Our team has made significant contributions to synthetic biology through the development of the Prometheus Model, a large-scale AI-driven platform designed to revolutionize synthetic biology research. This contribution spans across experimental, educational, and human practices efforts, creating tangible value for both the scientific community and the general public.

The Prometheus Model is an innovative tool that offers a solution to key challenges in synthetic biology, including slow design cycles, fragmented databases, and high barriers for newcomers. It integrates over 30,000 synthetic components and provides real-time updates, significantly accelerating the research and application process. With its natural language interface, Prometheus empowers both experts and beginners to efficiently retrieve and design synthetic components by simply inputting functional requirements​​.

Key contributions include:

• Dynamic Database: A highly curated and evolving database of synthetic biology components.
• Streamlined Workflow: The model facilitates the design and synthesis of components, plasmids, and pathways, reducing the research cycle by half.
• Real-world Success: Prometheus has already demonstrated its utility in real-world experiments, particularly in optimizing trehalose synthesis​.
• Collaboration: Prometheus fosters seamless collaboration among researchers by integrating tools for designing, synthesizing, and validating components​.

Our team designed and tested yeast strains expressing alginate, using TPS1 gene overexpression to improve resilience against environmental stressors. The experimental data was continually fed back into the Prometheus Model to refine its predictions, demonstrating a feedback loop between wet lab experiments and AI-driven component selection. This iterative cycle has provided valuable insights for future users and helped improve Prometheus' accuracy in promoter selection​​.

We have engaged in multiple educational initiatives aimed at promoting synthetic biology among various groups, ranging from young students to undergraduates:

• Volunteer Teaching in Rural Areas: Using clay models and interactive teaching, we introduced synthetic biology and AI concepts to rural children, sparking their interest in life sciences​.
• High School Outreach: At Danyang Senior High School, we conducted lectures to expose students to cutting-edge synthetic biology knowledge and demonstrated the Prometheus Model. This not only increased awareness but also inspired future participation in synthetic biology​.
• Engagement in Academic Communities: By presenting at events such as Starlight Bazaar and conducting interviews with biology undergraduates, we actively spread knowledge and gathered feedback to further improve our tools​.

Human practice (HP) efforts were a critical part of the project, enabling us to gather input from various stakeholders to ensure that the Prometheus Model remains relevant and useful:

• Survey and Feedback Collection: Conducted surveys with over 55 iGEMers, identifying challenges in existing synthetic biology tools. This feedback was crucial in shaping the development of Prometheus, particularly in enhancing its plasmid retrieval system​.
• Building Alliances: We established the North-South iGEM League, facilitating collaboration between iGEM teams across different regions and disciplines to promote the integration of AI with synthetic biology. Through seminars and workshops, we helped other teams understand how to use AI tools effectively​.

Looking forward, Prometheus is poised to not only enhance research capabilities but also bridge the gap between disciplines. It is designed for scalability, with potential integration into global databases such as NCBI and EBI, creating an international innovation network. By engaging with educational institutions and expanding collaborative efforts, we aim to make synthetic biology accessible to all​.

This comprehensive contribution reflects our commitment to advancing synthetic biology through innovative technologies, community engagement, and educational outreach. Our efforts aim to leave a lasting impact on both the scientific community and the broader public.