Human Practice

Abstract

Human practice is shaped by cultural, historical, social, economic, and environmental factors and can vary across different regions and communities. Understanding human practice involves studying human behavior, motivations, and experiences to gain insights into what drives people's actions and choices.

It’s important to realize that the success of our day to day human practices depends on one thing: people. In other words, our stakeholders. In order to ensure that our solutions are effective and responsible, it is crucial to involve all parties who could be impacted by our solution and those who might influence our solution. Because Involving stakeholders is a crucial aspect of the human-centered design process, as it ensures that we develop solutions that are good and responsible for the world.

This requires us to engage with people from various backgrounds and perspectives, and to approach problem-solving with a human-centered design process that values collaboration and inclusion. Only then can we truly make a positive impact on the world around us.

For the overall design of our project, we refer to the problem-solving cycle Psychologists have described the problem-solving process in terms of a cycle (Bransford & Stein, 1993; Hayes, 1989; Sternberg, 1986).

The cycle consists of the following stages in which the problem solver must:
     1. Recognize or identify the problem.
     2. Define and represent the problem mentally.
     3. Develop a solution strategy.
     4. Organize his or her knowledge about the problem.
     5. Allocate mental and physical resources for solving the problem.
     6. Monitor his or her progress toward the goal.
     7. Evaluate the solution for accuracy.

Our Human Practice route and outline for the iGEM 2023 competition is designed to be a comprehensive and impactful approach throughout the project.

So we made some justification based on iGEM criteria, and which made up of our own problem solving steps. And in the whole process of our project, we emphasize the importance of human practice in all aspects, recognizing that it is essential to creating innovative and effective solutions. By focusing on sustainable energy production through bioremediation, we aim to demonstrate the possibilities of using natural processes to address environmental challenges.

By demonstrating the effectiveness of our bioremediation methods in reducing pollution levels, we hope to inspire further research and innovation in this area. We hope our problem solving steps and the result comes out of it can embody our commitment to creating a meaningful and impactful project that makes a positive contribution to the world.

        Flowchart

     Parts

Step 1

Recognize or Identify the Problem

The purpose of this step is to discuss the problem that we have identified in our sector through research and engagement with stakeholders. This problem is related to the effects of heavy metal pollution, and the need for effective solutions.

But firstly we went through a long process of understanding syn thetic biology as a team, with members from diverse academic backgrounds.

And we consulted many experts from relevant fields to know about this subject. We tried to detail our interactions with experts and their insights on the concept, methods, applications, and biosafety considerations associated with synthetic biology.

Results

By consulting with various experts in synthetic biology, our team has gained a better understanding of the field's concepts, methods, applications, and biosafety considerations. We have also identified potential research topics in areas such as production and detection, as well as practical applications like heavy metal pollution repair. Our team is now better equipped to begin work on our project and we are grateful for the guidance and advice provided by these experts.

After we decied on addressing heavy metal pollution we conducted research on various social incidents and news stories in history that happened to create heavy metal pollution to identify how they can affect society, and the severity and toxicity of the heavy metals.

We conducted our research in 3 categories:
     1. Heavy Metal Pollution
     2. Sources, Detection and Treatment Methods of the Heavy Metal Pollution in Water
     3. Recent Research Progress and Future Prospects

Through this research, we found that there are several issues that require attention, such as the worldwide urgent need of remediation of heavy metal pollution in water bodies in natural environment, environmental damage caused by waste discharging of irresponsible companies, and lack of action for this major problem. We also discovered that these issues are interconnected, and addressing one aspect can have a positive impact on others. This insight led us to develop a project direction that addresses these societal challenges. Our report provides a detailed account of the types and sources of heavy metal pollution, its impact on human health and the environment, and potential solutions.

Our project direction is informed by this problem and seeks to make a meaningful contribution to society by addressing these challenges through【】 innovative solutions. We believe that our work has the potential to inspire further research and innovation in this area, ultimately benefiting our sector and society as a whole.

Step 2

Define the Problem and the Need

To ensure that our project was well-informed and aligned with the latest scientific consensus, we also sought out the advice of experts and professors in the field. We held several meetings with these experts from faculty of environment, during which time we presented our research findings and discussed potential directions for future study. The insights and perspectives provided by these experts were invaluable, and we are grateful for their time and expertise.

Due to the background of our team members, with a team composed primarily of biology and medical students, we realized we faced our initially a lack of in-depth knowledge on current status and pain points surrounding heavy metal pollution. This led us to seek out additional guidance on the topic. Then we visited Shanghai Jiao Tong University's School of Environmental Science and Engineering for further guidance on water heavy metal pollution.

