索引
Overview
Proposal stage
Identifying problems
Responsibility
Conclusion
Overview
This year, AIS-China aims to address hair-related concerns within the public. We hope to produce A-KB, a potent molecule that stimulates hair growth, using synthetic biology. From the initial project proposal stage to defining the real problem, we engaged in extensive conversations with the public and doctors to ensure that our project meets public needs. Gradually, we identified applications and early adopters for A-KB: we aspire to provide a new pharmaceutical treatment option for hair loss patients, especially those unable to use minoxidil and individuals experiencing postpartum hair loss. Additionally, we recognize that hair loss is a societal issue, and misconceptions about it, delayed treatment, and psychological factors can all lead to irreversible hair loss. In order to raise awareness about hair loss and mitigate its impact on a wider scale, we hosted series events.
Proposal stage
Our project was inspired during the Linkspider Winter Camp in December 2022. During the camp, based on observations of those around us and the interests of our team members, we initially identified the theme of hair loss prevention and began our project. Through literature searches, we identified a promising molecule, A-KB. In April 2023, we officially established our iGEM team. In order to truly realize our project, we began to further explore its significance and feasibility. We believed it was crucial to address two points: 1. Is our project addressing a genuine need? 2. In which avenue does A-KB hold potential applications?
In response to the first question, we distributed a survey to the public and found that in our region (Shenzhen), there is a significant population experiencing hair loss. Their main concern is the impact on personal appearance, leading to a lack of confidence. Furthermore, most individuals are dissatisfied with existing solutions, indicating a demand for a new approach. Regarding the second question, we considered two avenues: 'hair loss prevention' and 'hair regrowth treatment'. After interviews with two doctors and based on the principle of A-KB, we confirmed the potential of A-KB in the direction of 'hair regrowth treatment'. Apart from this, we also notice a point : one doctor from the public hospital cares more about whether our product is really needed or not, while another doctor from a private institution, a stakeholder of our project, cares more about whether the mechanism of a-kb works or not. These two points of view represent the attitudes of two different. We consider the sound from both sides and modify the direction of our project.
Proposal stage
Half of our team members are from AISSU High School (The Affiliated International School of Shenzhen University) in Shenzhen. After entering the high school stage, we developed a keen interest in biology. Therefore, during the winter vacation, we planned to participate in some biology extension activities. Eventually, we arrived at the Lingzhu Laboratory. Here, we were introduced to synthetic biology for the first time. We received basic training in synthetic biology and conducted experiments for five days. We were all deeply captivated by this field of study.
"In addition, during the evenings of the winter camp, we conducted brainstorming sessions to consider what problems in today's society could be addressed using synthetic biology, particularly in areas such as daily life, industry, agriculture, and medicine. We attempted to identify issues from our surroundings. One classmate raised the possibility of hair loss, as his chemistry teacher suffered from severe hair loss, which had a noticeable impact on his appearance. Similarly, another classmate mentioned that her mother struggled with postpartum hair loss. She had tried numerous treatments, incurring significant costs, but the results were consistently unsatisfactory. It wasn't just middle-aged individuals; many of our classmates experienced hair loss due to academic pressure.
We realized that hair loss could be a prevalent issue faced by many, and that existing solutions might not be perfect. Therefore, we began conducting literature research to find new, potentially effective approaches to address hair loss. Eventually, we identified a promising molecule, a-KB, which could be produced through synthetic biology. This marked the preliminary establishment of our project."
Xinyu Zou and Guichun Zhao conducted experiments during the winter camp.
Questionnaire survey
Our project aims to address the issue of hair loss in the public. The essential first step in tackling this problem is to understand the perspectives and demands of the audience. We needed to know how many people are facing hair loss, how it affects them, and how they cope with it, as well as their opinions on existing products in the market. To gather this information, we distributed a survey to various demographics including high school students, working professionals in office settings, and middle-aged parents.
We employed a combination of online and offline methods to distribute the surveys to both high school students and middle-aged individuals. For high school students, we shared the survey QR code in their social circles, allowing them and their friends to participate. For working professionals, we conducted offline surveys in the technology park areas of Shenzhen, where many of them gather.
