Collaborates with the USTC iGEM Team
1. Purpose of the activity
On August 3, the UESTC iGEM Team and the USTC iGEM Team successfully held an online exchange activity themed "Human Practices". The purpose of this activity was to enhance the teams' abilities in social responsibility, public participation, and educational promotion, while further promoting the social value of synthetic biology projects.
IGEM is a global competition that emphasizes both technological innovation and the social responsibility of its teams. Both the UESTC iGEM Team and the USTC iGEM Team are committed to improving public awareness of synthetic biology through human practice activities and exploring the social applications of synthetic biology technology.
2. Process of the activity
During the activity, two team members engaged the public in a project demonstration, sharing their experiences in the social promotion of synthetic biology. They discussed various initiatives, including popular science lectures, school outreach, and social media campaigns. In the education sector, both teams exchanged their experiences conducting educational activities inside and outside of schools, such as creative competitions, painting, and science outreach initiatives, aimed at cultivating young people's interest in science and stimulating their creative enthusiasm.
During the free exchange stage, team members from both sides shared their challenges in human practice, such as promoting connections with the experimental plate, improving public participation, and effectively disseminating scientific knowledge. By listening to one another, the teams found empathy and explored collaborative solutions.
Today's exchange has introduced us to new approaches and ideas, such as reaching a wider audience downstream and engaging comprehensive universities upstream. We look forward to applying these experiences to future projects." said the USETC China HP leader.
3. Significance of the activity
Through this exchange activity, the USETC iGEM Team and the USTC iGEM Team engaged in in-depth discussions on human practice and gained valuable insights. The two teams plan to further strengthen their collaboration in this area and work together to promote the social value and sustainable development of synthetic biology.
Visit to Universiti Sains Malaysia
1. Purpose of the activity
To address the growing problem of microplastic pollution and explore innovative solutions, members of the UESTC iGEM Team visited Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) on July 27. They collaborated with local students to investigate new solutions to microplastic pollution. Through online meetings, field research, and interviews, the team gained insights into public awareness and understanding of plastic pollution and environmental protection in Malaysia, providing valuable ideas and references for promoting and applying their project.
2. Process of the activity
At the beginning of the activity, UESTC China introduced the specific content and promotional plan of the project to the students of Universiti Sains Malaysia through an online platform. This included the experimental principles, technical methods, and cooperation directions. The team members discussed future promotional strategies with the students, who offered many creative ideas and suggestions, providing valuable references for project design.
Simultaneously, both parties engaged in in-depth discussions about the project's feasibility, social impact, and promotion strategy. Additionally, the team members met with Malaysian student representative Jackie to share their perceptions of microplastic pollution, enhancing their understanding of this global environmental issue. Jackie not only learned about the project's content and implementation progress but also recognized the seriousness of microplastic pollution. "I never realized how bad microplastic pollution is." he said. "This project is very meaningful, it not only provides us with solutions but also helps us understand how technology can be used to protect the environment."
During the research and communication process, students expressed that they had not fully realized the seriousness of microplastic pollution before. This activity not only provided them with new knowledge but also enhanced their sense of responsibility for environmental protection. The students also offered many valuable suggestions, such as promoting the project both inside and outside the school through social media and environmental exhibitions, to help more people understand the harm of microplastic pollution and the critical role of scientific research in environmental protection.
Captain Chen stated, "This exchange activity is very important for us. We received a wealth of valuable feedback and witnessed the enthusiasm of students for this technology. We look forward to collaborating with Malaysian students in the future to promote environmental protection."
3. Significance of the activity
The exchange not only deepened Malaysian students' understanding of microplastic pollution but also laid a solid foundation for future cooperation. UESTC China will continue to promote technological exploration and seek new partners to collaboratively tackle environmental challenges.
Science Popularization Initiative Among Four Schools
1. Purpose of the activity
To popularize basic knowledge of synthetic biology and enhance public awareness and understanding of this cutting-edge scientific field, UESTC China hopes to demonstrate the great potential of synthetic biology in solving human health problems, promoting sustainable development, and optimizing industrial production processes. The initiative aims to stimulate interest and enthusiasm across all sectors of society for future scientific exploration and cultivate more young scientists and innovators. Therefore, the iGEM team at UESTC, as the initiator, jointly conducted the "University Linkage: Unlocking the Mysteries of Synthetic Biology" popular science Twitter campaign with Peking University, Beijing Institute of Technology, and Shandong University.
2. Process of the activity
To further ensure the smooth progress of the Twitter campaign, UESTC China drafted the introduction and conclusion of the tweets and actively engaged in discussions with the other three universities. Each university team will form a planning group to determine the themes and content frameworks for the tweets, ensuring that the activity's content is both scientific and engaging. The content will incorporate examples, graphics, videos, and more to enhance readability and interactivity.
| PKU | The Evolution and Current Applications of Aptamers. | Aptamer is a type of short single-stranded DNA that can specifically bind to target proteins, with screening conducted using large-scale SELEX technology. Compared to antibodies, the most commonly used molecular probes, aptamers offer advantages such as rapid and convenient use and a broader range of targets. They are expected to play an important role in diagnosis, treatment, and information transmission. |
| BIT | History of Research and Detection Methods for Endocrine Disruptors. | Environmental endocrine disruptors (EDCs) are chemicals that can interfere with the function of an organism's endocrine system. These substances can simulate, block, or interfere with the normal role of hormones, subsequently affecting growth, development, reproduction, behavior, and the immune system. |
| UESTC | Understanding Plastic: Transforming Plastic into New Life. | Microplastics are plastic fragments or particles less than 5 mm in diameter, derived from the decomposition of various plastic products, including but not limited to plastic bags, bottles, and packaging materials. These tiny particles pose a significant threat to the environment, particularly to aquatic ecosystems. |
| SDU | Microbial Cell Factory. | As one of the oldest and most diverse life forms on earth, microorganisms have significant potential applications. With advancements in science and technology, along with a deeper understanding of microorganisms, they are expected to play an important role in various fields, contributing knowledge and resources to the sustainable development of human society. |
3. Significance of the activity
Through the "University Linkage: Unlocking the Mysteries of Synthetic Biology", the four major universities explain the applications of synthetic biology in environmental protection and disease treatment in an accessible manner. This initiative is significant for enhancing the scientific literacy of the public and fostering a social atmosphere of scientific and technological innovation.
The activity not only promoted collaboration and exchange among scientific research teams from different universities but also established a platform for interdisciplinary research in synthetic biology and related fields. It transcended spatial limitations, broadened the scope of science popularization, and facilitated the dissemination of synthetic biology knowledge.
iG20 SDG Meetup
1. Purpose of the activity
On September 7, 2024, UESTC China participated in the 'iG20 SDG Meetup,' an online event hosted by the Council of the iGEM Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Synthetic Biology Industry-University-Research Forum (iGBA). The event aimed to bring together iGEM teams from across the country to showcase and exchange projects related to the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations, promoting cooperation among teams, sharing research results, and contributing insights and resources to the realization of sustainable development.
2. Process of the activity
The event was conducted through the Tencent conference platform. Each participating team had the opportunity to present their projects for 10 minutes, followed by a 5-minute interactive session for in-depth communication with Subject-Matter Experts and relevant stakeholders. The iGEM team from the University of Electronic Science and Technology of China detailed their innovative projects in microplastic pollution control, shared research results on constructing specific peptide colorimetric sensors and using E. coli surface display systems and multi-enzyme systems to detect and transform microplastics. Team members also had lively discussions with teachers and students from other universities on project details, promotion strategies, and other aspects, gaining valuable feedback and suggestions.
3.Significance of the activity
Through this event, the iGEM team from the University of Electronic Science and Technology of China not only showcased their latest research progress in the field of synthetic biology, but also strengthened their connections with other university teams to explore various possibilities for sustainable development. This conference is not only an opportunity for academic exchange, but more importantly, it emphasizes the importance of cooperation. Through interdisciplinary and cross-regional cooperation, we can jointly address the environmental challenges facing the world. In addition, this event further stimulated the enthusiasm of young students for scientific exploration, inspiring them to pursue scientific truth while not forgetting to shoulder the responsibility of contributing to the sustainable development of the earth.
The "iG20 SDG Meetup" activity not only provides a platform for the iGEM team of University of Electronic Science and Technology of China to showcase and improve themselves, but also promotes academic cooperation and resource sharing among teams, schools, and even regions. It has important practical significance for promoting the achievement of synthetic biology and sustainable development goals.