He has responded to several questions that have helped advance our project, including queries about how engineering bacteria survive in oligotrophic inorganic salts found in most waterbodies and whether they pose potential ecological risks. Additionally, he asked about the various forms that heavy metals can exist in water, and how to ensure performance while removing a broad spectrum of heavy metals. If considering removal of broad-spectrum heavy metals, how performance is ensured was a crucial question which basically determine the practical application of our aproach. As a result of his guidance, we have conducted extensive literature searches and redesigned our approach moving forward.

In conclusion, the research work conducted in this sector has been instrumental in shaping our project goals and guiding our efforts. We are confident that our work will contribute meaningfully to the ongoing efforts to address environmental issues and promote sustainable development. We look forward to sharing our final findings with the wider community and hope that they will inspire further action and advocacy on this important topic.

To gain further insights into our project's relevance and potential, we engaged with relevant teams across various disciplines.

Step 3

Define the Solution

The keyword when it comes to stakeholders is engagement. A project manager should work towards the best engagement of stakeholders possible. Working together with stakeholders will ensure healthy relationships and good communication, which will help the project function smoothly.

【 Taiwan Hsinchu Science Park Wastewater Treatment Plant 】

Before we finalize our solution, on August 11th, 2023, we visited the Taiwan Hsinchu Science Park Wastewater Treatment Plant, with generous support from Yang Ming Chiao Tung University. Our purpose was to observe how wastewater is actually treated in industrial and residential settings, with a particular emphasis on the removal of heavy metal ions.

Following the guide's explanation and our tour of the wastewater treatment plant, we gained a comprehensive understanding of sewage management, encompassing its origin, treatment processes, and final discharge.

Subsequently, we confronted a pivotal question crucial for our project: the application scenario. We had three options: the source of original contamination that generates heavy metal ion pollution, the wastewater treatment plant, or natural water bodies. After conducting research at the wastewater treatment plant, we discovered that in regions with robust environmental control in China, most heavy metal ions were removed during the initial treatment step. However, in areas with significant heavy metal pollution, all three segments had the potential for heavy metal contamination. Therefore, we plan to conduct further research in other regions to address the question of our specific application scenario.

【Professor Yin Ruohe】

Step 4

Design a solution

【CCiC】

During the meeting, we shared our project and received feedbacks on our design. We also attended lectures from Wang Baojun in Zhejiang University and Dong Yiming in Xinsu Technology company, gaining a deeper insight into biochips, biosensors and bioengineering. Besides, we reached out for other teams including University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Sichuan University and China Pharmaceutical University. We discussed about the sensitivity issues in substance detection and improvement methods, exchanged ideas on hardware design and field research strategies, probing into the techniques used in surface display and protein linkage systems.

The CCiC meeting gives us the opportunity to share our ideas and get various feedbacks. Through others’ perspectives, we get to learn about our project more comprehensively and notice some problems we’ve ignored. Therefore, we make corresponding adjustments and adopt different approaches towards our goal.

Moreoever, our research and engagement with relevant teams have helped us identify a significant problem in our sector - the impact of social events/news on society and the need for effective solutions to address heavy metal pollution. Our project direction is informed by this problem and seeks to make a meaningful contribution to society by addressing these challenges through innovative solutions. We believe that our work has the potential to inspire further research and innovation in this area, ultimately benefiting our sector and society as a whole.

【Cao Zhenping】

After reviewing lots of published journals to look for a carrier to transport toxic heavy metals from water bodies in natural environment, we found one important message that Outer Membrane Vesicle aimed (OMV) of bacteria can be used as transport for particles. One potential application of OMV that we discussed is their use as a vehicle for transporting heavy metals. This is an important consideration given the growing concern over heavy metal pollution in various environments. And so we began to look for a way to engineer and modify OMV to enhance its functionality as a carrier for transporting.

However, due to the lack of practical experience in this area, we sought guidance from Assistant Professor Cao Zhenping at Shanghai Cancer Institute. Professor Cao explained that OMV yield can vary significantly depending on the bacterial species used. She also stated that OMV has a natural degradation rate in aqueous solutions and can be stored for months at room temperature or frozen without contamination. These insights are valuable for our project as they provide a basis for predicting the feasibility of OMV-based heavy metal transport systems under realistic conditions.

While OMV are known to fuse with cell membranes, specific proteins or signaling molecules that trigger this process remain elusive, even within the scientific community. This highlights the need for further investigation into the molecular mechanisms behind OMV-cell membrane fusion. We plan to explore this issue in more detail in our ongoing research.

Our discussion with Professor Cao has greatly enhanced our understanding of OMV and their potential applications. While there are still many unanswered questions, we feel confident that with continued research and experimentation, OMV could prove to be a powerful tool for heavy metal transport and pollution control. We look forward to sharing our findings in the near future.

