Team:AHUT China/Human Practices

Human Practices

We have held 11 activities, ranging from children to adults, from related factories to scholars in professional fields, from promoting biological knowledge to collaborating on projects

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Summary: We have integrated many different parts of society

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Integrated Human Practice Overview

DESIGN
PRACTICE
IMPACT

Our experiment is to achieve the control of carbon dioxide emissions in the factory by improving the heat resistance and stability of carbonic anhydrase in the human body.

Last year we gave carbonic anhydrase thermal stability, but the lack of enzyme immobilization data limited our further industrial application of carbonic anhydrase.

This year, on the basis of last year's project, we hope to achieve enzyme immobilization while maintaining high thermal stability by modifying its gene sequence.

By consulting the literature, we found that formylglycine-producing enzyme can selectively recognize and oxidize the cysteine residues in the end sulfate subunit of protein to form formaldehyde-containing formylglycine, which can be used for enzyme immobilization.

Two investigations in Ma’anshan Iron and Steel Co., Ltd.

Under the arrangement of the college teacher, we came to Ma’anshan Iron and Steel Co., Ltd., made a preliminary investigation on the waste gas related to the factory and the treatment method, at the same time, also exchanged the project with the relevant leaders, and carried out the relevant experiment. In the factory, the method of sintering flue gas is mainly used to desulphurize, and other chemical methods are used to remove harmful impurity gases and the existing methods are quite time-consuming and costly.

So I introduced them to our experiments and biological methods of treating related harmful gases with enzymes. The end result was also surprising. Our experiment has some advantages over the original method in many indexes.

On our second visit, we designed a model for the factory that could simulate the activity of the enzyme in the laboratory. Using the waste gas composition of the factory collected by us to simulate the factory environment and test the ability of the enzyme, the experimental results are good. At the same time, many experiments were carried out to test the reuse rate of the enzyme, and the results were also good.

Inspired by the questionnaire, we are ready to start with children and teach them about biology. Inspired by our first visit to the factory, we found that our enzymes can reduce the toxic emissions of factory exhaust. We went to the factory again and shared the carbonic anhydrase project with them.

In recent years, the application of carbonic anhydrase in Carbon Dioxide capture has attracted widespread attention and has become an efficient and environmentally friendly strategy. Therefore, we chose carbonic anhydrase as the research object, hoping to explore an efficient and environmentally friendly carbon dioxide capturer.

We made preliminary progress in the study of Carbon Dioxide capture by establishing a mutated carbonic anhydrase last year and found that the stability and enzyme activity of the mutated carbonic anhydrase were significantly increased, but no further research and development was carried out. This year, on the basis of last year, we will modify the mutated carbonic anhydrase gene to obtain genetically engineered expression bacteria that express the carbonic anhydrase with aldehyde on the protein surface under the reaction of formylglycine-generating enzyme, which in turn binds to the amino group of the immobilized carrier. The immobilization of carbonic anhydrase is realized to improve its stability, facilitate its repeated use, and achieve industrial application.

Conduct the questionnaire survey

Why we do?

In order to expand the influence of iGEM and attract more people to participate in iGEM competition, our popteamularize the basic knowledge of biology in our school every year.

Fig.1. Group photo after collection

What we do?

In March, We send 100 questionnaire in the school. Our communication with the students in the school shows that they are not sensitive to the common sense of the environment and know little about iGEM. The questionnaire is as follow:

QUESTIONNAIRE
Fig.2. Collect questionnaires from passers-by

What we got?

At the same time, we introduced the competition to the students who did not know about it, which increased the exposure rate and popularity of iGEM in the school.

A Visit to Ma'anshan Nomal Primary School

Why we do?

We are a team want to change the world, and it was necessary to expand our influence. However, when a student surprising about the relationship between environmental issues and carbon dioxide, we realized that even the students around us knew little about the things What we want to do. We try best to make students understand that bioengineering is fundamental.

What we do?

In April we decided to go to primary school to promote our project.We asked the students some questions: the first question was the most controversial, with half saying carbon dioxide and half saying ozone.Finally, we showed them the correct answers to all the questions, which helped them better understand what we were talking about.

