Education

In the course of engaging with various doctors, researchers, and elderly care professionals, we have come to realize the paramount importance of outreach to our target audiences, diverse stakeholders with differing backgrounds, and even the general public. This endeavor is not solely about promoting awareness and recognition of Alzheimer’s disease, thereby fostering early prevention, screening, and treatment. Simultaneously, transparently disseminating insights into synthetic biology and new technologies alongside the promotion of Alzheimer’s awareness can also contribute to the public’s understanding, appreciation, and support for this emerging field of synthetic biology.

We are dedicated to leveraging every conceivable means to disseminate knowledge about our research topics, which encompass Alzheimer’s disease and synthetic biology. As Professor Le Jianhua eloquently stated, we must not constrain ourselves solely within the bounds of our subject matter but should transcend limitations posed by age, gender, region, social status, physical attributes, and other backgrounds. Furthermore, we should capitalize on the advantages of being young and engage with our peers, spreading the conversations of Alzheimer’s and anti-aging to groups that may have previously been overlooked or unreached. With team members hailing from various schools across different countries and regions, we have successfully introduced our research on Alzheimer’s and synthetic biology into these diverse educational settings, conducting offline interactive lectures for our peers, teachers, and other interested staff members.

Additionally, we have fully leveraged the advantages of the internet era to disseminate and share information about every one of our events and lectures. By doing so, we ensure that as many people as possible can deepen their understanding of synthetic biology, Alzheimer’s disease, and the research topics we are engaged in.

Through the utilization of platforms such as YouTube, Twitter, and Xiaohongshu, we have made it easier for people from diverse backgrounds to comprehend intricate concepts, specialized content, and technical materials. To facilitate the dissemination and sharing of these otherwise elusive ideas, we upload informative graphics, engaging PPT, videos, along with captivating snippets from our exclusive interviews and lectures. We understand that the content being communicated is paramount, yet equally essential is the effective communication methodology that enables our audience to grasp, embrace, and ultimately share the information with ease.

Following the successful interview with Mr. Le Jianhua, we cordially invited him to deliver a special online lecture on Alzheimer’s disease via Tencent Meeting, targeting the general public. Scheduled for the International Alzheimer’s Day on September 21st, 2024, we believe it is of great significance to host such a lecture on this day.

Lecturer: Le Jianhua, Psychotherapist at the Alzheimer’s Diagnosis and Treatment Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University

Host: Bai Zikuan, SRE-CHINA iGEMer

Lecture Content:
1. Alzheimer’s disease is one type of dementia, accounting for over 60% of dementia patients.
2. Using the term “dementia” instead of “senility” aims to avoid stigmatization and encourage patients to seek medical help without feelings of shame.
3. When one person becomes incapacitated, it disrupts the entire family’s balance, as Alzheimer’s disease not only affects the patient but also has a profound impact on their entire family.
4. In today’s rapidly aging society, Alzheimer’s disease is having a significant impact on society as a whole.
5. Patients in the Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) stage often mistakenly believe that memory decline is a normal part of aging.
6. Memory decline is just one of the nine symptoms manifested in Alzheimer’s disease.
7. Patients who have developed psychiatric symptoms to the extent that family members cannot care for them are the primary patient group seeking treatment in China.
8. Given the irreversible nature of Alzheimer’s disease, the best approach is early detection, early intervention, and early treatment.
9. The Alzheimer’s Association International Conference (AAIC) was held in the United States in July 2024, and The Lancet report outlined 14 potential interventions.
10. Currently available medications primarily aim to improve and maintain existing symptoms, preventing a steep decline.
11. Elderly individuals often have multiple underlying conditions, and the combined use of multiple medications and their potential side effects can increase their risks.
12. The cost of new medications is too high for the vast majority of elderly individuals.
13. Combining non-pharmacological treatments with medication, tailored to the elderly’s interests and hobbies, is a commonly used approach.
14. The development of a medical-care alliance that provides a seamless continuum of services between hospitals, communities, and elderly care institutions is essential.

On the same day, International Alzheimer's Day on September 21st, we also held a lecture offline, initiated and recruited by the SRE-CHINA team, and taught by our iGEMer, Junqiao Chen, “To know Alzheimer's disease”. In the lecture, with Alzheimer's as the theme, we popularized the basic knowledge of Alzheimer's to the participants, promoted our theme and concept, and learned about Alzheimer's, using a healthy lifestyle to resist aging and prevent Alzheimer's. At the same time, the basic knowledge of synthetic biology and its applications in the project will be promoted and publicized to the attendees.