Step 5

Integrate Information

To make the most of the iGEM platform, we have established the iGEM Heavy Metal Alliance. We have successfully organized a theme conference to harness the collective power of teams, ignite a multitude of innovative ideas, and assist each other in further enriching and refining our projects. While preparing for the conference, we have received strong support from iGEM teams from universities at home and abroad, including Xi’an Jiaotong-liverpool University(XJTLU), Indian Institute of Technology Delhi(IIT Delhi), École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne(EPFL) and McGill University(McGill).

The conference is themed with heavy metal pollution in water bodies. Through project demonstration, each team has the opportunity to briefly introduce their project and answer questions from other teams. We have witnessed the innovative thinking and determination to solve problems from all teams throughout the whole conference.

During the meetup, different teams come up with their own solutions to heavy metal pollution in water. By modifying the functional properties of bacterial outer membrane vesicles(OMV), team SJTU-BioX has developed an efficient and sustainable method to remove heavy metals from water bodies and sediments; team XJTLU has been working on biosorbents for heavy metal adsorption and silver recycling; team IIT Delhi has proposed an innovative solution, Lichenysin, that can be applied to effectively capture and facilitate the removal of toxic organometallic compounds; the team from EPFL developed a probiotic designed to prevent cadmium uptake in the gut.

After short break, members moved on to the second session, collaboration initiatives. Firstly, a member from SJTU-BioX-Shanghai proposed the idea of video promotion, specifically speaking, to make a three-minute video introducing each team's project background and solution to heavy metal pollution. Then Team EPFL 48C shared the games they designed and workshops they held for high school students and more importantly, their experiences in organizing such events. The team from IIT Delhi presented their previous work in terms of education, booklet and so on and offered their advice on the implementation of video promotion. Finally, Emily from iGEM McGill introduced their report on biodegradation and invited everyone to share their own experience and cases, hoping to provide guidance and help for future iGEM teams.

【Professor Bai.Xiaohui】
Introduction

When our project has been taking shape, we presented our existing idea (OMV engineering transformation) and its possible application prosspects (reactor-type pollution treatment and biofilm removal) to Professor Bai, who has been involved in both bioengineering and environmental governance. He made very detailed comments on our idea and strongly suggested that we develop functions related to heavy metal ion removal, which has laid solid foundation of our project this year.

Professor. Bai was very optimistic about the direction of pollutant removal. Current pollutant removal processes mainly focus on the in-situ degradation of pollutants where the chemical process is complicated, the biological rate may be very low and many projects find no prospects for practical use. Taking pollutants away rather than degrading them is a great idea for improving efficiency, and a novel one. He also suggested that we apply for a patent, and said that this idea can be patented without verification.

Speaking of biofilm, the main idea of Professor Bai is that direct drinking water and factory condensate water are the two main application fields of the pipeline biofilm. Adding bacteria to the direct drinking water undoubtedly has greater biosafety concerns while applying bacteria to factory condensate, although lacking social significances, is a more ideal direction and the manufacturers tend to consume a lot of antibacterial substances in it. He told us the concept of "biological adsorption" for reference. For example, through adsorption of biofilm, pollutants can be preferentially transfered from water bodies to biofilm, and then be removed by oxidization of microorganisms in the biofilm.

Then, he put forward some constructive ideas from the engineering point of view. For example, in engineering, the spontaneous flocculation of microorganisms is often used to settle activated sludge efficiently as the last step of biological treatment of sewage and the output water body is directly clear.

As for the feasibility of our design, he suggested that the problem of heavy metal tolerance should first be taken into consideration and then the carrying capacity of OMV, which requires further research.

Last but not least, he also mentioned the reuse of bacteria in the project. Normally in degradation projects, the activated sludge bacteria proliferates, so most will be recycled while a small part will return to the original tank. He noted that we should also think about how to handle the engineered bacteria for this project.

We want to express our sincere gatitude to Professor Bai Xiaohui for his valuable suggestions and patient guidance on our project.

【Dr Qian.Wei】 钱韦
Introduction

A scene picture of the lecture

After the speech, we consulted Dr Qian certain features of OMV. His professional answers saved us a lot of time on information extraction, filtering and integration and helped us consider more about the feasibility and rationality of our design.

Q&A list

1.How efficient is predatory OMV in carrying protease under physiological conditions?
     → OMV carrier protein, affected by its yield, is generally not very high.

2.What order of magnitude is the total protein and membrane protein content of OMV?
     → It is hard to say in precision because they are all affected by the environment, but the con tent of membrane protein is more affected than that of membrane protein.

3.What order of magnitude is bacterial OMV secretion under physiological conditions ?
     → Generally, several to dozens of OMVs can be observed under microscope.

