Our project aims to utilize genetic modification technology to create an enzyme that can convert omega-6 into omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3 fatty acids are commonly present in certain types of fish (such as salmon, mackerel, and sardines) and some plant-based sources like flaxseeds, chia seeds, and walnuts. These fatty acids are renowned for their potential benefits in promoting heart health, enhancing brain function, and reducing inflammation.

In our project, integrated human practice plays a crucial role in delving deep into our problem domain. This practice supports our pursuit of societal value, economic benefits, and environmental conservation objectives.

Our integrated human practice is illustrated in the mind map below:

Questionnaire 1: Public’s Understanding On Omega-3 Fatty Acids

To further investigate the public's level of understanding on food containing omega-3 and positive effects of omega-3, we devised a questionnaire. In this survey, a total number of 611 people have participated. The result and analysis are illustrated as below:

From the age aspect, the participants of our survey are composed of 36.77% of below-20-aged people, 15.31% of 20-30 aged people, 17.47% of 30-40 aged people, 18.64% of 40-50 aged people, 8.65% of 50-60 aged people, and 3.16% of above-60-aged people.

We chooses two main questions’ responses to show here in the followings:

Question 4 is “Have you ever had some food containing omega-3, like fish oil, salmon and krill?” Question 5 is “Are you aware of the effect of these foods?”

By combining and analyzing these two diagrams, 77.2% of the participants have had some food containing omega-3, whereas the percentage of knowing the effects of the food drops to 56.6%. This indicates that there are still a large portion of people lacking the understanding and knowledge to omega-3 and its sources. Therefore, the popularization and education on omega-3 are needed to a great extent.

Furthermore, Question 8 investigates people’s preference on intake of omega-3, under which they can choose through either daily diet or health supplements.

Among all the participants, there are 78.9% of them prefer daily diet as the main source of omega-3 intake, rather than 21.1% of them choosing to take health supplements as the main source. This indicates that the majority of the population has a certain level of resistance to health supplements.

In conclusion, from the insights gained through this survey, we have identified the following key findings:

1. From educational and communication perspective, it is evident that there is a need for disseminating knowledge about omega-3. A considerable number of individuals still lack sufficient understanding or are entirely unaware of omega-3 and its sources.

2. Regarding the product aspect, a majority of respondents incline towards incorporating omega-3 into their diet through regular food consumption. A portion of individuals, however, are not inclined to consume omega-3 through dietary supplements.

In response to these findings, we intend to make appropriate adjustments in our future plans.

Questionnaire 2: Public's Attitudes Towards Genetically Modified Organism (Gmo) Foods

For our second questionnaire, we are aimed at investigating the public's attitudes and perceptions toward genetically modified products, or GMO foods. The result is showed as the following:

From the age aspect, the participants of our survey are composed of 17.51% of below-20-aged people, 39.09% of 20-30 aged people, 31.18% of 30-40 aged people, 9.59% of 40-50 aged people, 2.64% of 50-60 aged people, and none of above-60-aged people.

From academic levels, the participants of our survey are composed of 11.03% of middle-school leveled people, 23.5% of high-school leveled people, 23.5% of technical college leveled people, 36.69% of bachelor leveled people, 4.32% of master leveled people, and 0.96% of doctor-leveled people.

We can draw our first conclusion based on the answers fed back. Question 4 asks if you have ever had genetically modified food and Question 6 asks if you have ever concerned about the impact the GMO food might bring to your body.

As the data reveals that 73.86% of people have tried genetically modified food like GMO soybean and GMO maize, and among this group of people, 76.3% of them state that they indeed have concerned about the influence GMO food might bring to human bodies. As a consequence, we can see that the public perception and attitude toward GMO foods are still negative, defensive and conservative. It might be caused by media coverage, misleading informative articles and cultural conflicts.

Question 7 investigates the public opinion about whether the price is too high, and three choices are “Yes”, “No”, “I am totally fine with the current price”. As the data shows that nearly half of the participants think the price is a bit exorbitant, which indicates that the price that the public can accept shouldn’t be too high; otherwise the sales will drop dramatically.