Revolutionizing iGEM with the Power of AI & SynBio Symposium
1. Purpose of the activity
On September 14, 2024, we participated in a seminar with the theme of "Revolutionizing iGEM with the Power of AI & SynBio". The event aims to bring together top researchers from around the world to explore how artificial intelligence (AI) technology can help the development of synthetic biology, especially in DNA sequence analysis. In addition, the conference also hopes to inspire participants to think about the potential applications of AI in a wider range of bioscience research fields and bring more innovative solutions to synthetic biology.
2. Process of the activity
At the symposium, scientists from around the world shared their latest achievements in DNA sequence design and optimization using AI technology. These sharing not only covered the theoretical level of knowledge, but also included the application of practical cases, fully demonstrating the powerful ability of AI to solve complex bioinformatics problems. Although the main focus of the conference was on DNA-related research, the in-depth discussion of AI technology also brought a lot of inspiration to the teams involved in protein engineering research. In particular, some of the methodologies mentioned in the conference are considered to be potentially applicable to the optimization of protein structures, which provides new ideas for accelerating the study of protein evolution.
3. Significance of the activity
This seminar is an extremely valuable learning and communication opportunity for participants. For research teams focused on protein engineering, it not only broadens members' understanding of the application boundaries of AI technology, but more importantly, stimulates their interest and determination to integrate AI into their own research fields. Project owner Chen Kehan pointed out: "Although the core topic of the conference is not protein engineering, we believe that AI can also be a powerful tool to promote progress in this field. It opens a door to a new world for us and shows us the potential huge value of AI in protein design and transformation."
Break Free From Plastic
1.Purpose of the activity
We are honored to be a member of the “Break Free From Plastic” campaign, which aims to raise public awareness of the seriousness of plastic pollution and advocate a lifestyle that reduces the use of plastic through our actions. To this end, we have posted an article on the organization's official forum, calling for more people to join in the effort to reduce plastic pollution and protect the environment.
2. Process of the activity
In this event, we not only elaborated on the negative impacts of plastic pollution on the natural environment and human health, but also specifically introduced our team's work in dealing with microplastic PET. Specifically, we developed a technology that specifically recognizes and precisely degrades PET and efficiently upgrades it into a high-value product, vanillin, a compound that has a wide range of applications in a variety of fields, including food and cosmetics. In this way, we not only reduce environmental pollution, but also create economic value.
3. Significance of the activity
Through this campaign, we hope to emphasize the importance of everyone taking action in their daily lives, no matter how small, to contribute to reducing the burden on the planet. We firmly believe that only when everyone participates in actions to reduce the production of plastic waste can we truly achieve environmental sustainability. Therefore, we sincerely invite people from all walks of life to join us, starting from themselves, and working together to build a cleaner and greener earth. Every little change is a big step towards a better future.
Competition
1. Purpose of the activity
UESTC China participated in the creative track in the first Chengdu Metropolitan Area Eco-Environmental Volunteer Service Project Competition, and the project design focused on human practical activities, and finally won the first prize in Sichuan Province. The competition aims to encourage young people to use innovative thinking and technological means to explore new ways to solve environmental problems, raise public awareness of environmental protection and promote sustainable development.
2. Process of the activity
In this competition, UESTC China proposed an innovative project focusing on the detection and transformation of microplastic pollution. By constructing a specific recognition peptide colorimetric sensor, combined with an E. coli surface display system and a multi-enzyme system, the team successfully developed an effective microplastic degradation protocol. This solution can not only efficiently detect and treat microplastic pollutants in the environment, but also transform them into products with economic value, and realize the recycling of resources.
During the competition, UESTC China not only demonstrated its achievements in scientific research, but also popularized the harm of microplastic pollution and its prevention and control measures to the society through various forms of popular science activities, such as online lectures and interactive experiences, and enhanced the public's environmental awareness.
3. Significance of the activity
The award is not only a recognition of UESTC China's achievements in technological innovation and practical a pplication, but also an affirmation of its efforts in education and public participation. By participating in this competition, the team not only demonstrated its professional ability in solving environmental problems, but also effectively transformed scientific research results into social services, contributing wisdom and strength to the development of environmental protection.
More importantly, the event highlighted the value of combining creativity and practice, inspiring more young people to devote themselves to environmental science and technology innovation, and contribute to the construction of a green earth with practical actions. The successful experience of UESTC China also provides a useful reference for other teams to form a broader consensus and action on environmental protection.