We received 544 valid responses. The survey results showed that 48.53% of respondents believed they were experiencing hair loss, with 25% of them attributing it to pathological causes (due to factors like illness, medication, environmental factors, etc.). Regarding the distress caused by hair loss, at least 57% of the respondents reported issues related to personal image and appearance, while 22% indicated a lack of confidence. Surprisingly, regardless of diagnosis, most respondents had not taken any measures to address their hair loss. Among those who didn't seek treatment, 27% were concerned about ineffective results, and 30% were worried about potential side effects. In general, there was apprehension that treatment might exacerbate hair loss. Only a small fraction who pursued treatment were not entirely satisfied with the results. We also provided a brief introduction to synthetic biology in the survey, and a majority expressed willingness to try hair loss products developed through synthetic biology.
Therefore, our findings indicated a significant number of people experiencing hair loss, and a notable gap in the market. Patients expressed a need for a new method to promote hair growth, as current treatments were perceived as ineffective with potential side effects. This affirmed the viability of our approach.
Conducting on-site surveys by interviewing pedestrians on the roadside
Doctor interview
We learned from the literature that A-KB can activate follicle cells to enter the growth phase and maintain them in this phase, stimulating hair regeneration and preventing hair loss. This involves two potential application paths: 'hair loss prevention' or 'hair regrowth treatment'. So, which path is feasible for A-KB? To make this determination, we sought the expertise of professionals in the field who could provide us with more specialized advice.
Through email correspondence and in-person appointments, we reached out to Dr. Yanhua Yi, Associate Chief Physician of Plastic Surgery at Southern Medical University Nanfang Hospital, and Dr. Yanen Lv, Attending Physician in Dermatology at Shenzhen University General Hospital and Member of the Guangdong Medical Cosmetic Hair Branch.
Dr. Yanhua Yi
Dr. Yanen Lv
While both doctors acknowledged they were unfamiliar with A-KB as a new molecule, they found the mechanism of stimulating follicle cells into the growth phase promising for A-KB's potential in 'hair regrowth treatment'. However, regarding 'hair loss prevention', the doctors expressed that using drugs/products for prevention was a misleading proposition, as there currently isn't a recommended product for prevention due to regulatory constraints in the market. In terms of prevention, the focus should be on educating the public about hair loss, changing detrimental lifestyle habits, and promoting early treatment awareness.
Additionally, Dr. Yanhua Yi provided positive feedback about the market, mentioning that there is a large population suffering from hair loss (in alignment with our survey findings) and a significant market for 'hair regrowth treatment'. Dr. Yanen Lv advised us that there are various types of hair loss, suggesting that we concentrate on regeneration and treatment for specific types. However, we also face challenges. Dr. Yi informed us that even if A-KB has the potential for 'hair regeneration', getting it to market would require a lengthy approval process and substantial financial investment. In response to this, we outlined strategies in our business plan (check the
entrepreneurshippage
for details).
In summary, we have determined to pursue the route of 'hair regrowth treatment', using A-KB to address hair loss."
Taking a group photo after interviewing Dr. Yanen Lv at Shenzhen University General Hospital.
Screenshot of the interview with Dr. Yanhua Yi on Tencent Meeting.
Identifying problems
After we have verified that our project is actually in demand and indeed it has the potential to participate in hair growth treatment, our human practice activities are still in progress. During our communication within the community of iGEMer, we realized we must discover a specific scene for the usage of A-kb to highlight its advantages. In this case, we start with the question of “Why does the public show a generally dissatisfying attitude toward current hair loss treatment ?” We spoke with two doctors in search of the answer to our question. The result indicates that, on the one hand, it is because the treatments we have now are true with some limitations; on the other hand, incomprehension of the public towards current medical treatment causes the truly useful and cost-effective therapies not to be widely promoted.
In addition, through the conversation we had with doctor in this stage, and the "Doctor interview" we mentioned in the Proposal Stage, we inevitably noticed that all the doctors stressed the fact that investigating a brand of medicine costs a vast amount of effort, and also will be needing tremendous financial supports. In order to respond to this, we drew our commercial plan to demonstrate how may we impelement our product in reality (check the
entrepreneurshippage
for details).
After acknowledging these, we successfully find out the shining points of A-kb and future application forms of it. People who can not be covered, or are allergic to Minoxidil are determined as our target customers. We also conduct a few terms of interviews with our target customers, as their demands truly exist and are impressive. We hope to provide them with a solution, which is a milder and less stimulative drug.