However, Question 8 reveals that the above conclusion is not necessarily true. Question 8 asks if you would like to buy the product at a higher price if the GMO food provides more nutrients. 75.27% of participants answered “yes” to this question. From this data, we can conclude that people weigh nutritious values more than its price, and they can still afford a relatively high price as long as we prove that GMO foods bring more nutrients.

In summary, from the insights gleaned through this survey, we have identified the following significant findings:

1. The majority of the public remains hesitant towards accepting genetically modified organism (GMO) foods.

2. However, a considerable portion of the populace is open to acceptance if GMO foods offer enhanced nutritional benefits.

In light of these findings, we are committed to making pertinent adjustments in our forthcoming business plan. This includes adaptations in both product design and marketing strategies.

Our team members are all curious to gain specific insights into the application of GM technology in everyday life and its commercial implications. Recognizing the potential benefits for our project, we visited HeFeng Farm and conducted an interview with farm owner there.

Hefeng Farm is situated in Pailou Village, Hangtou Town, Pudong New Area, Shanghai. It spans approximately 200 acres and is renowned as one of Shanghai's most picturesque rural areas. The farm has also served as an interactive urban-rural demonstration site during the 2010 Shanghai World Expo. Additionally, the farm cultivates certain genetically modified crops.

The farm owner shared a wealth of information with us regarding crop cultivation and commercialization.

The farmer openly acknowledged that the cultivation of genetically modified crops is, in fact, influenced by market trends. They purchase seeds recommended by the market or those that are currently popular. Their primary consideration lies in the appeal of the harvested produce, favoring a variety of colors for visual interest and novelty. However, when it comes to edible crops, organic vegetables remain predominant.

The farm owner conceded that genetically modified crops could potentially address challenges in the cultivation process and alleviate issues of food scarcity.

The farm owner expressed approval of our product proposal. In today's society, where individuals prioritize well-being, products that are beneficial to human health, whether genetically modified or not, are likely to find a substantial market.

Finally, we toured the whole farm and learned about a form of planting called aquaponics - raising and feeding fish in a pond, watering crops with natural fertilizers containing fish waste, recycling water resources, and achieving a completely green and environmentally friendly planting system.

In order to get more professional knowledge about omega-3 and its impact on people's health, we interviewed a Nutritionist Lillian Wu. Lillian Wu is a registered dietitian in China and a member of the Chinese Nutrition Society. She holds the position of a Senior Public Nutritionist in China. In addition, she is a certified HACCP practitioner in Food Manufacturing from the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health in the United Kingdom. With her extensive qualifications, Lillian Wu is a member of the Hong Kong Nutrition Society and plays a significant role in the field of nutrition.

Understanding Omega-3 and Its Benefits

First we asked some basic information about omega-3, and the professor explained that omega-3 is a fat-soluble substance that maintains the brain and nervous system. She also pointed out that a common mistake in everyday life is that some health products may be advertised as having added some omega-3, but it is essentially a kind of fat and does not have much benefit to the human body.

Exploring the Abundant Functions of Omega-3

The professor went on to talk about the benefits of omega-3, but of the 11 functions of omega-3, EPA, DHA, and ALA are the most abundant in the human body, but they are less abundant in food and are not easily absorbed. Therefore, babies at the stage of brain development should take more, and if they do not have breast milk, they need to add extra from diet.

Preferential Dietary Sources of Omega-3

The professor says that in order to maximize Omega-3s, she prefers to consume them in her diet, such as algae and nuts. In addition, flaxseeds need to be broken up and mixed with oil to help humans better absorb them. However, with the change of diet, the ratio of omega-3 and omega-6 is out of balance, and it is necessary to supplement with health supplements in addition to the daily diet.

Challenges with Health Supplements

However, there is no uniform standard for health care products, the purity of omega-3 is not enough, and oil occupies a large proportion of fish oil, so health care products have little effect. The professor mentioned that we can increase the intake of omega-3 in our daily meals by feeding our chickens flaxseed powder and mixed powder containing omega-3

Importance of Balanced Omega-3 and Omega-6

The professor stressed that the imbalance of omega-3 and omega-6, especially excess fat, is very harmful, such as blood clotting problems, so it is important to balance the proportion of the two, which is also the necessity of our research. However, omega-3 and omega-6 are automatically converted in the human body and will not have a great effect on the body as long as they are not seriously unbalanced.

