Education
During this year, we will reach out to the public and the community through a variety of ways to disseminate the knowledge and ideas of synthetic biology to more people and build a bridge between science and technology and the public
In the past year, we have operated a WeChat official account called "SUSTech iGEMer 2023" to popularize science to the public through the release of subscriptions.
After introducing our team members to the public in an interesting way of AI portrait, we immediately popularized the basic knowledge of synthetic biology. In this subscription, the development history, policy, market space, and application of synthetic biology were introduced in turn: The term "Synthetic biology" was first proposed in 1911, and it was not until the mid-20th century that the theory and technology of synthetic biology began to be gradually established, which attracted attention in the 21st century. The three synthetic biology seminars organized by China, the United Kingdom, and the United States thoroughly looked forward to the future development of synthetic biology. They gradually began to support the relevant research of synthetic biology. In addition, we also mentioned that synthetic biology technology will bring substantial direct economic benefits to the world. Finally, we focused on explaining several important application areas of synthetic biology to the public: 1. In vitro diagnosis: such as developing virus detection products based on synthetic biology and CRISPR/Cas9; 2. Food: Synthetic biology can also be used to develop meat, dairy products, beverages, food safety, flavoring agents, and other aspects; 3. Microbial therapy: Bacteriological engineering based on synthetic biology provides a new idea for treating various diseases. Our team's topic selection is within the scope of this application. 4. Agriculture: The application of synthetic biology in the agricultural field mainly involves crop production, livestock, animal feed, and pest control.
Then, our other subscription gave a brief introduction to the public about the project content of our team - the construction of probiotics for accurate prevention and control of drug-resistant biofilms. The biofilm is a dense mesh structure formed by extracellular polymeric substances (components of polysaccharides, extracellular DNA, proteins, etc.) produced by microbial cells. At present, Pseudomonas aeruginosa is extremely resistant to drugs because it can produce biofilms in the human intestine and resist antibiotics and other bactericidal substances. Our project can use engineering bacteria to produce HMGB1 and PslG enzymes to disable them by destroying different sites of Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilm to achieve "precision prevention and control". At the same time, we have two ways to produce effector protein by secreting and splitting engineering bacteria to improve the life cycle of engineering bacteria in the human body, thus prolonging the efficacy of the drug.
Finally, we shared two interesting bacterial membrane knowledge with the public with the help of the WeChat official Account.
1. How was the membrane discovered? In the 1980s, a doctor was inspired by a patient with tuberculosis that caused bronchiectasis, and the dilation site was rich in Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The patient's use of various anti-infective drugs was ineffective and had an inferior prognosis. Inspired by the patient, the doctor used a fiberoptic bronchoscope to remove some samples of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and found polysaccharides wrapped around the bacteria. By observing the bacteria attached to the surface of the pebble at the bottom of the river, it is confirmed that the existence of the bacterial membrane is to resist the bad external environment. After that, the characteristics of the bacterial membrane were further summarized by using salt water to simulate the harsh environment: the independent decline of bacteria, the enhanced protection ability of antibacterial agents, and the interaction between bacteria and macrophages.
2. How close is biofilm to us? Clinically, it has been found that antibiotics that should be ineffective against some bacterial species can play a good role in bactericidal. After a series of studies and analyses, this phenomenon may be related to antibiotics' anti-algae hydrochloric acid (polysaccharide) effect, which can play a bactericidal role by destroying the bacterial membrane. However, because the physiological structure of the human body is more complex than the experimental conditions, we cannot use this characteristic of antibiotics to destroy the bacterial membrane in the human body. Therefore, we used synthetic biology to eliminate the bacterial membrane with engineering probiotics.
In addition to popularizing science on the WeChat official Account, we will also release some activity previews and questionnaires so that interested people can participate in synthetic biology and experience the fun of synthetic biology.
In addition to the WeChat official account, we also operated an account on Bilibili, a well-known video media in China, and shared a number of videos related to synthetic biology on it. We first introduced the development process of synthetic biology in the past 10 years and the prospect of the next 10 years, and briefly introduced the basic principles and logic of synthetic biology from the perspective of genetic engineering. Then it will share the common technical means of synthetic biology and a series of current applications of synthetic biology, and finally introduce the possible application fields of synthetic biology in the future, as well as advantages and disadvantages. The content is informative, mainly based on popular science, which has attracted the continuous attention of many people.
In the first video, we talked about the history of synthetic biology in detail, particularly the development of synthetic biology over the last 20 years. Synthetic biology is a branch of biological science that has emerged in the 21st century. In recent years, the research of synthetic natural substances has made rapid progress; unlike traditional biology, which dissects living organisms to study their internal structure, synthetic biology studies in the opposite direction, starting from the essential elements to build components step by step. Unlike genetic engineering, which involves inheriting, altering, and transferring genes from one species to another, synthetic biology aims to create artificial biosystems that operate like electrical circuits. Synthetic biology has become the third biotechnology revolution after "DNA double helix structure" and "genome technology."
In the second video, we introduce the main applications of synthetic biology in real life at both the video and pharmaceutical levels. The video presents two ways to make artificial heads using synthetic biology: plant protein meat and cell meat. It also introduces some companies that make artificial meat, how to improve the taste of artificial meat, related ethical issues, and prospects. In terms of drugs, we mainly introduce the structure of CAR T cells and raise the mechanism involved with Kymriah (the first drug approved by the FDA for such therapy) as an example. Finally, we looked into some of the shortcomings of CAR-T, such as uncontrolled proliferation in vivo, causing cytokine storms, and so on, and found the solution of Ye Haifeng's team from the literature.
In the third video, we look forward to the next decade of synthetic biology, introducing the future application areas of synthetic biology from 10 aspects. First, realize industrialization and automation. For example, experiments can be done and optimized in synthetic biology with Opentrons and Labcyte Echo. In the next 10 to 15 years, industrialization and automation may be the focus of attention in synthetic biology. Second, application of machine learning in DNA design, which is critical to synthetic biology. Machine learning is a tool that can understand and autonomously write various languages, including DNA design. Within the next decade, artificial intelligence may be able to write DNA rather than copy and paste natural DNA modules. Third, biochemically synthesized cell mimics. Fourth, bio-sensing to detect anything anytime, anywhere. Fifth, design organisms for Sustainable development goals. Sustainability is an essential goal of synthetic biology through gene editing of organisms such as microorganisms, recycling materials, manufacturing non-petroleum-based fuels and materials, capturing carbon dioxide, maintaining ecology, and increasing biodiversity. Sixth, designing cell communities and multicellular systems: Previous synthetic biology has focused on single cells, whereas multicellular organisms have many highly differentiated cells that perform different functions. Seventh, a major challenge in synthetic biology is designing the differentiation and specialization of cells, and if we want to get better at bioengineering, we need to achieve an effective "division of labor" in synthetic multicellular systems. Eighth, artificial cells. Ninth, in materials, synthetic biology can grow materials rather than extract them from living things. Tenth, controlling evolution precisely in real-time.
In the fourth video, we start with the principles of genetic engineering and compare the techniques between traditional genetic engineering and modern genetic engineering so that you can have a deeper understanding of the realization process of synthetic organisms. Standard gene cloning has to undergo a two-step reaction of restriction enzyme cleavage and DNA linking. In addition to the cumbersome operation, whether the suitable restriction enzyme restriction site is the most significant limiting factor for the smooth cloning of genes. Some gene cloning techniques that do not rely on restriction enzymes and DNA ligases have developed. These gene cloning techniques, independent of ligase, facilitate the selection of insertion sites. Today, "seamless cloning" is gaining popularity among scientists.
In contrast, the seamless cloning operation is more straightforward and flexible, almost free from sequence restrictions, and can assemble 10 DNA fragments simultaneously. These gene cloning techniques, which do not depend on ligase, facilitate the selection of insertion sites (in principle, any DNA sequence can be inserted into any location), expand the operational throughput, and significantly save time. Synthetic biology is a new subject based on genetic engineering technology, and its development will bring many changes and progress, which is of great significance to human production and life.
