Intro
This year, our biology research project has focused on the study of the nicotine-degrading enzyme NicX. To better understand the practical applications and market demand for this topic, we conducted a social survey as our initial step. In this survey, we collected data on the smoking habits of the general public and assessed their willingness to use our medication. This survey has provided us with valuable background information, contributing to our research on NicX and enabling us to develop more effective solutions for nicotine dependence issues.
Work Report on Last Survey in Sanlitun
On March 19th, we arrived in the bustling shopping district of Sanlitun in Beijing, armed with a paper questionnaire. Our aim was to collect data on the smoking habits of the general public and assess their willingness to use our medication. We distributed a total of 50 questionnaires, of which four were completed by foreigners. Additionally, we conducted interviews with five individuals and condensed our findings into three videos. Our questionnaire distribution experience proved to be instrumental in expanding our project's outreach and improving communication with the public. By engaging in offline questionnaire dissemination, we were able to collect numerous opinions and suggestions for product improvement from various groups.
Although it presented a challenge to find suitable candidates from the constantly flowing crowd, we remained undeterred in our efforts to conduct thorough interviews. While it may have been difficult to initiate a conversation, we persisted in our search and ultimately had productive communications with a number of individuals. Eventually, we invited five people to an interview. The contents of the interview are summarized into a 4-minute and 4-second video.
We asked three questions during the interviews:
1. Do you have a personal habit of smoking cigarettes?
2. Are you concerned about the potential long-term negative effects of smoking on your health or the health of others?
3. Have you ever attempted to reduce your dependence on cigarettes and mitigate the harm they cause to your body through a cessation method that still permits some degree of smoking?
Although it presented a challenge to find suitable candidates from the constantly flowing crowd, we remained undeterred in our efforts to conduct thorough interviews. While it may have been difficult to initiate a conversation, we persisted in our search and ultimately had productive communications with a number of individuals. Eventually, we invited five people to an interview. The contents of the interview are summarized into a 4-minute and 4-second video.
We asked three questions during the interviews:
1. Do you have a personal habit of smoking cigarettes?
2. Are you concerned about the potential long-term negative effects of smoking on your health or the health of others?
3. Have you ever attempted to reduce your dependence on cigarettes and mitigate the harm they cause to your body through a cessation method that still permits some degree of smoking?
Online Questionnaire: Data Analysis
Our online questionnaire was filled by a total of 495 people in total, which was a little less than what we had expected. Luckly, we filled the gap by inviting some of our foreign teachers to fill out the survey and interviewed them on this subject matter.
Question 1: What is your age?
The first question we ask in our survey is about the age of the respondents, and it's a key factor for our study. Knowing the age groups of our participants helps us better understand their smoking behaviors and preferences. Based on the responses, we are happy to see that a significant number of people aged 40 and above are concerned about our survey. By gathering insights from this group, we hope to develop effective solutions to promote healthier smoking habits.
Question 2: Do you have a habit of smoking cigarettes?
In this question, 25% of respondents answered affirmatively. This finding is consistent with the data documented in pertinent academic works. The prevalence of smoking has been declining in recent years due to heightened individual health awareness and the availability of e-cigarettes. Nevertheless, it is daunting to contemplate that a significant proportion of China's populace, given its immense size, may be susceptible to the negative consequences of smoking, not only for smokers themselves but also for non-smokers who may also be impacted.
Question 3: Are you concerned about the long-run negative effect of smoking on you and others’ health?
We are pleased to note that 86% of respondents in this query demonstrate an understanding of the adverse effects of smoking. This bears significance for our project, as it indicates that the majority of people are mindful of the harmful impacts of smoking and are inclined towards adopting healthier smoking habits.
Question 4: Have you ever tried smoking cessation?
As we can see from the response, more than half of the participants answered “Yes”. However, the success rate of current smoking cessation methods is limited, as a majority of the 123 smokers who had attempted to quit smoking eventually relapsed. Notably, 42% of respondents have never attempted to quit smoking, which may be attributed to a lack of awareness or inadequate smoking cessation techniques.
Question 5: Which smoking cessation techniques have you attempted previously?