Academic Controversies

We then pointed out to the professor some of the academic and Internet controversies. For example, studies have shown that omega-3s do not do much to protect against cardiovascular sclerosis and stroke, and the professor suggested that the effects of various omega-3s taken together may be counteracted. As for the idea that omega-3 inhibits the growth of breast cancer cells but stimulates the spread of other cancer cells, Professor Wu believes that this theory has only been preliminarily tested in animals, and that humans and animals have different physiological structures. Professor Wu also claims that Omega3s speed up metabolism and slow down the spread of cancer cells, rather than suppressing them.

Exploring GM Technology and the Need for Research

Finally, we raised questions about GM technology. The professor said that transgenic technology itself is not harmful, but people are unfamiliar with new things and have not fully accepted it. In the context of industrialization and Marine pollution, deep-sea fish contain a large amount of toxic heavy metals and are not edible, so the professor believes that our project is still necessary.

Future Applications and Adjustments

The professor suggested that we change the genes of the animals, starting with the feed. Because the human digestive system is complex, converting enzymes that enter the body are digested. We are mainly thinking about whether we can convert omega-3 into omega-6 by our enzymes in animals such as chickens, cows and sheep, so that we can keep people's omega-3 levels high by feeding them meat. We will make targeted adjustments to the product format, either selling enzymes or this technology. At the same time, we should strengthen the popularization of transgenic technology, because many people do not know the specific situation of transgenic technology, so they have a sense of strangeness and resistance to transgenic technology, so we need to give potential consumers enough knowledge, so that they have a comprehensive and profound understanding of transgenic technology. Finally, we should try to realize our research results from different directions and explore some possible applications.

In order to comprehend the feasibility and challenges of utilizing genetic modification for obtaining omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, to understand the current regulatory landscape concerning genetic modification, and to gain insights into the practical application and complexities of genetic modification in animals, we conducted an interview with Dr. Gao Yuanpeng. Dr. Gao Yuanpeng holds a Ph.D. from the College of Veterinary Medicine at Northwest A&F University, specializing in Clinical Veterinary Medicine. Currently, he serves as an Associate Researcher and a Master's Supervisor at Northwest A&F University.

Understanding Transgene Technology and Its Basics

We first asked the Dr. Gao about the basic knowledge of transgene technology to transform omega-6 into omega-3, and Dr. Gao explained to us that in our designed experiment, what we actually changed was the tiny circular DNA that was floating outside the E. coli genome. We need to get something out of the altered DNA that we want to see, such as the expression of the inserted gene, or the detection of the protein and its function. But the professor cautions that these traits are not necessarily heritable - for example, if the DNA comes from a male animal, it is not heritable - so we also need to consider whether the altered DNA traits can be passed on to future generations.

Insight into GM Technology

Dr. Gao then went deeper into GM technology. Transgenic technology is the earliest known as genetic engineering, transgenic is the genetic process at the individual level, generally speaking, it is changed at the gene level, the external gene is given to it, and at the same time, it can enter the fertilized egg or early embryo of the animal, and then the stable generation of the next generation, the external gene is passed on to the offspring. These techniques are in fact part of breeding, equivalent to the creation of a new breed, which, if created, must be spread, and under strict human supervision and control, otherwise it will be indistinguishable from ordinary livestock.

Stages of GM Regulation in China

Secondly, Dr. Gao explained that the relevant laws and regulations related to GM in China are divided into four stages. The first is experimental research, such as resulting in a genetically modified pig or cow. The second stage is the intermediate experiment, which is to expand and inherit the pig or cow, continuously monitor whether the transgenic operation is harmful, and evaluate the desired function. The third stage, called the environmental release stage, is to expand the population of newly produced cattle or pigs, but not more than 200, in a very small area, to assess the genetic stability of the population, to evaluate the production efficiency, and to detect whether the incidence of various diseases in the population is abnormal. The fourth stage is called production experiment, which is to process these newly bred pigs or cattle into various products and undergo food and drug supervision and evaluation.