Lecturer: Junqiao Chen, SRE-CHINA iGEMer

High School Campus Lecture

High School Campus Lecture overview
During Mr. Le Jianhua’s dedicated online lecture, it was mentioned that the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference (AAIC) was held in the United States in July 2024, where The Lancet published a report outlining 14 intervenable measures, encompassing all stages from adolescence, through middle and young adulthood, to old age. The Lancet report highlights that the prevention of Alzheimer’s should not solely focus on old age but rather should commence from adolescence. When we walk into high school campuses, our primary objectives transcend merely disseminating information about Alzheimer’s and sharing our research. Crucially, we aim to use our Alzheimer’s research as a gateway to introduce and propagate the field of synthetic biology, fostering an increased interest among junior students. Additionally, we conduct pre- and post-lecture questionnaires. By comparing the results and leveraging feedback, we meticulously design each lesson to enhance students’ understanding of synthetic biology.

High School Campus Lecture 1
School: The High School Affiliated to Renmin University of China
Lecturer: Jingchen Shi, SRE-CHINA iGEMer

High School Campus Lecture 2
School: Shanghai Liaoyuan Bilingual School
Lecturer: Yuesi Xu, SRE-CHINA iGEMer

High School Campus Lecture 3
School: Shanghai World Foreign Language Academy
Lecturer: Andi Hu, SRE-CHINA iGEMer

High School Campus Lecture 4
School: YK Pao School
Lecturer: Jianing Wu, SRE-CHINA iGEMer

Our members are deeply passionate about our project and the field of synthetic biology. As such, they have integrated sharing and education into every activity we can showcase, striving to disseminate and share our knowledge and gain with as many people as possible. The aim is to enable more people to understand synthetic biology and gain insights into what we are doing in our research, not just limiting the promotion and sharing of synthetic biology to Alzheimer’s-based advocacy.

During the two-week summer camp in Thailand in early August, some of the members of our team visited the National Science and Technology Development Agency (NSTDA) in Bangkok. Throughout the visits, studies, and experiments at NSTDA, they introduced our iGEM project to professors and research experts there and received recognition as well as guidance from professors and experts in the field of synthetic biology.

Afterward, our team members also went to an orphanage and a public welfare school for poor families under the Human Help Network Foundation in Pattaya to volunteer to teach. Not only did they play with the local children, but they also utilized this opportunity to give teaching to the children through entertainment such as painting and games. They guide these children to explore the fascinating world of microorganisms and understand the basics of synthetic biology. Before we left, we were worried that young children would have difficulty understanding synthetic biology, an emerging scientific field. However, it turned out that young children's curiosity and imagination towards new things far exceeded our expectations. During our interactions with the children, we found that patience and experience are not enough for education. Interesting content and interactive methods that combine questions and rewards are important factors in attracting children's attention and stimulating their interest in new knowledge and fields. We hope that through such public welfare volunteer teaching activities, we can stimulate children's interest in synthetic biology.

During this process, our team members also shared our project on anti-aging and Alzheimer’s, as well as the basics of synthetic biology, with over 50 non-iGEM participants from various parts of China who were also participating in the Thailand summer camp activities, and the staff of the orphanage and the public welfare school for poor families.

Participants: Chen Junqiao, Wan Hamo, Wu Jianing, SRE-CHINA iGEMer

During the 10-day East Coast Summer Camp in early July, some of our team members visited laboratories at Harvard, the University of Pennsylvania (Penn), Johns Hopkins University (JHU), and others. Under the guidance of professors from these prestigious American universities, they gained insights into the latest developments in biology. They also observe and experience work in the university laboratories. During the courses, our team members also took this chance to introduce our project on anti-aging and Alzheimer’s, as well as the application of synthetic biology in this project, to over 20 non-iGEM participants from various parts of China who were also attending the East Coast Summer Camp, as well as to professors, teaching assistants, and other faculty members from these renowned institutions. Our project received support and guidance from the professors, and it also inspired a keen interest in participating in iGEM among other non-iGEM summer camp members.

Participants: Dong Yufan, Deng Haonan, Jin Chenming, Chen Junqiao, SRE-CHINA iGEMer

Through a series of publicizing and sharing activities carried out by our team members, including social media management, online public lectures, offline public lectures, high school campus lectures, teaching activities in Thailand, and summer camp activities in the United States, we have summarized our past experiences and shortcomings.

1.In the process of transformation from being learners to educators, we need to adopt empathy. How to disseminate knowledge, stimulate the interest of our audience, and explore opportunities to promote and share new knowledge and fields are all that we should consider.

2.Synthetic biology is a highly specialized and emerging science. The challenge lies in simplifying complex disciplinary knowledge, making abstract concepts concrete, and using stories to link knowledge points, thereby facilitating audience understanding and acceptance.

3.Although we seize every available opportunity to promote and share our project and synthetic biology, it is far from enough. We need to expand the scope of our educational activities, such as reaching out to communities, to attract more people to participate.

4.Education should be personalized. Merely categorizing based on age and stakeholder status is insufficient. We also need to tailor our approach to the audience's professional background, interests, education level, and other relevant factors, to develop teaching plans and aids that effectively suit each individual.