OVERVIEW

The Peking iGEM 2023 team's project is a specially designed bacterial therapy for pancreatic cancer. We note that pancreatic cancer is difficult to detect at an early stage, has fewer drug options, and has a low five-year survival rate. To better understand the current status of pancreatic cancer treatment and the problems that need to be solved, we have communicated with physicians, medical journal editors, and pancreatic cancer patients.

In interviews with doctors and editors, we learned that the current surgical resection of pancreatic cancer is very difficult, the treatment effect of traditional radiotherapy and chemotherapy is away from ideal, and there are few drugs to choose from. Although targeted therapy and immunotherapy have made rapid progress in recent years, they still seem a bit impotent against the characteristics of pancreatic cancer, which makes the disease hard to be cured based on existing therapies. From the interviews above we have gained the knowledge that there are still barriers to conquer in the field of pancreatic cancer treatment, and a new treatment method is in urgent need. Based on the current situation, Peking 2023 proposed an intelligent bacterial therapy for pancreatic cancer, which is expected to play a role in the treatment of pancreatic cancer.

While communicating with pancreatic cancer patients, we came to understand the mental trials and tribulations of patients and their living conditions. In the interview, we learned that upon being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, most patients showed signs of anxiety and depression, and it is difficult to regain the courage to live. Unfortunately, attitude is one of the key factors in cancer treatment, and studies have shown that patients who have a positive attitude about the future do far better than those who have a negative attitude under the same treatment plan. Therefore, we believe that the advancement of pancreatic cancer treatment requires the joint development of treatment programs and mental health support. We conducted a survey on contemporary Chinese citizens' views on life and death and find that the vast majority of people hold a negative attitude towards death, which may be influenced by the taboo of death in traditional Chinese culture. At the same time, the vast majority of people believe that the death education they have received in the past is subpar, and the need for future popularization of the philosophy of life and death lies desperate. Based on the current situation, Peking 2023 conducted interviews with medical students and university professors and brought up life-and-death education in its publicity and in educational events targeting high school students and other social groups. We hope that with our efforts, the importance of life-and-death education can be paid attention to, and the conception of life among citizens would advance.

Peking 2023 is also actively involved in cooperation and development in the field of synthetic biology. In July this year, we participated in the China iGEM Team Exchange meeting held in Haikou to communicate with other iGEM teams in China. In August this year, we participated in the second China Synthetic Biology Conference in Ningbo, where we exchanged views on the future development of synthetic biology with biology professors and practitioners in biological enterprises. At the same time, we have hosted many offline events and actively cooperated with other iGEM teams in the Beijing area. In the future, Peking 2023 will continue to deepen cooperation with all sectors of society and commit itself to the development of synthetic biology in China.

MEDICAL TREATMENTS

Doctors

——Dr.Zhou Yu's views on individualized comprehensive diagnosis

Dr.Zhou Yu specializes in pancreatic cancer surgery, which is challenging because important vesicles such as celiac trunk and superior mesenteric artery. Only 20% of patients can be treated with surgery, while chemotherapy has limited effectiveness and side effects. New treatments or drugs may be needed in the future due to the complex nature of pancreatic cancer.

Patients

——Mei Lu‘s sharing her own exprience

Miss Mei Lu (not her real name) is a pancreatic cancer patient who has been undergoing treatment since May 2022. She underwent open surgery and has started chemotherapy since June 2023. Despite the painful process and side effects, Mei Lu has shown strength and bravery in facing the challenges. She has experienced hair loss but found wearing a wig acceptable for all. Mei Lu also tried traditional Chinese medicine and discovered its effects to alleviate pain and improve her appetite. She emphasized the importance of facing difficulties with a head-on attitude and expressed gratitude towards the opportunity to live. Mei Lu's story serves as an inspiration to others and highlights the need for advancements in pancreatic cancer treatment.