CCIC
From General to Specific
After determining the general direction of using a-kb for hair regrowth therapy, we want to understand how our project has been received among non-general audiences, specifically those with biological knowledge. We aim to grasp the reactions of our project in this niche group and to determine whether, from the perspective of observers, there are issues that we may have overlooked. At the same time, we hope to engage in discussions with other iGEMers around us, putting in efforts to mutually assist in each other's projects and make them more exciting.
In July 2023, we participated in the CCIC held at Hainan University, engaging in discussions and learning from other iGEMers in the Chinese region. We presented our project at the venue, but disappointingly, our gains were quite limited.
Upon exploration, the root cause lies in the broad nature of our hair regrowth treatment theme, lacking distinctive features. A-kb lacks a specific application scenario, making it challenging for attendees to provide substantive advice. This also leaves individuals experiencing hair loss without compelling reasons to choose our solution. This realization prompts us to focus more precisely on a particular area within the field of hair regrowth treatment to identify the strengths of our project.
picture of the main lecture hall
Picture of us doing a presentaion
Second Interview with Dr. Yi
OUR quest in the realm of curing hair loss
Upon realizing the lack of highlights in our project, we recalled findings from a survey indicating a negative attitude among the public towards taking measures to address hair loss. This might serve as our breakthrough point. To explore this issue further, we sought to understand in depth the current solutions the public is facing in dealing with hair loss and the pros and cons of mainstream solutions.
For the second interview, we chose to interview Dr. Yi, who pointed out that current hair regrowth solutions can be categorized into three major types. We discussed the effectiveness, pricing, ease of use, and accessibility of these three types, aiming to understand why the public might be hesitant to adopt treatment measures.
Types
Effectiveness
Price
Convenience while using
How to acquire?
aircare products
Low
Wide range of prices
Use during or after washing hair, high level of convenience.
Brought by individuals by themselves
surgical treatment
High level of effectiveness
Relatively expensive, lots of people can't afford it.
Operation causes wounds and injuries to a certain degree.After-surgery maintenance might be elaborate.
Co-operated by many institutions
Drug treament
Effective for part of the population
Relatively cheap,affordable for most people.
External use or taken orally
Most drugs need prescription
From this interview, we learned that oil-based hair care products are the most accessible to consumers, as they can be purchased individually, and there is a wide variety of products available. However, the effectiveness of such methods cannot be guaranteed; doctors stated that there are hardly any effective products in the market, and the chaotic market significantly reduces public trust. Surgical treatments generally have good results but are too expensive for most people, and the process is both painful and lengthy, with complex post-operative care. Pharmaceutical treatments, as an effective and authoritative method, work for some people, are affordable, and relatively easy to use. So, why isn't the public inclined towards this?
Dr. Yi mentioned that the public lacks a correct understanding of the hair loss process and is unfamiliar with common types of hair loss and drug treatment plans. As a result, they are not inclined to seek help from hospitals, even if they are concerned about their hair loss. Additionally, many patients tend to underestimate the severity of hair loss, only seeking medical attention when it reaches the middle or late stages, causing them to miss the optimal treatment time and leading to a misconception of poor effectiveness of drug treatment. In reality, drug treatments mostly show better results in the early stages of hair loss.
Through this visit, we learned that oil-based hair care products and surgical treatments are perceived as having low effectiveness and high prices, leading consumers to hold a negative attitude. On the other hand, drug treatment has advantages such as being cost-effective, easy to use, and effective, but due to the public's lack of understanding of the hair loss process and drug treatment plans, hair loss patients delay seeking timely medical attention. We believe pharmaceuticals are a highly promising direction.
In the subsequent phases of our project, we will continue to refine the pharmaceutical treatment direction and organize a series of activities to improve the public's accurate understanding of hair loss.
Conversation with Dr. Liu
Limitations of Drug Therapy
After the second interview with Dr. Yi, we gained insight into why the public holds a negative attitude toward current solutions. Following a preliminary understanding of three solutions, we believe that drug therapy should be further promoted. At the same time, we have decided to position a-KB in the field of drug therapy. We aim to continue exploring the highlights of a-KB in the field of medicine while gaining more information about drug therapy for subsequent educational activities. To achieve this, we initiated an interview with Dr. Liu.