4.Can OMV exist stably in the liquid phase system for a long time?
     → As a membrane system, it has a certain level of stability.

5-Do you know the chassis strain that can efficiently secrete OMV?
     → The secretion of wild type is not large, so high efficiency secretion of OMV is an important direction of current research.

【Shen Guangrong】
Introduction

On the afternoon of August 16th, we had a short conversation with Professor Shen. Before this meeting, we had had collected some papers regarding to the remaining heavy metal ion pollution in Shanghai and noticed the Chongming Island, on which professor Shen once do researches. Therefore, we hoped to learn about how professor Shen’s work carried out and the current situation of Chongming Island. We also wanted to learn whether it was practical for us to collect the samples on spot by ourselves.

During the short meeting, professor Shen introduced about the practical techniques in specimen collection, the whole process of her work and the ecology situation on Chongming Island. We learned that the Chongming Island had become an ecological island after environmental governance. Also, after evaluating the possibility of sample collecting, we decided to use the data of research papers as an alternative.

Step 6

Implement the Solution

【Ma Tian& Liu Tiangang】
Introduction

【interview with Shanghai Academy of Environmental Science】

• We learned about the potential risk of placing our engineered bacteria into the natural environment, thus we make some adjustment of our version-one hardware to guarantee biosafety.

• We got director Qian’s professional comments on the design of our whole project, and we decided to use lead solution in stead of lead contaminated water to better prove our module of lead binding.

• We gained a more comprehensive knowledge on the influence of heavy metal on humans, and planned to collect more data and information on this to state the significance of our project.

After the meeting, we have determined the application scenario, polished up the whole design, made adjustments on hardware and made it clear what we need to do next. It’s a fruitful meeting and we convey our sincere gratitude to the help of SAES!

【Professor Wang.Quanfu】

Professor Wang offered us an innovative idea of transforming the strains into bacterial agents and deploying them regularly, which might help address our failed attempt at using sustained-release medium. Moreover, insights were also gained on carrying out proteinase-restricted digestion experiment to verify protein presence in the outer membrane, and continuous cell vitality testing to confirm the sustained effectiveness of the bacterial agents.

Later after the consultation,we discussed about these advices at the group meeting. We remained committed to advancing the project and tried to form our own strategies based on the valuable feedback and suggestions from Professor Wang.

Step 7

Review/improve the solution

【Tang Hongzhi】
Introduction

Long-term Tenured Profess and Ph.D. Supervisor at the School of Life Science and Technology/National Key Laboratory of Microbial Metabolism. Project Leader -2021 Synthetic Biology Special Project - National Key Research and Development Program

On September 21, 2023, once our project had solidified its form, we proactively sought the counsel of Professor Tang Hongzhi, an eminent figure in the School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology renowned for his profound expertise in biology and environmental studies. In a comprehensive presentation, we laid bare the entirety of our project's essence, and Professor Tang commended our experimental design concepts, hardware innovations, and international collaboration efforts.

In his insightful feedback, Professor Tang underscored the importance of addressing certain critical factors. These encompassed the survival capacity of E. coli, the quantity of outer membrane vesicles generated, and the extent of heavy metal ion adsorption achievable by these vesicles. Recognizing that time constraints limited the scope for dramatic experimental alterations, he pragmatically suggested against replacing the chassis organism from E.coli., to cyanobacteria like Synechococcus, since autotrophic engineered microorganisms present danger to environmental gene security. However, he advised that replacing the chassis to Pseudomonas genus which can grow at a wider range of conditions after we fully tested our concepts. Instead, he suggested that we present our project as a prototype demonstration. In this way, once we achieve success with E. coli in our experiments, we can subsequently fine-tune and optimize all the mentioned aspects, rendering our project ready for various practical applications.

【Bioremediation Conclave with iGEM ITT-Delhi】

On September 9th, 2023, we had the privilege of taking part in the Bioremediation Conclave, thoughtfully hosted by iGEM IIT-Delhi. During this event, we had the opportunity to exchange our experimental concepts and hardware designs with fellow participants, including iGEM CSMU Taiwan, iGEM VIT, iGEM MIT-MAHE, and our gracious hosts at iGEM IIT Delhi. This invaluable interaction allowed us to delve into the intricacies of their projects, gaining a deeper understanding of their design and operational nuances.Moreover, the most crucial aspect is that we've conducted a full-scale simulation of the jamboree process, ensuring thorough preparation and rehearsal for our upcoming trip to Paris!

Inadditionally, We are particularly grateful for the profound insights shared by the esteemed Chief Guest, Prof. Dr. Thivaharan.V. His wisdom shed light on the critical importance of considering both the specificity and universality of our own project, enriching our perspective, and guiding us toward a more comprehensive approach.