Hubei University Synthetic Biology Open Day

On July 5th this year, we were invited to participate in the Hubei University Synthetic Biology Open Day. The open day not only provided a broad platform for communication and collaboration for iGEM teams but also targeted Hubei University students and faculty, allowing more people to learn and understand synthetic biology. We successfully achieved the goal of "Openness, Communication, and Collaboration" for this event, making the iGEM community more harmonious and prosperous!

Figure 1. Invitation of Hubei Synthetic Biology Day.

Each team presented an overview of their project and experimental design, mathematical models, and human practices activities planning. We not only gained more ideas and inspiration from others but also achieved interdisciplinary collaborations. Furthermore, the questions raised by members of other teams provided us with diverse insights into our own project, which will help us continuously optimize and improve it.

Figure 2. Group photo of participants.

Moreover, many teams prepared exquisite team creative products for exchange and sale, which not only increased the public awareness of the projects and their teams but also allowed the public to have a more comprehensive understanding of the teams' projects, serving as a popular science and promotion effort. Additionally, it provided a great opportunity for communication and collaboration between teams, adding a lot of interesting colors to academic exchanges.


Figure 3. iGEMers who are communicating with other members.


CCiC

The 10th China Regional Conference of China iGEMer Community (CCiC) was held at Hainan University from July 9th to 11th, 2023. It adopted a hybrid format of online and offline participation, bringing a large number of iGEM teams from all over China together. Participants included students, professors, and experts from different disciplines. During the conference, HZAU-China iGEMers gave detailed explanations of the progress of their projects and received constructive suggestions from students from other teams.

Figure 4. The poster of CCiC.

Figure 5. iGEMer Yutong Chen is introducing our project.

Moreover, CCiC also included interesting workshops to enrich the conference agenda. The first workshop was presented by Dr. Bao of the iGEM HQ Team, introducing the principles of Human Practices. The following workshop focused on the theme of "Exploring the Boundaries of Life" and held a debate. Our team member Xincong Sun also participated in the debate. Through this debate on whether humans should revive extinct species or not, we gained a deeper understanding of the relationship between humans, the environment, and other organisms.

Figure 6. iGEMer Xincong Sun is participating in the debate.

In conclusion, during CCiC, we not only gained academic knowledge but also formed a close friendships with iGEM teams from other universities. We exchanged contact information with teams like CAU, and agreed on future collaborations. We sincerely look forward to meeting them again at the Jamboree!