Team:FAFU-CHINA/Engagement
Conference of China iGEMer Community
The 4th CCiC (Conference of China iGEMer Community) was successfully held in FUZHOU China during 26/08/2017 to 28/08/2017. The host is Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University (FAFU) iGEM team, the office of academic affairs of FAFU, and cooperated by University and Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, iGEM teams of Peking University, Sun Yat-sen University, Huazhong Agricultural University and the Association of Science and Technology CMLS-OUC. The organization process has also been supported by a team of consultants including members from all over the world.
What is CCiC？
CCiC(Conference of China iGEMer Committee,also Central China iGEMers' Consortium) The Conference of China iGEMer Committee(CCiC) is a advanced academic conference of synthetic biology in China, aiming to promote the development of synthetic biology and improve the connectivity and communication of nationwide iGEM teams.Besides, CCiC provides a excellent platform for Chinese iGEMers to prepare for the Giant Jamborees. The prototype of Conference of China iGEMer Committee is Central China iGEMers' Consortium in 2014.In 2015, with the number of teams doubling and the origin of teams expanding from Central China to nationwide, Peking renamed the meeting Conference of China iGEMer Committee. Up to now, CCiC has become one of the largest advanced academic conference. The participants include high school students, undergraduates, graduates, scientists, iGEM HQ, iGEM judges etc.
To resolve the problems of unequal allocation of subject resource, uncompatibility between general education mode in Chinese universities and iGEM competition mode, CCiC makes a bold and overall reform this year by increasing the proportion of salon and panel session and adding new sessions,which includes inviting the first generation Chinese iGEMers, iGEM headquarter and experienced judges to communicate with young iGEMers directly.
This CCiC has made history. There were more than 35 teams (over 300 students, teachers and scholars) attended the event. In addition, Prof. Chun B. Lou from the Institute of Microbiology (CAS), Prof. Xiong F. Fu from Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology (CAS), Prof. Lu P. Xu from Tsinghua University, Prof. King L. Chow from The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST), Prof. Kenneth A. Oye from MIT, Dr. Hao Q. Zhang from Bluepha as CTO and Dr. Teng Li from Bluepha as CEO brought wonderful presentations about synthetic biology research and their iGEM experience.
Two excellent synthetic biology enterprises, Bluepha and Beijing Syngentech, gave great support to the conference as sponsors.
The preparation time of the 4th CCiC lasted nearly five months. The CCiC community created a lot of 'first time' since CCiC was born. There was widespread support for such a public welfare work from participants.
Figure1: Group photo in the closing ceremony of CCiC
At the beginning of the opening Ceremony, Wu Zujian & Lin Ping made a speech (Fujian Agriculture & Forestry University). After this, Prof. Lou Chunbo, Fu Xiongfei, Huang Shuqiang, Xu Luping, Dr. Zhang Haoqian, Dr. Li Teng, Jiang Yun and other participants made a Keynote Speak on the development of synthetic biology, related knowledge of biology and the culture of iGEM. At the closing ceremony, Dr. Zhang Haoqian shared his experience with iGEM and made valuable suggestions.At the beginning of the opening Ceremony, Wu Zujian & Lin Ping made a speech (Fujian Agriculture & Forestry University). After this, Prof. Lou Chunbo, Fu Xiongfei, Huang Shuqiang, Xu Luping, Dr. Zhang Haoqian, Dr. Li Teng, Jiang Yun and other participants made a Keynote Speak on the development of synthetic biology, related knowledge of biology and the culture of iGEM. At the closing ceremony, Dr. Zhang Haoqian shared his experience with iGEM and made valuable suggestions.
Figure2: the opening ceremony of the FAFU, Prof. Wu Zujian made the speech
Figure3: The closing ceremony of the Dr. Zhang Hao Qian
We took iGEM Jamboree as the main form to project presentation. 49 iGEM teams around China brought brief introductions respectively, which take 20 minutes report plus 10 minutes to answer. We also set up a Panel Session chaired by Dr. Li Teng and Dr. Zhang Haoqian innovatively to share team's experience. At August 26th evening, the iGEM teams of Peking, FAFU-CHINA, ShanghaiTech, HZAU-CHINA, SYSU-CHINA, and NAU-CHINA gave us a special talk according to their project, causing a warm discussion and response.