PUBLIC AWAERENESS

Magazine

——Editor of China Cancer Prevention and Treatment Journal

Our team was impressed by China Cancer Prevention Magazine's focus on cancer prevention and research. During the session with the editor of the journal, one of our members discussed about pancreatic cancer, which has a low survival rate, and our efforts to overcome it. The editor expressed interest in publishing our research on bacteria-targeted tumour therapies. We also shared data on the increasing trend of pancreatic cancer deaths in China. We hope to collaborate with the magazine in the future.

Sociology students

——The Complexity of Life and Death Decisions: Reflections from an In-depth Interview

Our team interviewed Yan Fu class about life and death decisions, sparked by a terminal patient's choice. The discussion focused on whether to hope for a cure and endure painful treatment or complete life's regrets and forgo treatment. Students shared personal perspectives and emphasized the importance of considering family, healing probability, pain, and unfinished regrets. They also acknowledged varied ideas about life and death at different ages and the significance of unfulfilled expectations.

The students gave their personal thoughts from their own perspectives. They deeply understand that when faced with life and death decisions, we need to consider not only our own wishes, the probability of healing and the pain of treatment, but also the psychology of the family and the feelings of those around us. There are many unfinished regrets behind life and death decisions, which may include accompanying someone or a group of people along the way. Students also realized that at different ages, people have different ideas about life and death, and whether they have expectations for the life they have not yet enjoyed is an important question.

Department of Pharmacy Administration

Mr. Yang Zhao, a teacher at Peking University Health Science Center, discussed with us about the innovation in pancreatic cancer treatment, including immunotherapy, targeted therapy, and gene therapy. He emphasized the importance of tumour research in drug development and recommended seeking guidance from experts. In drug administration and approval, he suggested collaborating with professional companies. The interview provided valuable insights for the research team's program.

FUTURE DEVELOPMENTS

Department of Pharmacy Administration

Mr. Yang Zhao, a teacher at Peking University Health Science Center, discussed the innovation in pancreatic cancer treatment, including immunotherapy, targeted therapy, and gene therapy. He emphasized the importance of tumour research in drug development and recommended seeking guidance from experienced teachers. In drug administration and approval, he suggested collaborating with professional companies. The interview provided valuable insights for the research team's program.

Synthetic biology industry development and product regulation

Synthetic biology has seen a decline in financing, but China is thriving in this field. Biotechnology development now emphasizes technique application and addressing uncertainties. Safety screening and regulation are necessary to balance growth with security. Collaboration is essential for sustainable growth.

Yu Chao

——Technological innovation and developmental trends in health-related technologies based on synthetic biology

Synthetic biology uses chemical reactions in living organisms to produce useful compounds. It is an advantage over traditional chemical synthesis due to its environmental benefits. In health, it has the potential to promote personalized treatments, improved food production, and precise medical services. With innovative technologies, synthetic biology can bring breakthroughs to the health sector and benefit humanity.

In the field of health, synthetic biology has promising applications. It can contribute to the development of new drugs and personalized treatments through genome analysis and regulation. Synthetic biology can also improve the production of healthy and nutritious food ingredients by manipulating the metabolic pathways of microorganisms. Furthermore, it can provide precise and personalized medical services, health management programs, and diagnostic tools.

Zhang Xianen

——Synthetic biology and biological manufacturing green development in China

Professor Zhang Xian'en discussed China's focus on innovation in biotechnology, with an emphasis on synthetic biology. He highlighted advancements in gene technology and pancreatic cancer treatment. The professor emphasized the importance of collaboration between enterprises and basic research and mentioned China's success in synthetic biology competitions.

Professor Zhang highlighted the rapid advancements in synthetic biology, with a focus on artificial intelligence and quantitative biology. He discussed the development of various technologies, including cell-free systems, multicellular systems, gene circuits, and gene technology. In terms of drug research, pancreatic cancer treatment in Peking 2023 was highlighted as a significant area of focus.

The professor compared synthetic biology with classical biological technology, emphasizing the importance of biological synthesis and assembly design in synthetic biology. He mentioned the increasing number of research papers in synthetic biology and emphasized the need for collaboration between enterprises and basic research to transform research results into productive outcomes.