in a dialogue on project matters and conducted interviews with the Hubei University contingent. He addressed their queries related to experimental procedures and proffered constructive recommendations for enhancement.
Building upon the feedback garnered from the symposium, Chen Zihao of the modeling subgroup meticulously refined and encapsulated the modeling content. Yip Yuchen from the HP subgroup, in conjunction with Zeng Qianyue of the iGEM HBT subgroup, engaged in discussions regarding the HP project's progression across teams and formulated subsequent strategic plans. Additionally, members of the HP subgroup undertook hospital research and international corporate visits during the summer recess, in an effort to refine the orientation of their practical activities.
Jointly sponsored by the Lanzhou University-China contingent and the Tsinghua University contingent, a cohort of seven teams from various regions of the country participated in the "Intestinal Alliance" initiative. This endeavor is designed to transcend geographical and institutional barriers, fostering a collaborative environment for the exploration of innovative methodologies in the realm of gut health through the exchange of resources, knowledge, and technological collaboration. During the symposium, Wang Tao, the team leader, engaged in a dialogue with Nankai University students regarding the unique signaling properties of nitric oxide within the intestinal tract. Concurrently, the Nankai University team's application of hydrogen peroxide has provided fresh perspectives for our ongoing project. Collectively, these endeavors exemplify the breadth and transformative potential of innovation and inquiry through the disciplines of synthetic biology, gene editing, and biotechnology in the context of gut health research.
In the context of fostering collaboration, NJtech-China2024 and the HP Group of ZQT-Nanjing Team are actively engaged in enhancing their cooperative endeavors. During a recent interactive session, Gu Yang, the leader of the HP contingent within the NJtech-China2024 cohort, meticulously examined the HP unit's strategic direction and conceptual framework, specifically tailored for the ZQT-Nanjing high school students' team, while also imparting a wealth of knowledge derived from their involvement in social activities. Despite both entities being deeply committed to the investigation of enteritis treatment modalities, their research trajectories differ, with the NJtech-China2024 team concentrating on human enteritis, in contrast to the ZQT-Nanjing team's focus on animal enteritis.
Commencing the presentation, Team Leader Gu Yang eloquently delineated the NJtech-China2024 team's accomplishments and methodologies in the realm of human enteritis research, underscoring the significance of clinical trials, pharmaceutical development, and patient-oriented educational initiatives. Additionally, she eloquently recounted her team's engagement in societal outreach, including the intricacies of collaborating with healthcare institutions and orchestrating scientific lectures, which served as an invaluable source of reference for the ZQT-Nanjing team.
The HP team members of the ZQT-Nanjing cohort, having been exposed to Team Leader Gu Yang's explication, experienced a profound sense of enlightenment. They acknowledged that although their research foci diverge, there exists a considerable overlap in terms of investigative methodologies, experimental configurations, and data interpretative strategies. Consequently, they advocated for a bolstering of collaborative efforts, the exchange of insights, and a conjunctive push for advancements in the domain of enteritis treatment.
In light of the convergences and divergences between the two teams, the HP group proposed a series of strategic recommendations: Initially, to augment scholarly interactions by convening regular symposia for the dissemination of research findings and accumulated wisdom; Subsequently, to explore avenues for collaborative interdisciplinary research initiatives; and finally, to intensify the dissemination of scientific knowledge aimed at elevating the public's consciousness and concern regarding enteritis.
On the 25th of July, the members of our dry lab attended an iGEM team symposium hosted by Nanjing University, focusing on the application of artificial intelligence models in the biological sciences. The symposium was designed to consolidate the collective wisdom of diverse teams, with the objective of collaboratively drafting a comprehensive guidebook for the application of AI models in synthetic biology and their auxiliary role in wet lab experiments. Two expansive language models, Asimov and Promethus, which are grounded in the iGEM component database, were showcased. Participating teams were afforded the opportunity to engage with these models, thereby exploring the potential for substituting or optimizing existing biological components to enhance their wet lab experimental designs. Moreover, the models may serve as a catalyst for generating novel concepts and identifying components to actualize these ideas. The session actively encouraged the exchange of insights and feedback regarding the deployment of the aforementioned models, aiming to ascertain their viability and potential applications in the realm of synthetic biology. Chen Zihao, a representative from our team, engaged in productive dialogue with students from Nanjing University concerning the Mi model, receiving constructive feedback and suggestions. He also contributed his own perspectives on the AI model, engaging in a meaningful exchange with the Nanjing University team.
In the summer of 2024, on July 27th, the conference spotlighted the application and safety concerns surrounding EcN (Escherichia coli Nissle 1917). This seminal gathering attracted preeminent iGEM project teams, as well as distinguished experts and scholars from both domestic and international realms of EcN research, to delve into the vast potential of this probiotic within the medical and healthcare sectors. Over ten exceptional iGEM project teams surmounted geographical barriers to exchange their innovative EcN solutions, resulting in a symposium that was not only an academic convergence but also a fusion of intellectual prowess. The event transcended academic confines, placing a keen emphasis on the commercialization trajectory of EcN. Presentations showcasing the cutting-edge applications and future prospects of EcN in the pharmaceutical, food, and other industries captivated the interest of numerous industry representatives, thereby expediting the transition of EcN from laboratory research to practical utilization.
With the symposium's successful culmination, an EcN white paper, which encapsulates the collective wisdom and endeavors of eight universities, was unveiled. Our team, as a principal contributor to this white paper, takes pride in having been tasked with the composition of Sections 6 and 7, where we delineate an exhaustive and profound blueprint for EcN application for public dissemination. The white paper not only disseminates the latest findings and application insights of EcN to the general public, media outlets, and other stakeholders but also lays a robust foundation and direction for the formulation and modification of pertinent initiatives, facilitating EcN's pivotal role in a wider array of fields. The successful convening of this international symposium and the subsequent publication of the EcN White Paper have invigorated and propelled the collaborative progress and development within the global EcN research community. We steadfastly hold the conviction that in the imminent future, EcN will radiate more prominently across various domains, including medicine and healthcare.