The response to this question indicates that a majority (85%) of individuals have tried quitting smoking by relying solely on willpower, which has a high likelihood of relapse and negative feedback during the process. Only a small number of participants (4 out of 71) have attempted using medication to aid in cessation due to the lack of highly effective FDA-approved options. These findings emphasize the need for new and effective medication to help combat smoking addiction.
Question 6: Would you be open to try out a cessation method that still permits some degree of smoking?
This question is directly relevant to the potential application of our project, and we are encouraged to see that 77% of participants responded affirmatively. This outcome underscores the importance of our project and the public's desire for novel solutions to overcome smoking addiction.
Question 8: If there were a new way to achieve smoking cessation, what factors, or aspects of this product would attract you the most?
This question is closely aligned with the objectives of our project, and we have identified several key characteristics that an ideal cessation medication should possess. Participants indicated that low side effects were the most important factor (49%), followed by better user experience (41%) and quick onset of action (37%). These findings suggest that our research should prioritize the development of a medication with minimal side effects and an improved user experience, while allowing for some degree of smoking during the cessation process.
Results above showed in figure below.
Question 1: What is your age?
The first question we ask in our survey is about the age of the respondents, and it's a key factor for our study. Knowing the age groups of our participants helps us better understand their smoking behaviors and preferences. Based on the responses, we are happy to see that a significant number of people aged 40 and above are concerned about our survey. By gathering insights from this group, we hope to develop effective solutions to promote healthier smoking habits.
Question 2: Do you have a habit of smoking cigarettes?
In this question, 25% of respondents answered affirmatively. This finding is consistent with the data documented in pertinent academic works. The prevalence of smoking has been declining in recent years due to heightened individual health awareness and the availability of e-cigarettes. Nevertheless, it is daunting to contemplate that a significant proportion of China's populace, given its immense size, may be susceptible to the negative consequences of smoking, not only for smokers themselves but also for non-smokers who may also be impacted.
Question 3: Are you concerned about the long-run negative effect of smoking on you and others’ health?
We are pleased to note that 86% of respondents in this query demonstrate an understanding of the adverse effects of smoking. This bears significance for our project, as it indicates that the majority of people are mindful of the harmful impacts of smoking and are inclined towards adopting healthier smoking habits.
Question 4: Have you ever tried smoking cessation?
As we can see from the response, more than half of the participants answered “Yes”. However, the success rate of current smoking cessation methods is limited, as a majority of the 123 smokers who had attempted to quit smoking eventually relapsed. Notably, 42% of respondents have never attempted to quit smoking, which may be attributed to a lack of awareness or inadequate smoking cessation techniques.
Question 5: Which smoking cessation techniques have you attempted previously?
The response to this question indicates that a majority (85%) of individuals have tried quitting smoking by relying solely on willpower, which has a high likelihood of relapse and negative feedback during the process. Only a small number of participants (4 out of 71) have attempted using medication to aid in cessation due to the lack of highly effective FDA-approved options. These findings emphasize the need for new and effective medication to help combat smoking addiction.
Question 6: Would you be open to try out a cessation method that still permits some degree of smoking?
This question is directly relevant to the potential application of our project, and we are encouraged to see that 77% of participants responded affirmatively. This outcome underscores the importance of our project and the public's desire for novel solutions to overcome smoking addiction.
Question 8: If there were a new way to achieve smoking cessation, what factors, or aspects of this product would attract you the most?
This question is closely aligned with the objectives of our project, and we have identified several key characteristics that an ideal cessation medication should possess. Participants indicated that low side effects were the most important factor (49%), followed by better user experience (41%) and quick onset of action (37%). These findings suggest that our research should prioritize the development of a medication with minimal side effects and an improved user experience, while allowing for some degree of smoking during the cessation process.
Results above showed in figure below.
Conclusion
Based on the data collected from both our online and field surveys, we are pleased to report that our project has gained greater clarity in terms of its goals, and is now better aligned with the wants and needs of society. The results of the survey demonstrate a high demand for a new and effective smoking cessation medication, which is extremely encouraging and serves as a testament to the potential impact of our project. We are excited to continue working towards our goals with the knowledge that our efforts are supported by the needs of the community.
