When designing the project we have come up with many fine details for the software. Some came from our original ideas, others came from professionals in different fields. (See silver)

We tried hard to put these inspirational details into application of our software "S-Din". We tried to make more positive contributions to scientific and societal practices, and reduce and even eliminate the potential negative impacts.

By communicating with other iGEM teams, and chatting with different bio-lovers, we realized that fragmented data costs a lot of time and energy. We hope to establish such a database in S-Din, in a standard and easy-to-understand format. It will save one's time, which enables one to focus on his project ideas.

In S-Din's database, we standardize a new data format for different types of data: parts, projects, key words and papers. Based on this format, our database is integrated into a unity, and accessible to set up interaction network and analysis. The S-Din search engine and S-Din Design are both working under this standard.

Figure 7: 20 standard parts in S-Din.

Figure 8: Each genetic design uses standard parts and interaction lines.

Figure 9: According to the standard data format, users can add their new parts to S-Din's database.

We interviewed several lab researchers, and found that how to trigger one’s inspiration is a challenge for us, but several related previous work may create a new idea. To find out related projects and to guide users to a clearer direction, are what we consider to realize in our software.

In order to stimulate one's inspiration in synbio work design, we tried the following explorations: The tree of words, and network analysis.

The tree of words: When you first enter the search engine of S-Din, you could search any word you like, or try selecting a word to explore more! When clicking, You will see the subordinated words. After few repeats, you will finally get the projects that you want. This function is designed to help specify your need, and help you understand your idea better.

Figure 10: Keyword Tree.

network analysis: This function is designed to help you find out potential interaction between two parts, projects or key words. Sometimes the recommendation may be hard to understand, but perhaps it would open a new direction and lots of inspiration for you.

Figure 11: Our analysis function shows the score of keyword "cell" in different years when searching "cell" in S-Din.

According to Mr. Li Yuzheng's advice, it is necessary to write a software statement, and show the statement to users when they first use our software. Only when users agree to provide their private information can our software collect and use it. What's more, Prof. He Zhumei reminded us of adding biosafety statements and interactive interface with users.

We combined the software statement with biosafety statement, then wrote the integrated S-Din statements. See statements, which consists of Terms of use, Bio-safety Alerts, Privacy Policy and Cookie Policy.

We helped NJU-China iGEM team solve their problem, and communicated with them about problems they met. ("Collaboration" page for more details) We found that their problem was probably based on ----fragmented data.

We conducted a discussion among our team members about fragmented data. Nowadays data or information online is abundant but scattered. Many people spend much time on integrating them by themselves----In fact, they should spend more time on their ideas for their core work.

Figure 12: How a man may assign his time in a project when getting integrated data by himself

In fact, this trouble is possible to be solved ---- by a dedicated software. If we could establish an integrated database, consisting of unified standard of data composition and data format, we should find out the relationships among the data more easily. Besides, a data format standard makes it more convenient and engineering to store, reuse and combine the data. And engineering work is what computers are good at.

So our team desired to change the work flow into the figure below:

Figure 13: How a man may assign his time in a project when getting integrated data with a dedicated software.

Study the needs of ordinary bio-lovers

At the same time, we chatted with some students who are interested in biology work. They told us:

"We'll like the software if it shows details of each bio-project, in a way easy to understand."

"It would be better if the software can provide basic analysis of the work."

"Could you develop a software which can recommend interesting projects of my own?"

...

We found that the needs above are the most popular. To achieve these goals, an enough huge and integrated database is critical. Of course, mathematical algorithms should be equipped in our software.

Studying the needs of biology labs

During the summer, we visited several biology laboratories of Sun Yat-sen University. Researchers warmly greeted us. Thanks to Prof. Lu Yongjun's help, we finished our interlab task and wet-lab validation in his laboratory. Meanwhile, we chatted with the researchers and conducted a small survey of their project idea.

By talking with researchers working in the lab, we were surprised that lack of ideas is one of the common problems when they work on a synthetic biology project.

“A good beginning is half done. That is to say, a good idea of genetic circuit design is half done of the whole project.” A researcher named Dong told us.

