Abstract
Our key aim for human practice is to strengthen the connections between our project and the society. As a result, all the work we have done under the category of human practice can be divided into two parts: discovering the demand in society and ensuring that our project meets the demand; and finding out ways our project can affect and make contributions to society.To achieve this goal, we have divided human practices into two sections. Additionally, during this process, we conducted market research that contributed to our business plan. In this section, we will explain how we identify social needs and understand the social perception and market positioning of our products.
In general, we hope to achieve the following goals in this part of the activity:
1. Find out how much each group and class of society knows about synthetic biology, pharmaceuticals, COVID-19, and the inhibitor development process.
For a new biotechnology product, different social groups have varying levels of awareness, which may affect their understanding and interest in the product. After understanding the degree of knowledge of different types of people, we can make corresponding marketing strategies. Additionally, as an outcome of our project, we aim to provide targeted education to the public based on the information we gather.
2. Get suggestions from different groups for our projects.
Our project is closely tied to existing scientific research and commercial developments, and our future growth will depend on the current industrial chain. Therefore, we need to visit people from all aspects of the relevant industry chain to give suggestions on our future development and the design of the project.
For the above two projects, we mainly conducted a questionnaire survey for the general population and an interview for individuals.
Questionnaire
Preface to the survey report
In order to improve our program and make it more responsive to the needs of society, we need to understand the level of knowledge of various groups in society about COVID-19 inhibitors and some pharmaceutical related knowledge. For this purpose, we created an online questionnaire and promoted it through social media.
The survey aims to understand the public's attitudes, behaviours and perceptions during the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as their views on future infectious disease outbreaks and drug development. Through the questionnaire survey, we collected data on the respondents' age, gender, education, degree of concern about the epidemic, life impact, life-changing measures taken, types of specific drugs known, views on future infectious disease outbreaks, choice of preventive measures, evaluation of drug effectiveness, reasonableness of drug development time, understanding of the drug development process, and major challenges.
To obtain a larger and more diverse set of questionnaire data, we distributed online questionnaires via various social media platforms, such as WeChat public accounts, and promoted them through sharing, traffic pushes, and other methods. In order to increase the enthusiasm of the public, we will pack our surroundings into prizes and give away to the public who fill in the questionnaire.
By analyzing these data, we can better understand the public's level of concern and attitudes toward current outbreaks and future infectious diseases, as well as their perceptions and expectations of drug development and epidemic prevention and control. This information will help guide the work of relevant departments and institutions in epidemic prevention and control, drug research and development, and public education, improve public awareness of infectious diseases and prevention awareness, and promote the healthy and stable development of society.
Conclusion
1. Characteristics of interviewees:
Age distribution: The majority of respondents are under 18 years old and female, accounting for 53.6% and 60.8% respectively.
Sex ratio: 34.4% male, 60.8% female, 4.8% other gender.
Education distribution: The respondents with high school/technical secondary education are the most, accounting for 50.4%, followed by university undergraduate and junior high school and below.
2. Concern and impact of the epidemic:
The majority of respondents are concerned about themselves or a family member contracting the virus, with 36 percent very concerned and 37.6 percent concerned.
The impact of the epidemic on daily life: 36.8% of the respondents said the epidemic had a great impact on daily life, and 35.2% said it had a great impact.
3. Life changes and prevention and control measures:
Most of the respondents took measures to cope with life changes, such as working/studying from home (81.6%) and reducing going out (88.8%).
In response to future infectious disease outbreaks, 88.8 percent of respondents said they would wear masks, 86.4 percent would avoid gathering, and 70.4 percent would wash their hands frequently.
4. Drug-related cognition:
Most respondents knew about one or two specific drugs for COVID-19 (58.4%), and less knew about five or more drugs (6.4%).
Of the drugs currently used to treat COVID-19, 44.8 percent said they were effective and 43.2 percent said they were average.
5. Drug development cognition:
The majority of respondents had a low level of understanding of the drug development process, with 43.2% having little or no understanding.
In the drug development process, the complexity of clinical trials was the main challenge (89.6%), followed by the long development cycle (72.8%).
In summary, respondents were generally concerned about the impact of the epidemic on their lives and the effectiveness of drugs, but had less understanding of the drug development process. In the future prevention and control of infectious diseases, respondents are generally aware of the importance of personal protection, but there is still room for improvement in some respondents' cognition of drugs and preventive measures.
Extensive questionnaire surveys at the social level can help us understand the public's understanding of pharmaceutical, COVID-19, COVID-19 inhibitors and other information. The above survey results confirm the necessity of accelerating the research and development process of COVID-19 inhibitors for public health and safety, and also confirm the importance of having a high-throughput and high-efficiency COVID-19 inhibitor screening platform at the social level.
Interview
To further improve our project, we sought advice from experts with greater knowledge of society, business, marketing, education, and other fields, who could provide us with detailed and effective suggestions for improvement. Through expert interviews, we can improve the gaps in the experimental design of the project and have a better understanding of the market demand and vacancy, thus helping to maintain the sustainability of our project. As mentioned earlier, we need to be supported by information from a large number of individuals across the entire industrial chain. As for our research and development results, since the inhibitor screening platform is not a product that can be directly marketed, we need to consider its suitability for cooperation with pharmaceutical companies, hospitals and other institutions. Therefore, we interviewed university pharmacy professors, research and development directors of pharmaceutical companies, and doctors in hospitals. The purpose of these interviews is mainly to understand the work of the existing industrial chain, so as to infer the advantages and applications of our project. In addition, we would like to receive direct advice on the experimental design of the project itself.
Dr. Mo
First, we conducted an interview with Dr. Mo, Director of Research and Development at Sibiman Bio. Dr. Mo, as the research and Development Director of the biological company, gave some advice and guidance on our experimental and commercial prospects.
In the interview, Dr. Mo discussed several key areas, including high-throughput drug screening platforms, inhibitor selection, in vitro and in vivo assay choices, CAR-T therapy technology, market competition strategies, drug repurposing, small molecule drug development, and commercialization potential. Dr. Mo highlighted that the use of fluorescent screening methods and drug repurposing approaches can significantly improve the efficiency of inhibitor screening, recommending the application of these techniques in the research of viruses such as Hepatitis B and C. For CAR-T therapy, the focus was on targeting CD19 and CD20, with a dual-targeting system proposed to reduce off-target effects and improve treatment efficacy. Regarding partnerships with large companies and market competition, Dr. Mo stressed the importance of innovation, speed to market, and cost control. Drug repurposing was seen as an effective way to save time and resources, while the drug screening platform has broad commercial potential for application in virus and disease research. Licensing the platform to major pharmaceutical companies was also suggested as a viable strategy for commercialization.
Doctor Ye
In order to understand some information about the clinical industry chain related to our project and some downstream information, we interviewed Dr. Ye, deputy chief physician of the Department of Infection of the Pediatric Hospital Affiliated to Fudan University in Shanghai, who introduced clinical drugs and some related situations.
The interview with Dr. Ye, provided valuable insights into the treatment of self-limiting diseases and the use of targeted medication in different patient populations. Dr. Ye emphasized that pediatric patients, especially those without underlying conditions, rarely require medication for self-limiting diseases due to the body’s natural production of antibodies. Small-molecule drugs are typically reserved for patients aged 12 and above, and concerns about drug resistance are not a primary issue in pediatric care. For adults, drug interactions between small-molecule antivirals and medications for underlying conditions are more significant.
Dr. Ye also discussed the challenges related to the timely updating of medications. New drug usage or repurposing existing drugs for other diseases must be conducted through clinical trials with informed consent, as they cannot be used in routine clinical practice. The interview highlighted the importance of efficacy and safety in clinical trials, from laboratory research to human trials, as well as the growing issue of drug resistance, particularly in antibiotics.
Dr. Ye further noted that an efficient high-throughput screening platform for COVID-19 inhibitors could significantly shorten drug development timelines, benefiting public health in times of global crises. This platform, which is still in the early stages of development, plays a critical role in the upstream processes of drug discovery, especially in combating viral diseases.
Professor Tang
We also interviewed professor Tang, a specialist in biological chemical engineering at a vocational college in Ningbo.
In the interview, Professor Tang shared her professional background and provided valuable feedback on our project.
Professor Tang first recognized the significance of the project, pointing out its potential usefulness beyond COVID-19 as it could be applied to other viral targets. However, she provided several constructive suggestions:
In conclusion, Professor Tang’s feedback focused on enhancing the system’s efficiency, effectiveness, and cost management while exploring broader applications in healthcare diagnostics and education. She encouraged the students to consider practical industry collaborations and the potential of their project to make significant contributions to both academic training and commercial applications.
