Collaboration with IISER Tiruvanathathpuram for International Yoga Day

We collaborated with IISER TVM in accordance with International Yoga Day by sharing Yoga postures done by our team.

Introspect

Our collaborative event, "Introspect," serves as a platform for the global iGEM community to come together and shine a light on the challenges inherent in the iGEM competition. From high school students to undergraduates and postgraduates, participants pour their hearts and souls into developing projects within tight timelines. However, this journey is often faced with hurdles, including limited access to essential computational tools, conflicts between academic commitments and project responsibilities, insufficient lab exposure and funding, and the need for knowledgeable mentors to navigate these complex challenges.

Our overarching goal is to comprehensively examine these issues, find effective solutions, and cultivate a more favourable environment for the advancement of synthetic biology and the iGEM competition.

To achieve this, we reached out to iGEM teams and members of the iGEM community, urging them to collaborate with us by sharing their personal experiences and the difficulties they've encountered during their iGEM journeys or while working within the realm of synthetic biology.

These contributions take the form of short videos, social media posts, or written documents. Through "Introspect," we aim to foster a sense of community, transparency, and shared learning among iGEM enthusiasts. By collectively addressing the challenges faced in this field, we aspire to pave the way for a brighter future in synthetic biology, where aspiring scientists and researchers can thrive and overcome obstacles more effectively.

The major problems and plausible solutions:

Team Management

In the context of iGEM, effective team management is crucial, given team members' diverse backgrounds and disciplines. This diversity can lead to clashes in thoughts and opinions. To address this, team members should prioritize understanding each other's viewpoints and demonstrating dedication and commitment to the project. Moreover, alignment on moral, ethical, and value-based principles that prioritize the greater good over personal motives is essential.

One effective approach to overcome these challenges is to seek pre-knowledge on potential issues and conflict resolution strategies. This can be achieved by consulting previous iGEM team members, Principal Investigators, professionals, or members of the iGEM community. If experts are not readily available within the institute, reaching out to individuals from different institutions can be a viable solution. Ultimately, each team member should be self-motivated and willing to invest significant effort to achieve the team's goals.

Time Management and Resource Availability

Balancing academic commitments with iGEM work can significantly challenge many teams. Students need adequate time and a stress-free environment to foster creative thinking and productive discussions. The availability of essential resources, including research equipment and personnel for troubleshooting, is also vital for project development.

To address these issues, it's important to orient institute authorities about the responsibilities, opportunities, and values associated with iGEM competition. Students should actively communicate their needs to institute authorities and seek their support, including financial assistance and permissions. Institutes' support for innovation benefits society and alleviates the stress and pressure associated with iGEM projects.

Synthetic Biology Communication

Effective communication of synthetic biology concepts to the general public is a common challenge during outreach activities. To overcome this challenge, involving native language speakers within the iGEM team can be helpful. Additionally, adopting a target audience-based communication strategy, associating information with relatable situations, and presenting it engagingly with visuals like illustrations, graphics, and flowcharts can improve communication quality.

Stress and Pressure

The intensity of iGEM projects can lead to stress, especially when there is a shortage of subteam members or when team members need to take on multiple roles. Proper guidance in each aspect of the project is essential. Additionally, addressing mental health is crucial to maintain motivation throughout the project. Incorporating fun into the learning and working process can effectively manage stress.

Engaging in interactive sessions with iGEM teams worldwide, outside the competitive context, can help alleviate stress. Collaborating with synthetic biology professionals and seeking frequent feedback on projects can also be beneficial. Encouraging collaboration among iGEM teams and fostering a culture of mutual assistance can reduce individual workloads and stress levels while improving project outcomes.

Credits for information:

• iGEM Bulgaria
• igem_nthu
• iGEM KU Leuven
• Puiching_Macau
• IISER TVM
• Suhani Kabra (iGEM Community member and Project Head -Lens on Labs)
• Sana Jalili (iGEMer, ex- judge, iGEM Asia Oceania Promoter and iGEM Ambassidor)

Introspecting Synthetic Biology in India

Engaging with researchers from various fields of synthetic biology and biotechnology, including Tejas Borker, a Project Associate at the Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology, provided valuable insights into the status and challenges faced by the biotechnology sector in India. Here are the takeaways from these discussions:

• Biotechnology Development and Challenges: The field of biotechnology in India is continually evolving but has not yet reached a stable state. As a result, projects often encounter obstacles and delays due to issues related to resource availability, which can hinder progress.
• Success Factors: Success in the field of biotechnology is driven by passion, genuine interest in the subject matter, collaborative efforts, a positive mindset, and hard work. Financial background plays a relatively minor role in determining the outcome of research endeavors.
• Funding and Expenses: While funding opportunities for research in biotechnology are available, they represent a critical aspect of project expenses. Securing adequate funding remains a challenge, and researchers often need to allocate a significant portion of their resources to meet the financial requirements of their projects.
• Communication and Collaboration: Effective communication and collaboration skills are crucial in biotechnology. Collaboration often involves working with multidisciplinary teams and requires effectively conveying ideas and insights.
• Position Availability: One of the challenges faced by researchers is finding a suitable position under the guidance of a Principal Investigator (PI) in their area of interest. The availability of such positions is limited, which can be a hurdle for aspiring researchers.
• Continuous Learning and Persistence: In the field of biotechnology, continuous learning and maintaining a motivated mindset are essential. Researchers must embrace the inevitability of failures along their journey and stay resilient in facing challenges.

These insights provide a comprehensive overview of the biotechnology landscape in India and highlight the key factors and challenges that researchers encounter in pursuing their work in the field. They underscore the importance of passion, collaboration, funding, and a growth-oriented mindset in advancing biotechnology research in the country.

Anukrati Sharma, a Project Associate at the Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology with expertise in bioinformatics and genomics, shared valuable insights during the discussion. Here are the main points and takeaways from her experience:

• Bioinformatics Significance: Bioinformatics is a rapidly evolving field within biology, gathering significant attention due to its critical role in advancing synthetic biology. It plays a pivotal role in processing and analyzing biological data, making it essential for various biological studies.
• R-Programming in Synthetic Biology: R-programming serves as the foundational programming language for synthetic biology studies. It is a versatile tool used for data analysis and visualization, particularly important for laboratory experiments where graphical data interpretation is key.
• Bioinformatics Projects: Anukrati's work in bioinformatics involves a range of projects, including de novo genome assembly of the saw-scaled viper, detection of structural polymorphisms in microsatellites in human DNA, and the creation of an Indian-specific reference genome. Additionally, she has contributed to documenting single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and structural variations (SVs) in the Indian population.
• Tools in Bioinformatics: Anukrati utilizes various bioinformatics tools such as BWA (Burrows-Wheeler Alignment), Minimap, and Bowtie to carry out her research and data analysis.
• Challenges in Bioinformatics: A significant challenge in bioinformatics work is the lack of technical assistance, which can make the process more demanding. However, effective collaborations are common and can help mitigate these challenges.
• Fascination with NGS: Anukrati expressed her fascination with Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS), highlighting its transformative impact on genomics research.
• Background in Bioinformatics: Anukrati's journey into bioinformatics began without prior technical experience, and she did not have a mathematics background during her 12th-grade studies. Her success underscores the significance of passion and interest in overcoming these limitations, demonstrating that dedication and enthusiasm can play a more substantial role than formal prerequisites in the field of bioinformatics.

Anukrati Sharma's insights shed light on the importance of bioinformatics in modern biology, emphasizing the role of passion and interest in driving success in this dynamic field. Her experiences also highlight the collaborative nature of bioinformatics work and the transformative impact of NGS technologies.

