Overview
To ensure the widespread acceptance of new technologies, it's essential to promote them across diverse communities. Education serves as a means to inform, educate, and instill belief in scientific and technological advancements among the public. As part of our igem team, we aimed to engage with schools through both online and offline channels. Our goal was to increase public awareness of our team, our spray products for vestibular dysfunction, and the igem competition as a whole. To achieve this, we divided our team into two groups. One group actively promoted our team and igem on Chinese social media, highlighting our important experiments such as PCR and WB to pique the interest of those less familiar with laboratory work. The other group organized offline activities in schools to raise awareness about the pathogenesis of vestibular dysfunction and introduced the structure of our products, VB6 and VB12, and how they alleviate post-roller coaster negative effects.
Offline communication with high school students
During our public interview, we discovered that high school students lack a basic understanding of synthetic biology. To address this issue, we have carefully planned to collaborate with major universities such as Harvard, MIT, and Stanford to organize small, interactive courses aimed at providing high school students with a comprehensive understanding of synthetic biology. These courses will be designed to cover topics ranging from the basic principles of genetic engineering to the practical applications of synthetic biology in various industries.
Additionally, we have taken the initiative to engage in discussions with prominent middle schools, such as College du Leman in Geneva, Switzerland, to introduce our iGEM team and our innovative products. Our objective is not only to raise awareness about vestibular dysfunction among high school students but also to highlight our groundbreaking spray as a potential treatment. We have allocated a dedicated week and ten minutes in each biology class to introduce the iGEM competition, synthetic biology, and the purpose of our products. Our plan is to provide a hands-on experience by illustrating a scenario where vestibular dysfunction occurs, such as on a playground, in order to effectively introduce our products and explain their mechanisms, roles, and significance.
Our aim is to demonstrate how our spray can significantly benefit numerous families affected by vestibular dysfunction, and to foster students' interest in the field of synthetic biology by showcasing the real-world impact of our work.
Social Media
In our initial survey, we meticulously designed and implemented a comprehensive study to thoroughly assess the general population's level of understanding regarding the causes of dizziness experienced specifically on roller coasters. Our research aimed to delve into the specific organs affected by this sensation. Recognizing a significant lack of awareness in this area, we strategically placed equal emphasis on both scientific research and social outreach in our approach. Our overarching goal is to transcend the traditional role of drug makers by actively promoting public health education and awareness.
To achieve this, we have taken deliberate steps to establish a public platform through which we consistently publish highly informative and educational content. One such meticulously crafted article delves into the intricate details of vestibular dysfunction. It thoroughly explores and categorizes vestibular dysfunction into peripheral vestibular vertigo and central vestibular vertigo. The article addresses the multifaceted causes of this condition, ranging from viral infections and inner ear circulatory disorders to autoimmune diseases, trauma, tumors, and ototoxicity. Furthermore, the article elucidates the clinical symptoms of vestibular dysfunction and presents an array of treatment methods.
In addition to comprehensive educational content, we also share valuable insights into bio-related experiments, such as Western blotting (wb) and polymerase chain reaction (PCR), providing the public with an in-depth understanding of the scientific processes involved.
Our decision to create this public platform also stems from a genuine desire to actively engage with the public, understand their diverse needs and suggestions, and utilize their invaluable feedback to continually enhance our products and processes for the betterment of public health.