Ryan G. Holzer, M.S., PhD
Ryan has a B.S. and M.S. in Biology from Boise State University and a PhD in Biomedical Science from the University of California, San Diego. In the interview with Professor Ryan, we discussed the shortcomings in the experimental design of the project. In addition, we noted that the professor has conducted in-depth studies on cancer inhibition, so we also asked questions about the correlation between inhibitor screening platforms and cancer inhibition.
- Applicability of our experimental platform: We asked if our experimental approach could be applied to our platform, specifically regarding the use of the Manchester method. The professor advised us to first verify that our system works before considering adapting it to other systems.
- Target selection and system verification: The professor suggested that we might need to choose a different target, such as nsp5, but emphasized the importance of confirming that our system functions properly first. We mentioned that we've partially verified the system but acknowledged that more work is needed.
- "Toggle switch" in synthetic biology: We brought up the concept of the "toggle switch" used in synthetic biology and asked if it could be applied to control cell state transitions. The professor responded that while toggle switches have applications, in some cases, simply regulating the expression of a single gene could achieve the desired results, without the need for two genes.
- Controlling neutrophil activity: The professor elaborated on different methods to control neutrophil activity, explaining that key proteins can be regulated to switch neutrophils from a dormant to an active state.
- Feedback on our project: The professor emphasized that verifying the functionality of our system is the most critical step. We realized that there is still much to improve and complete in our project, and found the feedback to be very helpful.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the expert interviews have profoundly shaped our understanding of the multifaceted landscape in which our inhibitor screening platform operates. By synthesizing insights from various professionals, we have identified critical areas for improvement in our experimental design, as well as opportunities for strategic partnerships that can enhance the platform’s commercial viability. Moving forward, we must prioritize the verification of our system’s functionality, explore collaboration with diagnostic manufacturers, and consider the broader implications of our research in both healthcare and education. The collective wisdom of our interviewees not only informs our next steps but also inspires confidence in the potential impact of our project on public health and the scientific community at large.
Lastly, the interview with Professor Ryan illuminated several key aspects of our experimental design that require further refinement. His advice on verifying the functionality of our system before broader applications stresses the importance of foundational research. The discussion on target selection and the innovative concept of using a "toggle switch" in synthetic biology provided thought-provoking insights into how we might control biological processes more effectively. This feedback is crucial as we seek to optimize our screening platform for maximum impact.
Professor Tang’s feedback further expanded our perspective by highlighting the importance of efficiency and cost management in our system. Her suggestions to collaborate with diagnostic reagent manufacturers are particularly compelling, as they open avenues for real-world applications that could enhance the platform's utility in clinical settings. By considering the integration of our screening platform into diagnostic kits, we could not only enhance its practicality but also address a significant market need for rapid and accurate viral detection. Furthermore, Professor Tang’s insights into the educational potential of our project emphasize the dual benefits of advancing scientific research while fostering the development of practical skills among students.
Similarly, Dr. Ye’s insights into the clinical landscape provided a critical understanding of how our platform could fit into the existing healthcare framework. His emphasis on the importance of efficacy and safety in clinical trials underscores the necessity of rigorous testing in our experimental design. The observation that pediatric patients often rely on natural immunity for self-limiting diseases serves as a reminder of the diverse patient demographics our platform must consider. Additionally, Dr. Ye’s comments regarding the potential of a high-throughput screening platform to expedite drug development during public health crises directly align with our project's mission to create timely solutions for urgent health challenges.
Dr. Mo, the Director of Research and Development at Sibiman Bio, emphasized the importance of innovative approaches in high-throughput drug screening and the efficiency of fluorescent methods. His insights on CAR-T therapy, particularly the significance of targeting multiple antigens, reinforced the need for our platform to adapt and innovate in response to market competition. The suggestion to consider drug repurposing not only highlights a strategic approach to resource management but also aligns with our goal of addressing urgent public health needs, particularly in combating viral infections. Dr. Mo's focus on the commercial viability of licensing our platform to major pharmaceutical companies suggests a clear path forward, ensuring that our research can transition from the lab to practical applications.
The interviews conducted with experts in various fields have provided invaluable insights that directly align with our project’s objectives and highlighted key areas for improvement. The overarching aim of our expert interviews was to bridge gaps in our experimental design, understand market demand, and explore collaborative opportunities within the pharmaceutical industry. Each expert brought a unique perspective that contributed to a comprehensive understanding of both the scientific and commercial potential of our inhibitor screening platform.