Since ideas are so significant to a project, where do researchers' ideas usually come from? We did a small survey of researchers in several labs.

Figure 14: The sources distribution of researchers' project idea.

From the figures above, we learned that the majority of researchers’ idea source is professional research articles and journals ---- they work before, but a novel idea may arouse from them if the researcher reuses their essence and aims to an accessible direction. However, each paper usually describes its design in the author’s own style and standard, which is usually hard to understand and absorb its design ideas for one’s own creative work.

“We all hope to stand on shoulders of the giant, but it's hard at this stage to combine or transfer the senior's ideas in order to form my own ideas.” Researcher Dong said.

How to trigger one's inspiration? What if our software could help people with inspiration? This "Inspiration" inspires all of us. However, it is a challenge for us, because “inspiration” is such an abstract concept, and is hard to measure and specify. But hope is still alive: several related previous work may create a new idea. To find out related projects and to guide users to a clearer direction, are what we consider to realize in our software.

Thanks to the inspiration flashed across our mind, we decided to create an onomatopoeia "S-Din" as our project and software's name, as it sounds like a light bulb lightens suddenly.

In S-Din's database, we standardize a new data format for different types of data: parts, projects, key words and papers. Based on this format, our database is integrated into a unity, and accessible to set up interaction network and analysis. The S-Din search engine and S-Din Design are both working under this standard.

In order to stimulate one's inspiration in synbio work design, we tried the following explorations: The tree of words, and network analysis.

The tree of words: When you first enter the search engine of S-Din, you could search any word you like, or try selecting a word to explore more! When clicking, You will see the subordinated words. After few repeats, you will finally get the projects that you want. This function is designed to help specify your need, and help you understand your idea better.

Network analysis: This function is designed to help you find out potential interaction between two parts, projects or key words. Sometimes the recommendation may be hard to understand, but perhaps it would open a new direction and lots of inspiration for you.

To learn more about these functions, check gold section for details

We examined all parts in our database, and no part is from chassis of Risk Group 3/4. The "Unknown" parts are examined again with DSMZ Database. They are safe enough.

Figure 15: Risk group distribution of parts in S-Din's database.

We checked the parts again to judge if it has "Red Flag" tag. Only 26 parts is tagged. Since we are dedicated to providing an open platform for synthetic biology, the user won’t be limited if they search for ‘Red Flag’ parts; However, users will be warned and advised not to do so once they attempt to design new circuits with ‘Red Flag’ parts.

Figure 16: Red Flag part distribution in S-Din's database.

Once we had ideas of S-Din, we interviewed professionals or scholars in different fields, and searched related policies. We had a better awareness of our project in the context of scientific inspiration, societal attention, safety and security, and legal considerations.

When S-Din was finished, we introduced it to the professionals. With their advice and help, we wrote a product statement combined with four parts: Terms of use, Bio-safety Alerts, Privacy Policy and Cookie Policy.

See statements page for more detail

When S-Din start to take shape, we promoted it to several iGEM teams and biology laboratories. They were interested in our software and tried out, then we were glad to recieve their encouraging user assessment:

"Your database is wonderful! Our project may be more smoothly if cooperated with S-Din!" by Hong_Kong_HKUST

"An integrated software for synbio community." by SCAU-CHINA

"An inspiring try, I like it very much. Hope it will be more perfect in the future, and our lab could really use it." by Researcher Shen from Prof. Lu Yongjun's laboratory

Figure 17: We recommended S-Din to Prof. Lu Yongjun and other researchers.

Ordinary bio-lovers are also interested in S-Din, especially its name.

"The name 'S-Din' is cool! I like it!" by Lin

"The software is smart! How does it know what I really want to search?" by Zheng

"What if S-Din can recommend some daily headlines, like a newspaper, Synthetic Biology Daily?" by Li

Figure 18: We introduced our product S-Din to ordinary students of SCAU.

We are very excited to witness a hit from public when S-Din first met with them. Although this version of S-Din is still primary, we'll continue to create a better product.

Synbio is just a S-din away.