The definition of science is not limited to theory and experiment, but focuses on communication and connection with the whole society. Therefore, HP has decided to start from the whole society, covering all aspects from the younger age group to the older age group, and we are highly willing to promote the positive scientific spirit and spread positive scientific content in the whole society.
This year, BJEA-China has chosen to focus on the visually impaired community for our inclusivity program. Our project advocates for innovative solutions that promote the possibility of assisting the integration of visually impaired individuals into mainstream society.We created questionnaire to study on society’s awareness to blind people, took interview with visually impaired youth, make our wiki compatible with screen reading systems for the blind, designed a braille picture books and a biological knowledge song, organized "a dark hour for the blind" activity, created a display board & official account, we also programmed an audio games and interactive simulator. Promoting inclusivity itself is a big challenge. Through thoughtful consideration, we are increasingly aware of the urgency of helping visually impaired individuals overcome the "invisible" barriers in science education and expanding their access to this field. This is a crucial step in creating a more harmonious and inclusive society. Only by doing so can we work together to create a more harmonious world.
Additionally, our team plans to gradually expand our positive influence in the community to better promote synthetic biology in this year. Our education program includes various activities both on and off campus. We have designed Braille picture books and distributed them to schools and libraries, embarked on creating music inspired by synthetic biology, and established the first Synthetic Biology Music Club. We have formed our own club, allowing more students interested in synthetic biology.Finally, our team is dedicated to publicizing our initiatives to the broader society. We share articles and videos related to our Braille books,synthetic biology songs, and other educational endeavors on various social media platforms. Our goal is to raise awareness and inspire others to join us in making knowledge and art inclusive for all.
The definition of science is not limited to theory and experiment, but focuses on communication and connection with the whole society. Therefore, HP has decided to start from the whole society, covering all aspects from the younger age group to the older age group, and we are highly willing to promote the positive scientific spirit and spread positive scientific content in the whole society.
This year, BJEA-China has chosen to focus on the visually impaired community for our inclusivity program. Our project advocates for innovative solutions that promote the possibility of assisting the integration of visually impaired individuals into mainstream society.We created questionnaire to study on society’s awareness to blind people, took interview with visually impaired youth, make our wiki compatible with screen reading systems for the blind, designed a braille picture books and a biological knowledge song, organized "a dark hour for the blind" activity, created a display board & official account, we also programmed an audio games and interactive simulator. Promoting inclusivity itself is a big challenge. Through thoughtful consideration, we are increasingly aware of the urgency of helping visually impaired individuals overcome the "invisible" barriers in science education and expanding their access to this field. This is a crucial step in creating a more harmonious and inclusive society. Only by doing so can we work together to create a more harmonious world.
Additionally, our team plans to gradually expand our positive influence in the community to better promote synthetic biology in this year. Our education program includes various activities both on and off campus. We have designed Braille picture books and distributed them to schools and libraries, embarked on creating music inspired by synthetic biology, and established the first Synthetic Biology Music Club. We have formed our own club, allowing more students interested in synthetic biology.Finally, our team is dedicated to publicizing our initiatives to the broader society. We share articles and videos related to our Braille books,synthetic biology songs, and other educational endeavors on various social media platforms. Our goal is to raise awareness and inspire others to join us in making knowledge and art inclusive for all.
Collaboration
In iGEM and in synthetic biology, teamwork is an integral part, both within and between teams, which can help each other to a certain extent. Throughout this year, our team——BJEA-China has had the distinct privilege of engaging in a highly fruitful collaboration with Tianjin University, a renowned institution globally acclaimed for its excellence across a multitude of research disciplines. This partnership has been mutually enriching, allowing for the exchange of knowledge, skills, and resources, resulting in substantial benefits for both parties involved.
Figure 1. The gate of Tianjin University
Figure 2. First meeting of BJEA-China and TJUSLS-China
Figure 1. The gate of Tianjin University
Figure 2. First meeting of BJEA-China and TJUSLS-China
Contributing to the Begonia Festival Event Propaganda
The most noteworthy point of our cooperation is our active participation in the promotion of the Begonia Festival, which is a well-known promotional event of Tianjin University. During the begonia open season, everyone can enter the university to learn about the different disciplines and colleges and participate in various activities accompanied by the fragrance and beauty of the begonia flowers. We assisted Tianjin University in carrying out the TJUSLS-China Begonia Festival and effectively spread the message of this culturally significant event. The experience not only honed our communication and marketing skills, but also deepened our understanding and appreciation of the rich cultural traditions of the Begonia Festival.