PRESENTATION
Fig.3. Class for children

What we got?

This activity let kids know iGEM, know carbon dioxide.Primary school students represent a future farther than us, we can let our influence continue. We emphasized the real-world issues that synthetic biology would be able to solve, rather than in a theoretic level. We therefore improved our education, better expressing our ideas and passions to ordinary people in an accessible and interesting way.

iGEM Shanghai China Regional Conference 2019

Why we do?

All things are difficult before they are easy. At the beginning of our journey, we felt overwhelmed of so many directions our project could take.

What we do?

On April 14, we jumped on any opportunity to get some more insight into different mindsets and strategies to make a successful project and product. iGEM Shanghai China Regional Conference 2019, an event where students can meet different organizations, was a splendid opportunity to listen to people from different parts of the biology field.

Meeting process

What we got?

It gave us an opportunity to communicate with both students and professionals, but also to discuss what the world lacks and we could bring to the world through our team AHUT_China.

An interesting experimental program

Why we do?

Life is a chain of moments of enjoyment, not only about survival. We can do an interest in everything. We hope the people who are interested in spreading the project beyond our peers and team members could have a chance.

What we do?

In March, we created an experimental program for people who are interested in spreading the project beyond our peers and team members as it seeks to reach out to a greater community. Our goal was to increase the knowledge about AHUT_China in general, to make it easier for future teams to establish a better relationship with the universities in Ma'anshan. Some students who took part in the experiment sighed: "I can’t believe that the biological experiment is so interesting, but it took a quite long time to keep it in a thermostat." Others say, "The bacteria under the microscope are really bright."

Fig.6. Result under the light microscope

What we got?

We thought the experimental program to be a win-win situation --- people interested in the project get a greater insight in what it means to be an iGEMer, while we build a greater foundation and platform for the AHUT teams to build on. We got great inputs from the iGEM experiment, which proved to be very helpful when building our presentation.

Outreach with a steel factory

Why we do?

When our team is considering the industrial process of project industrialization, we found out that the statistics from the website was too old. Since improving the current situation and reduce pollution is our main goal, we decided to visit an actual factory to see whether our plan would work. And the reason we chose this Ma'anshan Iron and Steel Co., Ltd to visit is because of this factory has a lot of harmful exhaust every day.

What we do?

In July, after asking back and forth again, we got contact with Ma’anshan Iron and Steel Co., Ltd. We interviewed a researcher. After communicating with the relevant researcher, I learned that this is mainly sulfide and other harmful gases. At the same time, the amount of emissions per hour is huge. The researchers told me that they still use the factory sintering flue gas method to remove sulfur, which is time-consuming and expensive, but it is the least harmful method to the environment.

Fig.7. Communicate with the factory manager

What we got?

we found that China, as a country with rapid development in industrialization, can consider environmental protection as an important indicator while developing its economy and production, which reflected the country's high attention to the ecological environment and the concept of sustainable development. This means that we have considered the need of the society. We hope that our research can focus on the specific problem and make the product can deal with it. And the feedback given by the factory can also guide our project in a clear way.

Interview with Dr. Wang Shuangshou

Why we do?

When we wanted to go to the factory to experience our CA2, and had trouble finding out how to measure the concentration of carbon dioxide in the gas, Dr. Wang shuangshou came to help us. Dr. Wang Shuangshou received his Ph.D. from Nanjing University in 2015, with rich analytical chemistry knowledge and experimental experience. He also has strong interest in biology and analytical chemistry.

Fig.8. Demonstration experiment of Dr. Wang

What we do?

Most gases are homogeneous mixtures with complex compositions. At the same time, the concentration of carbon dioxide in water is very low and unstable and something goes wrong. So in August,we do not know how to measure the concentration of carbon dioxide in the gas. We want to find a more accurate way to measure the concentration of carbon dioxide in the gas. When we consulted with Dr. Wang shuangshou on this issue, he suggested that we use infrared spectrum to conduct quantitative analysis of gas, and gave us an example of the carbon dioxide infrared probe in cell room, which can accurately measure the concentration of carbon dioxide in gas.

