In order to educate people on the issue of obesity and osteoarthritis in our society, we produced articles on these topics. We used pictures combined with detailed descriptions to provide the related knowledge for our project. In particular, our articles are in bilingual, each version attract the diverse audiences.

Here are some of our produced articles:

We believed a WeChat account was the best platform for us to let people know our project and our thoughts. It can impact the people around you, and also impact the world. We publicized our project information and our education with our official account from March 7th to September 18th. The most popular article had a striking 718 people audience and 179 likes.

Fig.1 Articles published in WeChat public account

We organized several activities to arouse people's concern on obesity in our school. We invited experts from Nanjing University to give wonderful lectures. Our club attracted more than 100 high school students from Nanjing Foreign Language School to join.

“The lecture helped me know more about the consequence of obesity and how to prevent obesity. I am committed to adopting healthy eating and drinking habits for a balanced lifestyle. Above all, I recognize that regular exercise is the cornerstone of maintaining overall well-being.” said one of our club members, a Grade 10 student from Nanjing Foreign Language School. ”

Fig.2 Education on high school biological club in obesity

The XueXiQiangGuo App, the largest and most renowned official application designed to empower individuals with knowledge for the greater strength of our nation, has gained tremendous popularity in recent times. The learning platform was officially opened to the public on Jan 1, 2019, and it has become popular among the public within a short time.

Through our efforts, we leverage this platform to promote our project, raise awareness about iGEM, and showcase how synthetic biology has transformed our world.

Fig.3 Education on Xuexiqiangguo application

The Nanjing Morning Post, a comprehensive urban newspaper sponsored by the Xinhua Press Media Group, was established on January 18, 1996. With a circulation exceeding 400,000 copies, it boasts a readership where more than 90% of its audience resides within the city of Nanjing. To let our project and iGEM competition have impact on more people, we also publicized our project in Nanjing Morning Post.

Fig.4 Education on Nanjing morning post

To raise awareness in our community, we organized a session in the Gulou Community near our school. During this event, we addressed the health risks associated with obesity, including concerns such as osteoarthritis. Our team presented on their respective topics and highlighted the real-life applications of synthetic biology.

Fig.5 Education on Nanjing Gulou community

With the invaluable support of the Gulou Community, our outreach efforts successfully reached a diverse audience, including workers, housewives, and the elderly. We made every effort to ensure that our project's significance was clearly understood and actively sought feedback from our attentive listeners. The workers in the Gulou community were particularly appreciative, expressing their belief that our innovative ideas have the potential to bring about positive change in the world in the future. An elderly lady, who was dealing with both knee osteoarthritis and obesity, also took part in our event. She told us if she knew this information at her young age, she wouldn't live that way. She also expressed her expectation for our new developed biological therapy.

Childhood obesity has emerged as a pressing concern owing to its enduring consequences. Children who grapple with obesity are at a heightened risk of encountering enduring physical and psychological health challenges that may persist into adulthood. These individuals confront an elevated likelihood of obesity-related diseases, compromised academic performance, social isolation, and a diminished quality of life. Effectively addressing childhood obesity is pivotal in breaking this cycle and fostering a healthier future for generations to come. To engage with these individuals, we visited various primary schools and kindergartens. Our approach was to keep our presentations both simple and engaging, making them as interesting as possible. We actively encouraged participation through activities like asking questions and interactive games. Additionally, we took part in events organized by the hospital affiliated with Nanjing University. As a result of our efforts, the young children we interacted with expressed their commitment to choosing healthier foods and vegetables while saying "No" to unhealthy food and beverages.

Fig.6 Education with doctors on kindergarten and primary school

To gauge public sentiment and educate them effectively, we administered two surveys using SurveyMonkey, providing versions in both Chinese and English. The Chinese version was disseminated through WeChat, one of China's most widely used media platforms. Meanwhile, the English version was shared via Slack. The first survey aimed to assess public attitudes toward obesity and osteoarthritis, while the second focused on safety concerns related to new biological miRNA therapy.

Fig.7 Education by Surveymonkey in Slack and Wechat

We had the privilege of participating in the Summer Camp organized by the Stomatological Hospital affiliated with Nanjing University. This event, which has been running for ten years since 2013 with the support of public welfare initiatives, has become one of the most influential gatherings in Nanjing. Notably, the Nanjing Morning News Young Reporter Practice Base also joined the event officially.

During our participation in this esteemed summer camp, we had the opportunity to shed light on the health risks associated with obesity, such as osteoarthritis, and demonstrated how synthetic biology methods can be utilized to develop innovative biological therapies. The young reporters showed great curiosity about synthetic biology and posed intriguing questions about our project, including one inquiry: "If your design succeeds, does it imply that we no longer need to fear obesity?" To which we responded, "Obesity can indeed impact various aspects of people's lives, and weight management is a crucial aspect of it. Our new therapy aims to develop a novel drug to combat obesity and safeguard our joints."

Fig.8 Education in summer camp which was hold by Nanjing Stomatological Hospital

Our channel serves as a valuable resource, offering a diverse range of content that includes pilot studies, expert interviews, projection videos, and various human practice initiatives, all centered around the theme of "Joint Guardian." Our primary mission is to revolutionize joint health in response to the challenges posed by obesity. Through our video content, we provide practical approaches to mitigate the impact of obesity on joints, ultimately enhancing overall well-being. Our channel has garnered substantial support, with our videos consistently surpassing 200 views each, resonating with a growing and supportive community. We are deeply grateful for this backing and remain committed to raising awareness about the critical importance of joint health.

Fig.9 The visual education in Bilibili application

You can visit Nanjing_NFLS_ on Bilibili to see all education videos we've made!

An overview of all of our educational initiatives and the demographics we are targeting

Education Activity	Young Children	High School	Young Adult	Middle-aged	Senior Citizen
Story Book	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
WeChat		Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Survey		Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Bilibili Video		Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Newspaper		Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Meetup	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes