Difference between revisions of "Team:KUAS Korea/Engagement"

Open Seminar

One of the aims for synthetic biologists is to communicate with the public and try to solve social issues together in the future. In order to accomplish the objective, we tried to provide an opportunity to the public to be familiar with synthetic biology. Although the field is promising as technology develops, awareness is relatively very low and even to the bio-undergraduates. This year we had an open seminar targeting undergraduates in Korea regardless of majors. Throughout the seminar, we looked over from its history to applied cases to help participants deeply understand synthetic biology.

subject

• 1st day

- General concepts and history of synthetic biology/iGEM

- Technologies and applications in synthetic biology

• 2nd day

- Applied cases of synthetic biology

=> Diagnostics

=> Therapeutics

=> Environment

=> Computer designing

- Future outlook and ethical issues of synthetic biology

description

• 1st day

As we began, we firstly dealt with basic concepts of synthetic biology. From Aristotle to nowadays, we explained how the field has been developed. Then, we talked about iGEM to publicize how students around the world are contributing to developing the field.

After ranging from its history and concept, we moved on to used technologies and applications. We looked through technologies of Sanger method and NGS regarding DNA sequencing and Gibson assembly and Ligase independent cloning of genetic synthesis. Lastly, we talked about CRISPR (Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats) known as ‘Gene Scissor’.

• 2nd day

As we handled the general idea of synthetic biology a day before, now it was time for bringing it into practical uses. Dealing with diagnostics, therapeutics, environment and computer designing, participants made an approach to daily life synthetic biology.

In diagnostics and therapeutics, we illustrated several methods such as toxicity screening using recombinant luminescent bacteria, cancer detection in urine by programmable probiotics, new medicine development, and cell therapeutics. Participants had a chance to know how synthetic biology technologies could be used to detect and cure diseases and therefore how it can be practiced in our daily lives.

In Environment, bio-fuel using biomass such as C.glutamicum and environmental cleanup in water and heavy metal pollution was discussed. Since the environmental field is fully expected to achieve many outcomes in the future using synthetic microbes, the topic was good enough to draw attention from participants.

Last but not least, the leader suggested future outlook of synthetic biology and awakened everyone growing importance. At the end, everyone including both participants and organizers gathered together to discuss the ethical issue of synthetic microbes. On the industrial stance, regulations are to be relieved for its progress and production. However, it is different on civil side in that it is not proved whether he would have potential problems regarding health when one takes a transformed microbe. We had a heated debate on the topic which lasted for more than an hour.

description

Throughout the sessions, 35 students participated in average and among them, there were even students from other majors that are not related to biology. It seemed that various students were interested. Feedback was generally good in that the field was new for them, thus interesting and discussed subjects were somehow related to their lives.

These are the graph and comments of the participants from survey research.

We focused our survey on an understanding of synthetic biology since the seminar targeted on general undergraduates including non-biology major students. Most of the students who major in biotechnology showed deep and good understanding while the non-major students showed general and very low understanding. Overall, we were able to satisfy most of the participants.

Participant’s Comments

- I have heard of synthetic biology but did not have a chance to learn about it. It was a good opportunity to get to know about general synthetic biology.

- Through the seminar, I got a general idea of synthetic biology and got interested in further studies.

- Great work

- I hope to have more sessions in the future

Public Engagement

Harmony between science and society is what scientists pursue to the ultimate. To do so, scientists try to make interactive approaches rather than one-sided. This year we came up to the public through the open seminar, GMM law archiving and distribution of translated ‘Obama Report’. Link