Speaking with Dr. Liu
Conversation with Dr. Liu
Dr. Liu is a medical doctor and a renowned dermatologist. During the interview, we approached the topic from the perspective of patients, inquiring about different drug therapy options for various types of hair loss patients, their effectiveness, usage periods, and limitations. Simultaneously, we sought opportunities for a-KB in this context.
Dr. Liu pointed out that commonly used drugs on the market can be broadly classified into three types:
1. Hormonal drugs (e.g., finasteride):
2. Antimicrobial drugs (treatment for seborrheic hair loss caused by Malassezia infection):
3. Hair growth drugs (minoxidil).
Among these three drug categories, hormonal and antimicrobial drugs target specific groups of people experiencing hair loss due to particular reasons, addressing pathological issues with hair follicles at their roots. For instance, hormonal imbalances leading to androgenetic alopecia, or Malassezia infection causing seborrheic hair loss. Dr. Liu mentioned that even though these two types of drugs have some limitations (e.g., hormonal drugs not recommended for men planning for pregnancy), their treatments are relatively mature. Once patients have identified their hair loss type as stemming from one of these two reasons, timely treatment at a hospital can alleviate the hair loss process.
On the other hand, hair growth drugs have a broader range of applications, generally used for complex or multifactorial types of hair loss and as auxiliary treatment in specific hair loss types. Among them, minoxidil is the most well-known. As the only topical drug approved by the FDA and NMPA for treating hair loss, minoxidil is suitable for patients with various types of hair loss. It is worth mentioning that minoxidil is an over-the-counter drug, meaning anyone can purchase it without a doctor's prescription, contributing to its popularity.
However, has minoxidil fulfilled everyone's needs? In our conversation with Dr. Liu, we confirmed that a-KB could serve as a hair growth agent similar to minoxidil. Since minoxidil is already so popular, is there still room for a-KB? To explore this further, we continued our discussion with Dr. Liu.
We learned that the effectiveness of minoxidil is only 50-68%, meaning there are many patients not covered by minoxidil. Additionally, the main ingredient in minoxidil is a poorly water-soluble molecule, and the most commonly used solvent is oily propylene glycol. This implies that users of minoxidil may experience allergic reactions due to the irritability of its solvent, potentially exacerbating hair loss. Dr. Liu mentioned that due to limited effectiveness and allergic reactions, minoxidil is not recommended for all patients in clinical practice, especially those with telogen effluvium. Furthermore, minoxidil is toxic to pets, posing a risk to individuals with pets at home.
Patients with telogen effluvium are not advised to use minoxidil, which piqued our interest. We delved into the reasons behind this. Dr. Liu explained that telogen effluvium is mainly caused by stress, postpartum changes, or significant physical and psychological stress, typically recovering on its own after several months. Clinically, telogen effluvium patients are usually given placebos (such as vitamins) rather than specific drugs. The potential allergic reactions caused by minoxidil could worsen hair loss and slow the recovery process. Moreover, minoxidil may be ineffective, leading patients into a cycle of increased stress and creating a vicious circle.
As a potentially gentle and safe hair growth molecule, a-KB is water-soluble and edible, providing all hair loss patients with a new and milder option. Those allergic to or ineffective with minoxidil can consider using a-KB, especially those with telogen effluvium.
Target customers
Direct conversation with our potential future customers
After interviewing Dr. Liu, we have gained an understanding of the limitations of minoxidil use. We have preliminarily identified the main audience for our a-KB product as individuals experiencing telogen effluvium or those allergic to or ineffective with minoxidil. To confirm this concept, we planned a series of interviews with real-life telogen effluvium patients and minoxidil users. Through these interviews, we further confirmed the limitations of minoxidil use and recognized the necessity for a mild drug, as well as the lack of public awareness regarding early treatment.
To execute this activity, we recruited volunteers both offline and online. Online recruitment was done through the "Xiao Hong Shu" app, a popular lifestyle sharing platform in China. We successfully contacted two individuals who had used minoxidil and four telogen effluvium patients(all are volunteered to be interviewed). After selecting the interviewees, we conducted online interviews with them via video conference.