Global Status of Transgenic Technology

Then, Dr. Gao explained in detail to us the current status of transgenic technology in the world. GM technology does not need to be considered in the future whether it will be popularized, because it is popularized today. In China, there is an official ban on the cultivation of any genetically modified crops, with the exception of cotton, which is mainly used as a household product rather than a food product and poses a relatively low risk. However, as China's demand is very large, it needs to import a lot of agricultural products from overseas every year, such as soybeans, corn and meat. Overseas agricultural products almost all use transgenic technology, through which overseas production costs are greatly reduced, so many of China's agricultural products have become uncompetitive in the market.

Challenges and Feasibility of GM Technology

In the end, Dr. Gao stated the problem of transgenic and gene editing technology, there is no technical difficulty in the technical level, but the problem is that the cost during this period is very high, and all are borne by individuals, even if the market is only possible to return the cost, it is impossible to make profits. If it fails to enter the market, no one can take the risk because the costs and losses are all borne by individuals. We then asked the professor the central question of whether human use of engineered bacteria would achieve the desired effect and whether there would be additional side effects.

Determining Enzyme Activity and Cell Interaction

Dr. Gao replied that we need to know whether the enzyme we are studying is active, whether it can enter the cell, whether the environment inside the cell allows it to convert omega-6 into omega-3, and if it cannot enter the cell, whether it can transport it to the blood or the muscle to convert omega-3. Because ultimately what we want to achieve is the conversion of saturated fatty acids from muscle or blood to unsaturated fatty acids. This also gives us valuable suggestions and reminders, we have to set up a scene, search for information, combined with the problem to find the most suitable application of the product, looking for various application possibilities.

Public's Acceptance of GMO Food

The experts also told us about the public's acceptance of genetically modified food, which basically means that although many people in daily life are not very receptive to this technology, they may have eaten the products made by this technology without their knowledge. For example, we import genetically modified soybeans from abroad. So soybean oil is actually a genetically modified product, but China does not require mandatory labeling, which means that everyone in fact has more or less eaten genetically modified products, whether they accept or not.

Reflection: Dr. Gao has given us a lot of advice and knowledge about biology and transgenic, and we have benefited a lot. Dr. Gao first told us that at present, it is forbidden to put GM technology into animals in China, but plants can, and plants can be made into drugs. Therefore, people can take health supplements to better ingestion of omega-3, which provides a clear direction for our research.

Finally, the expert also told us that the feasibility and necessity of our project are very strong, because our starting point and foothold are very good, we use our scientific thinking and logical thinking ability to complete this project, and consider social service as the initial goal, which brings extraordinary significance to the research we are doing now. This is undoubtedly a great affirmation of the efforts we have made, and it also gives us a strong determination to continue to move forward in deep thinking and continuous improvement.

In order to enhance the design of our product and refine our marketing strategy, and ultimately create a comprehensive business plan, we recently conducted a pitch session with Dr. Liu Yexing. Dr. Liu, a graduate in Life Sciences from Tsinghua University under the mentorship of Dr. Shi Yigong, currently serves as an angel investor in the biopharmaceutical industry and is an Executive Director in the Investment Department of Shenzhen Angel FOF.

Preparing for the Pitch: Defining Our Business Plan

In preparation for our pitch presentation, which served as an outline for our business plan, we conducted a comprehensive analysis. This included an assessment of our business model, market conditions, marketing strategies, and a cash-flow forecast. However, during our presentation, Dr. Liu pointed out crucial areas of concern.

Key Issues Identified by Dr. Liu:

Product Clarity: Dr. Liu emphasized that our product lacked clarity. It was important to distinguish that we were selling enzymes, not omega-3, which was causing potential confusion.

Marketing Ambiguity: Our marketing approach needed refinement. While our primary focus was on a B2B market, our messaging had inadvertently conveyed elements of a B2C product.