In the fifth video, we introduce the general development process of synthetic biology from four aspects: design, construction, testing, and data analysis. In terms of design, it presents how to construct suitable organisms, metabolic pathways, and synthetic pathways. It is generally necessary to select organisms with fast growth rates, easy in vitro culture, and high yields while designing metabolic and synthetic ways that minimize costs and improve efficiency. In terms of construction, we presented the classic three-step method of construction: gene editing, culture, and production. Here, we take CRISPR-Cas9 technology as an example to explain how to do gene editing and what we should pay attention to in gene editing. He used microbial culture as an example to introduce how to control the culture conditions while conducting real-time production process testing to achieve the expected production level. Testing and data analysis describes how to test and improve the synthetic quality of organisms using a range of biochemical assays, genome sequencing, and data analysis.
Finally, we touched on the most important ethical issue. While genetic engineering is always associate with ethical issues, does synthetic biology have the same ethical problems? The emergence and rapid development of synthetic biology is not only the inevitable result of understanding and deep exploration of living systems but also the inevitable result of interdisciplinary research and development. Therefore, we mainly discuss the challenges of synthetic life to the nature of life, the challenges of artificial life to evolution, and the safety of three aspects of synthetic biology ethics. On this basis, we summarize the shortcomings and countermeasures of the current research on the ethical issues of synthetic biology proposed by experts in the academic field and issue corresponding appeals.
Dingxiangyuan is a leading digital health technology company in China, connecting doctors, researchers, patients, hospitals, biomedicine companies and insurance companies through professional and authoritative content sharing and interaction, rich and comprehensive medical data accumulation, and high-quality digital health services. Since its establishment 20 years ago, it has served hundreds of millions of mass users and 5.5 million professional users, providing a professional and high-quality platform for cooperation between enterprises and institutions. At the public terminals, Dingxiangyuan covers multiple health application scenarios such as high-quality health science popularization, public knowledge service, online consultation platform, health product e-commerce and offline diagnosis and treatment. In the professional side of doctors, Dingxiangyuan closely focuses on the career growth path of doctors, meeting the needs of academic exchanges, continuing education, medication guidance, career development and other professional needs. On this platform, we set up an account in our personal name and carried out the identity authentication of general medical students. On this basis, we regularly publish biomedical knowledge presentations related to our trial topics. Because of the platform's powerful user interaction capabilities, we also use it to help collect statistical data and share and communicate information about the trial. Thus, we can not only expand our influence, but also exchange ideas and learn from each other.
We gave a lecture titled “Interesting Synthetic Biology” and “Pathogenic microorganisms and the seven-step hand-washing method” to the students of the Second Affiliated School of SUSTech. More than 50 students and teachers attended the talk.
In the lecture, the basics of synthetic biology and interesting health cold facts related to gut flora in life were covered. We explained synthetic biology in an easy-to-understand way and interacted with the students, for example, using synthetic biology knowledge to design proteins like building blocks.
Then follows “Pathogenic microorganisms and the seven-step hand-washing method”, in which we explored the connection between pathogenic microorganisms that we are exposed to every day and synthetic biology. We also analyzed the incidence of infectious diseases among local (Shenzhen) primary and secondary school students and targeted the students with education on hand hygiene. We also presented the results of a small experiment we designed to verify the effectiveness of the seven-step hand-washing method. We also led the students to do the standard handwashing maneuver together.
Through questions and answers, hands-on demonstrations, designing theme-related games, and giving away synthetic-biology-related gifts, we have created an engaging and entertaining lecture.
The Second Affiliated School of the Southern University of Science and Technology (SUSTech) is now one of the best secondary schools in Shenzhen after four years of preparation and three and a half years of operation. With the school motto of "Virtue, Enlightenment, Perseverance, and Innovation", they have nurtured outstanding young people who are internationalized, and who face challenges and opportunities with an open and tolerant attitude. Moreover, the school's interdisciplinary teaching based on the STEM concept (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) also fosters their key thinking and character in synthetic biology.
During the great time we spent together, Students and our team members came together to discuss ideas, share knowledge, and form collaborations. This fun science lecture can engage these students, helping them understand complex scientific concepts in an accessible way. Synthetic biology is a cutting-edge field, and raising awareness about it can foster interest and curiosity in science, especially among young audiences. Synthetic biology can be a daunting topic for many high school students. We believe this fun lecture can break down barriers and demystify the field by simplifying complex ideas, making it more approachable for a broader audience. Synthetic biology often involves a blend of biology, chemistry, engineering, and computer science. Synthetic Biology Theme Lecture can emphasize the interdisciplinary nature of the field, encouraging students to explore a diverse range of subjects.