In the course of our iGEM project, the RDFZ-CHINA team actively collaborated with several other teams, both domestically and internationally. Our partnerships ranged from technical discussions on experimental design and gene editing to exchanges of materials such as plasmids and enzymes. Additionally, we participated in online and offline events, sharing insights on synthetic biology, optimizing biosensor sensitivity, and overcoming challenges in gene circuit construction. These collaborations played a critical role in enhancing our project’s development, fostering mutual growth and learning, and laying the groundwork for future cooperative efforts. Through this extensive teamwork, we not only gained valuable experience but also contributed to the progress of other teams in the iGEM community.

We had in-depth discussions with SJTU-China on experimental design, focusing on topics such as gene editing, synthetic biology circuit construction, and metabolic pathway optimization. To further our projects, we exchanged experimental materials and tools, including specific plasmids, enzymes, and key reagents. This collaboration greatly enhanced our abilities in experimental design and resource application.

Our collaboration with BNU-China centered on improving the sensitivity of biosensors and gene circuit construction. BNU-China shared their optimization strategies in sensor design, which helped us refine our gene circuit development. Additionally, both teams exchanged resources— we provided critical enzymes and plasmids, strengthening the technical aspects of our project.

We engaged in deep discussions with ZQT-Nanjing on the challenges of gene circuit construction and gene regulation. ZQT-Nanjing offered valuable advice on enhancing gene expression strength and stability, while we assisted them in optimizing enzyme expression levels in their metabolic pathway designs. This collaboration advanced both teams’ efforts in gene expression regulation.

During our project implementation, both our team and the Hainan University team faced similar technical challenges. They shared their difficulties in processing environmental samples, and we provided suggestions based on our experience, particularly in improving detection accuracy and data reproducibility. In return, Hainan University helped us address our challenges in gene expression regulation by offering insights into sensor sensitivity optimization, which provided new directions for our project.

We participated in an online roundtable meeting hosted by ZQT-Nanjing, which included teams such as BNUZH-China, CHINA-HUBU-WUHAN, LCG-China, CPU-China, JLU-NBBMS, among others. This meeting was an invaluable opportunity to exchange ideas on project design and experimental strategies. Each team shared their success stories and technical challenges, fostering mutual learning and growth.

During an iGEM lecture organized by NENU-China, we collaborated with both NENU-China and BAID-China (Beijing Academy of Educational Sciences). Discussions focused on project selection and design processes. Beijing Academy shared their experience in aligning real-world issues with synthetic biology techniques to select research topics, highlighting their approach to designing innovative experiments with limited resources. We shared our strategies for conducting literature reviews, clarifying research directions, and efficiently allocating team tasks, laying the foundation for future collaborations.

We worked with BIT-China and BJWZ-3-China to explore the best practices for writing Wiki pages and preparing for presentations in the iGEM competition. Beijing No. 5 High School sought advice on how to clearly present experimental data and design concepts. We shared our experiences in writing concise, well-structured Wiki pages, emphasizing the use of charts and data to better narrate the project’s story. Additionally, we discussed how to highlight the core innovations of a project during presentations, using visual aids and speaking techniques to capture the judges’ attention.

In addition to the online collaboration, we partnered with BIT-China and BJWZ-3-China for an offline educational outreach event. This activity aimed to promote synthetic biology and iGEM among local students. Through presentations and interactive discussions, we introduced synthetic biology concepts, shared our own experiences, and encouraged students to engage with the field. This in-person collaboration not only strengthened the relationships between our teams but also helped inspire the next generation of synthetic biologists.

Throughout the iGEM competition, our collaborations with various teams from across China and abroad significantly improved our project’s progress while helping others overcome their technical challenges. Whether tackling complex experimental designs or refining project presentations, we gained essential knowledge and support through these partnerships. These collaborations have not only enhanced the quality of our project but also laid a strong foundation for future research and teamwork.