Market Analysis Gaps: We failed to provide a clear picture of the market size and identify our competitors.

Technical and Product Details: Insufficient details were provided about the technical aspects, product specifications, and design.

Dr. Liu recommended that we adopt McKinsey's MECE (Mutually Exclusive, Collectively Exhaustive) principle in our market research for a more structured approach. Learning from Industry Peers:

To gain deeper insights into our industry, Dr. Liu recommended that we examine a company in the same industry offering similar products. This approach allowed us to gain insights into our suppliers, competitors, and consumers by studying the materials available online.

Strengthening Marketing Strategies:

Dr. Liu stressed the need to align our marketing strategies with our technical expertise and product offering. In the financial statement section, he advised us to conduct a comprehensive cost analysis of enzyme production, examine upstream and downstream partners, and particularly focus on the purification process, a significant cost component in protein and enzyme production.

Choosing the Right Path:

Lastly, Dr. Liu guided us in determining our final product. He clarified the legal and technical challenges associated with applying genetic modification technology to plants and food. Consequently, we decided to pivot our focus towards genetically modified enzymes as our ultimate product.

In response to Dr. Liu's valuable insights and suggestions, we meticulously conducted market research, sought advice from biology teachers on purification processes, and incorporated these improvements into our business plan.

In order to enhance and refine our project, we conducted two surveys, interviewed three experts, and visited a farm cultivating genetically modified crops. Through these efforts, we obtained valuable insights regarding omega-3 and genetically modified products.

In the realm of education: There is still a significant knowledge gap among many individuals regarding omega-3, and it is crucial to vigorously promote awareness across all age groups.

Regarding product strategy: Due to prevailing legal regulations and the general public's attitude towards genetically modified products we got from our surveys and research findings, our product is positioned as the genetic editing of E. coli to produce a biological enzyme. This enzyme is capable of converting omega-6 into omega-3. Simultaneously, we plan to offer this technology for sale to pharmaceutical and health supplement companies.

Future implementation of your project

Our mission revolves around leveraging genetic modification to bridge the gap in the demand and supply of omega-3 fatty acids. Our innovative approach involves the production of an enzyme that can adeptly convert omega-6 into omega-3 fatty acids.

Looking ahead, we see our enzyme solution playing a transformative role in the pharmaceutical, health supplement, and food production sectors. Our research indicates that the majority of the public prefers to derive omega-3 from their daily diets. With this insight, we're keen on partnering with food producers and manufacturers to integrate our enzyme into a range of food products, from dairy to baked goods, ensuring consumers can effortlessly benefit from omega-3 in their regular meals.

Target Customers:

Pharmaceutical Companies: Our enzyme can be utilized in the formulation of omega-3 enriched medications, especially for those patients who require higher doses of omega-3 for specific medical conditions.

Health Supplement Manufacturers: Given the growing demand for natural and effective health supplements, our enzyme offers a unique proposition for companies to develop omega-3 rich capsules or liquid supplements.

Food Producers: Dairy companies, bakeries, and even beverage manufacturers can incorporate our enzyme to produce omega-3 fortified products, catering to health-conscious consumers. Potential Applications:

· Dietary Supplements: Our enzyme can be a key ingredient in capsules or liquid supplements that promise a concentrated dose of omega-3.

· Fortified Foods: From omega-3 enriched bread to fortified dairy products, our enzyme can be seamlessly integrated into various food production processes.

· Specialized Medical Formulations: For patients with specific medical conditions that necessitate higher omega-3 intake, our enzyme can be a game-changer in formulating specialized medications.

· Our engagements with industry experts and stakeholders, from Nutritionist Lillian Wu to Dr. Liu Yexing, have been instrumental in refining our approach and understanding market dynamics. As we move forward, our commitment is unwavering: to ensure our enzyme solution stands as a beacon of innovation in making omega-3 more accessible and to foster healthier communities globally.

We have also prepared a business plan, which may provide a detailed roadmap of our project in the future. (https://2023.igem.wiki/subcat-gd/entrepreneurship)