Figure4: iGEMers discussed lively in project presentation, Poster Session, Panel Session and the special talk.
What’s more, in the iGEM head quarter face to face part, Prof. King L. Chow and prof. Kenneth A. Oye have aroused a heated discussion with iGEMers about today's synthetic biology cutting-edge technology and some questions, for example, biosafety, iGEMers personal development after the competition, and the development of the synthetic biology industry. Through the communication, we knew the importance of biosafety, especially in the synthetic biology and the harm of genetically modified organisms on human health and natural environment.
Figure5: Professor King L. Chow and Professor Kenneth A. Oye hosted the excellent iGEM Hq face to face part.
All members were affected by the enthusiasm and culture of FAFU-CHINA and got an excellent opportunity to prepare for the Great Jamboree in Boston, which made us understood the synthesis of biology and the iGEM culture easily, and help each team find a solution to the problem for teams could conduct their further experiments better. Through the mainstream media coverage, especially for the local college students in Fuzhou, it had brought a rare feast of synthesis biology. In the end, we are looking forward to the development of CCiC, and wishing each team can get satisfying grades in Boston!
Figure6: Handbook, bagde and T-shirt designed by FAFU-CHINA.
Figure7:Thanks the volunteers for having paid their sweat during the conference to make CCiC a big success!
Investigation
On the Fourth Conference of Chinese iGEMer community(CCiC), we invited Prof. King L. Chow and Prof. Kenneth A. Oye, who are the headquarters of iGEM competition. They delivered a keynote speaking about biosafety for all participators and held a face-to-face communication with Chinese iGEMers. They also answered the questions what Chinese iGEMers trapped in and concerned about. Additionally, for this CCiC we dedicated to create a condition for all participators to communicate with each other, which is a good chance for separate trainers to exchange experience and materials.
After the Fourth Conference of Chinese iGEMer community, we made a questionnaire about three topics which were raised by Chinese iGEMers during the iGEM HQ face-to-face communication.
Part 1.The expenses of iGEM competition
1. What do you think about the fees：$4500 USD team registration fee and $695 USD per team member Giant Jamboree attendance?
2. Why do you hold the view that the expenses of iGEM competition is too high?
3. Do you think the financial announcements should be published by iGEM headquarters?
Part 2.The quality of Biobrick Parts
1. In the past few years, have you ever used Biobrick Parts in the iGEM competition?
2. Did you use Biobrick Parts in the iGEM competition this year?
3. What happened when you used the Biobrick Parts which was committed by other iGEM teams？
4. what do you think that iGEM HQ has been considering the feasibility of the method about Biobrick Parts transmission which just provide the sequences supersede the nucleotide parts?
Part 3.About the IDT special offers for iGEM teams in China
1. Did you used 20 kb of FREE custom DNA from IDT?
2. If you have used the IDT special offers, how long would you get your nucleotide?
3. In the competition this year, did you customized your DNA?
It is undeniable that Chinese iGEMers play an important role in the iGEM competition. There are 92 Chinese iGEM teams (Including 10 teams come from Taiwan and 5 teams come from Hong Kong. ) participate in this year competition and in the 2016 iGEM Giant Jamboree Chinese iGEM teams performed well. However, we still have lots of challenges about the iGEM competition and synthetic biology development in China. How to solve these problems? How to develop synthetic biology and how to pass on the iGEM values in China? There are still many tasks waiting to be discussed.
Online Biosafety Quiz
According to the survey, we find that a lot of students are lack of education about biosafety in China. Even before entering the lab to do experiments , they receive no related training about it. So to make sure students in the lab master the knowledge of biosafety and can apply it into reality , we set up a Chinese biosafety online platform testing students’ related skills. If wanting to do experiments in this lab，they should pass this online-test first.
Meanwhile，we introduce this platform to other labs in our school and other Chinese iGEM teams. Our fruit is popular among teachers and students .