Our poster for collecting volunteered interviewees
Regarding the two minoxidil users, both shared common points during the interviews. They both began using minoxidil due to a noticeable reduction in hair volume and positive external reviews of minoxidil. However, both experienced varying degrees of allergic reactions, leading them to discontinue the use of the medication. The first interviewee found minoxidil unpleasant to use, oily, uncomfortable, causing rough hair, and resulting in redness, itching, and swelling of the face. The second interviewee experienced significant allergies, including itching at the application site, itching in the ears, severe peeling, and worsening hair loss at the application site.
Additionally, we asked the two minoxidil users about their requirements for an ideal hair growth drug. Both emphasized the importance of gentleness, with no irritation. The second interviewee also expressed a preference for oral medication over topical application. When questioned about their views on synthetic biology drugs, they indicated a preference for products that have been well-received by other consumers before considering use.
Screenshot while online interviewing minoxidil users 1
Screenshot while online interviewing minoxidil users 2
Within the four interviewees who suffer from telogen effluvium we spoke to, we eventually selected two especially representative ones of them to present here.
The first mentioned
suffering from severe postpartum hair loss, which became evident shortly after childbirth, causing her significant anxiety.In search of hair growth solutions and due to her aversion to Western medicine, she tried various auxiliary products such as hair growth combs, essential oils, and vitamins, spending a considerable amount of money. However, these products did not provide satisfactory results in promoting hair growth, although they alleviated issues like excess oiliness and itching.
The second interviewee,
a 20-year-old male experiencing genetic hair loss, tried medications, hair transplantation surgery, and hair growth essential oils.He has been taking finasteride for over three years and is also using minoxidil now. However, he is planning to discontinue minoxidil due to a shedding period. Moreover, six months after using minoxidil, the effectiveness of it gradually diminished. Hair transplantation did not yield favorable results for him due to insufficient number of hair follicle and underlying issues with hair follicle health, and he considered hair growth essential oils virtually ineffective. He expressed an urgent need for a treatment specifically targeting telogen effluvium. When talking about synthetic biology hair growth drugs, he showed a positive attitude, and expressed willingness to be among the first to try them.
We organized the feedback received, further confirming the limitations of minoxidil use and realizing two key points: 1) There is a shared demand among individuals not suitable for minoxidil for a milder, non-irritating drug. 2) When facing hair loss issues, the public tends not to seek help from doctors at hospitals immediately. This validates the concerns raised by Dr. Liu during the revisit. In light of these results, a-KB, as an affordable, edible, and topically applicable mild hair growth molecule, demonstrates advantages over minoxidil. Simultaneously, we recognize that to comprehensively address the increasingly common issue of hair loss, scientific research alone is insufficient. There is a pressing need to disseminate knowledge about hair loss to the public and increase their awareness of preventing hair loss and seeking early therapy.
Responsibility
In the human practice activities of interview with doctor and customers, we found that the public’s misconception about the hair loss may caused people to miss the best treatment and make hair loss become irreversible. Meanwhile, hair loss is a social problem, and it often associated with the psychological factors. We recognised that if we wanted to reduce the hair loss effect at a greater scale and the possibility of having hair loss，we should teach the public to treat their hair correctly, and face the problem of hair loss. Therefore, we launched three activities to raise the public’s awareness of hair loss.
The first one is called “The prevention and early treatment of hair loss”, we collaborated with the renowned hair care institution “Hairology” to give a lecture of hair loss to the company employees and provide the follicle testing service.
We ended up gain many audiences attending this event, which proves that the topic of our project is recognized by the general population of office workers. And, of course, these employees have successfully understood the importance of prevention and early treatment, as well as the basic concepts of hair loss,
The second one is called “women in STEM”. We teamed up with other iGEM teams to talk about the contributions of women in synthetic biology, how synthetic biology is relevant to women's lives, focusing on women's health, and the social dilemmas they face through online lectures.
The last one is called “Attention to postpartum women”. We initiated a community lecture to call on family members and the public to pay attention to women's postpartum hair loss, and to know the dilemma postpartum women faced.
The prevention and early treatment of hair loss
As we have seen in the previous human practice activities, the public have a negative attitude towards hair loss due to the lack of basic knowledge about hair loss and understanding of current treatment; and those who are seeking for help often miss the best time for treatment that cause the result to be less effective. Meanwhile, the importance of hair loss prevention as an aid to improve hair loss is not recognized by the public. In order to enhance the attention of the public to the prevention and early treatment of hair loss, we decided to talk about the basic knowledge of hair loss and effective preventive measures, as well as the current treatment methods through the lecture, calling on the public to treat hair loss correctly, which reduces the impact of hair loss.