Following discussions with researchers in the field of biotechnology, we realized that while there is significant progress in the development of biotechnology in India, there is still much ground to cover. Fortunately, numerous initiatives exist to encourage innovation and entrepreneurship within the field. In addition to a deep passion and interest, a crucial mindset for success includes encouraging collaboration and networking. Working in biotechnology offers a variety of opportunities, and the contributions made in this domain can substantially impact the overall progress and development of the country.

Collaboration with IISc Bangalore

Team iGEM IISc undertook an ambitious initiative to enhance the descriptions of Biobricks registry entries, recognizing the critical role that clear and comprehensive documentation plays in synthetic biology. They collaborated to revamp and strengthen this model, aiming to integrate it into the iGEM registry through effective labeling.

Recognizing that the quality of descriptions could not be solely determined by their length, they were on the lookout for more reliable metrics for classification. To address this, the team took on the task of categorizing the parts in the registry as either "good" or "poor" based on the quality of their descriptions. This classification aimed to improve the overall quality of the dataset by distinguishing between well-documented entries and those requiring enhancement.

Additionally, this labeling process played a pivotal role in establishing a reinforcement learning pipeline. By categorizing parts and leveraging this data, the team could potentially create a system that learns and adapts over time, further enhancing the quality of descriptions and making the iGEM registry even more valuable to the synthetic biology community.

Collaboration with IISER Bhopal

Collaborating with iGEM IISER Bhopal, we took part in the Women in STEM Series, which was designed to spotlight and celebrate the remarkable contributions of women in the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM).

This series had a profound objective: to provide a platform for showcasing and honoring esteemed female professors, PhDs, iPhDs, and PDRFs from leading science institutes throughout India. The core aim was to allow these accomplished women to share their personal journeys, insights, and perspectives, serving as role models and sources of inspiration for young women considering careers in STEM fields.

By sharing their experiences and expertise, they encouraged and motivated aspiring female scientists, engineers, and technologists. To amplify the reach and impact of these interviews, snippets and highlights from these conversations were shared extensively across our social media channels. This ensured that the valuable messages, stories, and insights from these remarkable women in STEM reached a broad and diverse audience, ultimately promoting gender diversity and inclusivity in STEM disciplines.

Collaboration with IIT Tirupati

Synbio App for Kids

This game is an immersive learning experience meticulously designed to deepen understanding of genetics, molecular biology, and biotechnology concepts to students under the age of 10. The game's architecture comprises distinct levels, each thoughtfully crafted to delve into specific aspects of molecular processes. The game's adaptability and tailored learning experiences exemplify a responsive educational paradigm. Accommodating diverse learning styles and paces ensures an inclusive educational journey for all players. This responsiveness reflects a broader commitment to inclusivity in education, acknowledging and valuing individuals' varied approaches in engaging with complex scientific concepts. The game emerges as an exemplar in the realm of molecular biology education. Through its integration of interactive elements, animations, and carefully constructed challenges, the game not only imparts knowledge but also sparks a passion for understanding the intricate world of genetics.

Level 1

The level consists of crossword puzzles(that we usually solve in newspapers). There will be 5 across and 5 down words. Here, kids will be introduced to basic concepts of synthetic biology by understanding the basic terms.

Level 2

This level is about identifying the given picture. Hints and prompts will be provided by the app. This level introduces the concepts of synthetic biology in a receptive manner.

Level 3

The concept of DNA base pairing is introduced in this level of the game, where the user will have to match the correct base pairs to produce a complementary strand to the given strand of DNA.

Level 4

This level aims to familiarise the user with the concept of DNA transcription and translation. The user has to arrange the sequences to create a gene to produce a functional protein. Once the gene is correctly matched, fluorescence will be visible.

All India iGEM Meet (AIIM)

We participated in the All India iGEM Meet at the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Bhopal. We presented our project to judges, followed by a poster presentation where we explained our project to all Indian teams and thereby collected valuable feedback.