Figure 3. Group photo of some members of BJEA-China and some members of TJUSLS outside the laboratory
Figure 4. Begonia Festival stall
Meanwhile, after the Begonia Festival, TJUSLS-China took our team members on a tour of their laboratory to give us a general idea of their topic and to give us hands-on experimental techniques. For example, the considerations of ultra-fast centrifuges, and the appropriateness of mass cultures that we have never touched. At the same time, it has taught us a great deal about experimental equipment and attention methods, so we have benefited a lot.
Figure 5. High speed centrifuge in the laboratory
Figure 6. Relevant personnel introduce experimental equipment
Figure 3. Group photo of some members of BJEA-China and some members of TJUSLS outside the laboratory
Figure 4. Begonia Festival stall
Meanwhile, after the Begonia Festival, TJUSLS-China took our team members on a tour of their laboratory to give us a general idea of their topic and to give us hands-on experimental techniques. For example, the considerations of ultra-fast centrifuges, and the appropriateness of mass cultures that we have never touched. At the same time, it has taught us a great deal about experimental equipment and attention methods, so we have benefited a lot.
Figure 5. High speed centrifuge in the laboratory
Figure 6. Relevant personnel introduce experimental equipment
Laboratory Endeavors and Reciprocal Support
In a generous gesture, Tianjin University graciously provided us access to their state-of-the-art laboratories. This invaluable opportunity allowed us to conduct a series of experiments, capitalizing on their cutting-edge facilities and leveraging the expertise of their researchers. Engaging in hands-on experimentation in their laboratory setting significantly broadened our proficiency in various experimental techniques and methodologies, affording us a unique and invaluable perspective in our research pursuits.
Figure 7. Captain TJUSLA-China taught how to prepare protein glue
Figure 8. Protein collection in the laboratory
Our endeavors encompassed a range of sophisticated experimental procedures including induction and protein separation, all of which were carried out meticulously in their laboratory.
Figure 9. Captain TJUSLS-China taught us the details of laboratory safety
Figure 10. 4℃ cold chamber for protein purification
Figure 7. Captain TJUSLA-China taught how to prepare protein glue
Figure 8. Protein collection in the laboratory
Our endeavors encompassed a range of sophisticated experimental procedures including induction and protein separation, all of which were carried out meticulously in their laboratory.
Figure 9. Captain TJUSLS-China taught us the details of laboratory safety
Figure 10. 4℃ cold chamber for protein purification
Elevating Laboratory Standards through Maintenance and Organization
As a demonstration of goodwill and mutual respect, we extended our assistance in the maintenance and organization of Tianjin University's laboratory spaces. By contributing to the cleanliness and orderliness of the facilities, we aimed to cultivate an environment conducive to rigorous research and experimentation. This collaborative effort not only fostered a sense of camaraderie but also underscored our commitment to upholding the highest standards of laboratory practices.
Figure 11. BJEA-China team members are cleaning the solution box
Figure 12. BJEA-China team members are brushing test tubes
Figure 11. BJEA-China team members are cleaning the solution box
Figure 12. BJEA-China team members are brushing test tubes
A Symposium of Knowledge: Learning and Growth
Through this collaboration, we have been privileged to draw on the rich knowledge and experience of respected researchers and faculty at Tianjin University. Interactions with their teams have provided us with valuable insights and teaching, as well as accumulated long-established experience that has greatly increased the depth and breadth of our own research program. The exchange of ideas and approaches has proven to be a cornerstone of our successful collaboration.
In short, our cooperation with Tianjin University is knowledge sharing and teamwork, and we have gained valuable experience from each other. Through our joint efforts, we can achieve good results for each other.
In short, our cooperation with Tianjin University is knowledge sharing and teamwork, and we have gained valuable experience from each other. Through our joint efforts, we can achieve good results for each other.