We decided to target employees who are concerned about their hair health, worried about hair loss, and facing hair loss. Because in ShenZhen, workers account for large portion and face great pressure. In order to convince a company to let us carry out the campaign internally, we need to consider the interests of both side to convince the relevant person in charge of the company. For this purpose, we have prepared detailed activity plans, poster, brochures and lovely accessories, in order to ensure the effectiveness and influence of the activity. At the same time, in order to stimulate the interest of the audience and bring the practical benefit to the audience, we also contacted the famous professional hair care organization “ Hairology” to provide the audience with free hair follicle testing services and exquisite gifts. For “Hairology”, employees with financial means are their target customers, and it is a rare opportunity for them to enter the company and propagandise. Finally, we found a company that was willing to let us conduct the lecture: Patent International Logistics Co., Ltd., and “Hairology” was able to come to the company to provide hair follicle test service.
Photo of experiencing hair follicle testing at "Hairology"
Poster for the lecture
Preparation of brochures and accessories
Confirming the location of lecture in the company
On Friday afternoon, we arranged the room in advance, placed the poster at the door, and put the snacks on the plate. Then, we placed the brochures and accessories on every seat. At last, we put all the prizes neatly on the table and test the devices. After lunch, waiting for all the employees to sit down, we start our lecture. We started with the basic concept of hair, and took them step by step to understand the current trend in society and common factors of hair loss. After that, we talk about the action that they can do to reduce the probability of hair loss through effective preventive measures and current treatment choices，and we emphasize the importance of early treatment and prevention of hair loss to the audience.
After the lecture was finished, we began the hair follicle testing activity. We first explain the purpose of hair follicle testing and its principle to the audience, so that they became more aware of this method. Then, we began to have people line up to test one by one, and observe their scalp conditions through the screen of the machine. We can also see that employees are very actively asking the person in charge of hair follicle testing about their condition of hair follicles displayed by the machine, asking them about the problems and severity of their hair follicles. After noticing their own conditions, they realized that they need to improve their own scalp problems, and the person in charge of hair follicle testing from “Hairology” also provided them with some simple suggestions, including how to take care of their daily hair cleaning, like choosing type of products that were suitable for their hair to get a healthy scalp. Observing from the staff’s reaction, everyone’s response to the test is also very active. Before the activity ended, employees gave feedback and comments to the event and posted their choices in the form of stickers under the options for each question.
brochures and accessories on each seat
Arranging prizes on the table
Fruit and snacks provided on the table
Picture of Jasmine Ou Yang giving lecture to the company employees
Company employees taking the hair follicle test
Feedback and comments from the company employees
Through this activity, we saw that our employees showed great enthusiasm toward the lecture, and they also increased awareness of preventing hair loss, and the feedback indicated that they had more understanding of their own scalp conditions, and were willing to take preventive measures and seek treatment as soon as possible. Some company employees also came to the store of “Hairology” for scalp care, showing that they pay more attention to their own scalp health. Through this activity, we also realized that in order to facilitate cooperation, we need to take into account the interests of both sides, so that the needs of both sides can be met and their respective purposes can be achieved. We believe that this form can be used as a reference in future HP activities.
Women in Stem
In order to think more deeply about whether synthetic biology projects are responsible and beneficial to the world, our team came up with the idea of participating in Women in STEM activity. The event was organized by BS-United, together with 6 IGEM teams including DUT_China and Shanghai-MedX. As the participating teams came from all over the world, we finally adopted the form of online lecture. Through this lecture, we want to discuss the contributions of women in synthetic biology, the stereotypical labels women face, how synthetic biology is closely related to women's lives, and pay attention to women's health and social dilemmas.
Our project is relevant to women's lives, and our team is made up of half women, which is also related to the theme of the project. Our teams’s speech topic is "Male and female hair loss: dilemma exposure” In the speech, we introduced the causes of male and female hair loss, differences in treatment and the dilemmas they both faced, and discussed the different attitudes of men and women to hair loss and the causes, and finally focused on the situation of postpartum women. Postpartum women face multiple difficulties. After birth, both of their physical and mental state are vulnerable, and hair loss is only one of the problems. Through this event, we hope that the public will pay more attention to this problem, pay more attention to the care of postpartum women, and let more people know about the myriad possibilities of synthetic biology.