Fig.9. Communicate with Dr. Wang

What we got?

For carbon dioxide under infrared light, the theoretical four absorption peaks are infrared inactive vibration and degeneracy, because the change value of dipole moment is equal to zero. In fact, there are only two fundamental frequency peaks 2350 cm-1 and 666 cm-1 in the spectrum so we can use infrared which can make carbon dioxide concentration measure more accurately.

Fig.10. Taking photo with Dr. Wang

Outreach with the steel factory again

Why we do?

We found that China, as a country with rapid development in industrialization, can consider environmental protection as an important indicator while developing its economy and production, which reflected the country's high attention to the ecological environment and the concept of sustainable development. This means that we have considered the need of the society. We hope that our research can focus on the specific problem and make the product can deal with it. And the feedback given by the factory can also guide our project in a clear way.

What we do?

The factory is located in a small village near Ma'anshan, which is not far away from AHUT. We went to this factory the second time in August. After hearing about our iGEM project, the researchers expressed great interest in our experiment and invited us to conduct a series of tests in their laboratory as it seeks to obtain valid data to test the feasibility of the experiment. The end result was also surprising. Our experiment has some advantages over the original method in many indexes. In communication with staff, we explained our ideas about using CA2. The factory technical personnel thought the idea was good, and the method could reduce environmental pollution, but he reminded us the complexity of the actual production process and the problem of the high cost. I got to know that researchers need to think about many actual problems when they want to use a certain method in manufacturing, which is very different from the production process in the lab. All production and management should serve for the sustainable development of the human ecological environment, rather than simply pursue the maximization of profits of the enterprises.

Fig.11. Collecting exhaust gas on site

We designed a simulation model for the factory that could test the activity of the enzyme in the laboratory. Using the waste gas composition of the factory collected by us to simulate the factory environment and test the ability of the enzyme, the experimental results are good.

What we got?

During the tour in the factory, we saw different machines. Then we realized how hard it was to make an industrialized process able to be applied to the practical market. To achieve our goal, we still need to improve the efficiency and conduct multiple experiments to test the validity. We feel more confident in our project. Also, we realized how hard it is to change the process. We need to combine our results with the current situation to make it useful for the actual practice.

Cherish our only home on earth

Why we do?

Nowadays, the beautiful sky gradually disappears. We want to appeal to the students realize the importance of the beautiful sky.

What we do?

Through the WeChat official account we released an activity about "Shoot the blue sky and white clouds around us " and got a warm response.

Fig.12. Excellent works collected

What we got?

When we sighing for the loss of beautiful environment, which will return no more, let us reflect that flue gas will come. But our environment is belong to everyone. We can arouse people one by one to make our environment more beautiful.

Internet advertising

Why we do?

For a better promote, we want to release our dream that we are a team want to change the world. There is no doubt that the mass media can influence the way that people's behave. Moreover, it seems that people are spending more and more time watching on the internet. Therefore, the effects of the internet cannot be ignored.

Fig.13. Web promotion windows

What we do?

In September, we publicize simultaneously from WeChat official account, QZone and Twitter. We regularly push the experimental process on the WeChat official account and Twitter. In QZone, we released the latest activities. We publicize through these three aspects, thus making more people learn about our project.

What we got?

It helps us remember what should be remembered and forget what should be forgotten, alter what is changeable and accept what is unchangeable.

Schedule our daily routine via triplan

We use a cross-platform application called triplan, developed by one of our team members to schedule our daily routine when going out for human practices or other activities. This application is a useful tool to arrange your trip, vacation or other events. Using it can save us plenty of time because of its ability to help us plan routes, help us to decide restaurant, etc.

triplan screenshot 1

triplan screenshot 2

Fig.14. Daily routine via triplan

Monthly meeting

Why we do?

Each team's project in iGEM is not perfect at the start. In order to make the project perfect and make the team members cooperate with each other more and more smoothly, each team holds the team meeting to discuss again and again. So it is important for us to hold meetings to make some discussions. The members of the iGEM in our college held a conference every week to discuss how to solve our current problems and how to do next. Our members of iGEM keep the habit of discussing at meetings once a month since December 15.