In the activity of Women in STEM, we see the extraordinary contributions of women in STEM fields and the growing possibilities. At the same time, we let more people to see the dilemma of women and women's postpartum hair loss, improve the public's care for women's postpartum, and let the public to pay attention to the possibility of applying synthetic biology to postpartum hair loss.
Poster for online lecture listening
Screenshot of our team giving lecture while other teams are listening
Attention to female postpartum hair loss
In the previous interview with the doctors, they suggested that a-KB could focus on telogen effluvium in the future application. Later, Dr.Liu also mentioned that patients with telogen effluvium often faced the dilemma that there is no medicine available for them to use. Female postpartum hair loss is one of the major categories of telogen effluvium. However, there is often a lack of social attention to the situation of postpartum female. First, hair loss puts greater pressure on women’s appearance than men’s. Secondly, women are in a more fragile physical and mental state after childbirth. Thirdly, the lack of available treatment drugs makes their situation even more difficult. A-KB has the potential to be used in the treatment of telogen effluvium, and we hope to hold some activities to call for more attention to postpartum women.
We decided to present a lecture on Female postpartum hair loss in the community. Postpartum women often face a variety of issues: postpartum depression, physical recovery, taking care of children, returning to work, etc. Female postpartum hair loss is one of the problems that they faced, and it is mainly related to the change in hormone after childbirth. Meanwhile, it also affects mental health and physical recovery. Considering the role of women in family, so it is very important for family members to care about the postpartum women, so the community is a suitable platform that helped to gather family members.
In order to achieve cooperation with the community and take into account the interests of both sides, we thought our activity can benefit the community in a way to show their concern for the residents. Also, our lecture is for free, which means that community does not need to bear any costs. In order to attract more families to participate in our activities, we have also prepared event-related materials, including brochures, accessories, and a stack of free eggs for every family that attend our activity. Finally, we reached agreement with the community, and the venue was agreed upon. Afterwards, we posted posters inside the community to ensure that every family in the community knew the information about the event.
Poster for the lecture
Conforming location in the community
In the afternoon, we set up the place in advance. We arrange the seats, test the devices, and prepared the brochures and accessories aside. in the evening, after all the audience members were seated, we distributed the prepared materials to everyone. Then, we initially started the lecture. First of all, we talked about the basic concept about postpartum hair loss and explained the impact of hair loss on women. We also proposed the difficulties and cognitive differences of hair loss that postpartum women face today. Finally, we emphasised the lack of medical treatment for female postpartum hair loss, and pointed out the importance of non-postpartum female family members helping postpartum women in alleviating and treating postpartum hair loss, as well as the methods that can be taken in daily life.
Poster for the lecture
Conforming location in the community
In this HP activity, most of the people attending the lecture were women, and there were only a few men present. The group participating was not attended as a family unit, which was not what we originally expected. The activeness of women means that women are very concerned about "postpartum" and postpartum hair loss. The female audience also said that they have experienced postpartum hair loss and are eager to seek help. The absence of other family members proves that postpartum women do not receive attention from their families, and this is also a realistic situation faced by today's society. This makes us noticed that the impact of postpartum and postpartum hair loss on women were serious, and also makes us firmly believe that this issue should receive more attention. HP activities and education through lectures are a road that will never stop. In the future, we hope to plan other more influential activities to call attention to female postpartum hair loss, and we also hope that the A-kb molecule we are currently developing can be used in the future, and help these women facing postpartum hair loss and help them get out of their predicament.
Conclusion
We will produce a gentler hair growth medication for those who suffer from hair loss and cannot be effectively treated by current drugs, bringing them a ray of hope.
The HP activities are crucial in our project because they document the complete cycle of our project : from Conceptualization, to problems defining ,and to proposing solutions while demonstrating our sense of responsibility to society.
Throughout the HP cycle, we have narrated the story of seeking milder hair growth medication for those troubled by hair loss and not effectively treated by current drugs. This story has been told through multiple, progressively deeper interactions with the public and professionals, collecting feedback along the way.
In this story, our roles extend beyond being enthusiastic researchers in synthetic biology with the aim of benefiting society. We are also active missionaries in educating the public about hair loss knowledge. Perhaps our influence is not yet vast, but we are striving to make an impact in our community.