Fig.15. Group photo after experiment discussion

What we do?

  • December

    the conference included that:
    1. Division of labor at that time
    2. Members of the experimental group introduced the carbon dioxide capture project
    3. Plan for the next step
    Through the discussion at this meeting, our division of labor has become more rational and the efficiency of work among members has been fully improved and at the same time, our team members got a preliminary understanding of the project that we are going to carry out.
  • January

    The conference included:
    1. The basic knowledge of biological brick
    2. The main function of carbonic anhydrase in our project
    3. Arrangement of mission about HP and Collaboration
    Through this meeting, we knew that it was helpful for the experimental group to design and transform the biobricks in the later stage. And some other works were arranged, so that we can be prepared for the following assignments.
  • February

    The conference included that：
    1. The experimental group summarized the basic professional knowledge related to the competition.
    2. We initially summarized the schemes of HP and collaboration. The experimental group needs to understand the basic knowledge of genetic engineering.
    3. Interpretation of the standards of the Medal
    Through the discussion in this meeting, we have listed the ways of expert discussion and external communication for the activities of HP and collaboration. Meanwhile, the members of the experimental group are planned to start the research of Interlab, and some members decided to participate in CCIC held in Shanghai during the summer vacation.
  • March

    The conference included that：
    1. We should complete the preliminary research of Interlab: We need to test the device which is in the DNA KIT needs to be sent to the United States, and GFP fluorescent protein expression may be required.
    2. The members of the group of HP and Collaboration gives us some feedback on opinions of relevant government officials of the municipal environmental protection bureau.
    3. Our instructors tell the students who decide to go to the United States to fill out forms of DS160.
    Through the discussion in this meeting, we planned to complete the test report of biobrick and submit the Excel data form before the registration time of Interlab on July 9 (as of September 29). Meanwhile, the members of the group of the webpage should begin to design wiki pages and other related content.
  • April

    The conference included that：
    1. The group of the HP and Collaboration should continue to work on related activities.
    2. We plan to go to primary school to teach students and answer their questions.
    3. We had a discussion with our teacher about the project.
    Through the discussion in this meeting, we asked the experimental group to conduct a detailed research on Interlab in the next stage. Meanwhile, the members of the group of HP and collabarbitration need to investigate the previous Collaboration projects and make a summary.
    • Fig.16. Meeting collection
  • May

    1. Microbiological experiment
    2. The Interlab research of the experimental group was completed and the instructor should plan for the following projects.
    3. The members of the group of HP and Collaboration had completed the research of the collaboration.
    Through the discussion in this meeting, we planned to continue to improve the website design of the wiki in the next stage and the website design needs to conform to the theme of this year. Meanwhile, the experimental group should pay attention to collecting some relevant experimental pictures used on the wiki when conducting experiments.
  • July

    The conference included:
    1. Design our laboratory
    2. We cooperated with University Potsdam.
    3. The experimental group completed the uploading of Interlab experiments and records.
    4. The Logo production is completed by the group of art layout.
    Through this meeting, we planned to meet the requirements of the iGEM gold award for the next phase of the experimental.Two different wiki designs should be prepared for the web page team. Through cooperating, our team members had a high degree of tacit understanding, and the atmosphere of the discussion became more and more lively.
  • August

    The conference included:
    1. Improve the collaboration with OUC
    2. Improve the logo
    Through this meeting, two different logo designs should be prepared for the webpage team.
  • September

    The conference included:
    1. The experimental group planed to complete our part.
    2. We revoted on the wiki design.
    Through this meeting, we planed to meet the requirements of iGEM gold award for the next phase of the experiment.
  • October

    The conference included:
    1. Review our experiment text
    2. Review our human process text
    3. Review our website
    Through this meeting, we planed to recheck our experiments, logo, and webpages.

What we got?

Our iGEM team of Anhui University of Technology discussed and solved various problems in the progress of our project through conferences. And our final project has been improved; the members have more and more trust in each other. The conference is still going on, and our story is still going on. We believe that the iGEM team will be able to achieve success in this year's competition.

CATALOGUE

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