Team:Nanjing NFLS/Judging

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  • Overview
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• Judging

• Home
• Project
  • Description
  • Background
  • Design
  • Experiment
  • Demonstrate
  • Notebook
  • Vision
• Parts
• Safety
• Model
• Team
  • Team Members
  • Attributions
  • Collaborations
• Human Practices
  • Overview
  • Integrated Human Practices
  • Public Engagement
• Judging

Judging

• Medal
  • Bronze
  • Silver
  • Gold
• Special Prizes
  • Model
  • Integrated Human Practices
  • Public Engagement

Medal

Bronze
Registration and Giant Jamboree Attendance	We have registered for iGEM, and will attend the Giant Jamboree.
Competition Deliverables	We have completed the following Competition Deliverables: Wiki, Poster, Presentation , Judging Form
Attributions	See Attributions
Project Inspiration and Description	See Description
Characterization	We have accomplished Parts

 

Silver
Validated Part	See Parts
Collaborations	See Collaborations
Human Practices	See Human Practices

 

Gold
Integrated Human Practices	See Human Practices
Model Your Project	See Model
Demonstration of Your Work	See Demonstrate
Improve	See Parts

 

Special Prizes

Model

Our team Nanjing_NFLS employs software ZDOCK to predict docking potential of 3 mRNA of HBsAg-miRNA pairs and 12 miRNA-ceRNA pairs basing on previously-determined molecule sequences and TUD methods. As we constructed delicate 3-dimentional single helix structures as input rather than mere base sequences, our model requires intensive calculation. Therefore, we concentrate our model on 80 base pairs at the binding sites. Initially, we assumed that only several mRNA of HBsAg-miRNA/miRNA-ceRNA pairs have adequate docking potential. Through computational modeling, we find ZDOCK scores of all 3 mRNA of HBsAg-miRNA pairs and 9 miRNA-ceRNA pairs satisfactory. The experiment results are fitted to our model’s prediction that there are different effectiveness between each RNA pair. It proves immunotherapy a potential therapy. Since a replacement of specialized promoter often triggers new therapies, we’re confident the significance of an easy and precise model goes further beyond our project.

 

Integrated Human Practices

Our integrated human practices guided us in the project. Our interview with the Center for Disease Control and patients from cancer support groups who benefitted from immunotherapy confirmed the necessity of our project, and the promising future in which our “Trojan Horse Antigen” mechanism could be universally applicable. Through engagements with fellow iGEM teams, clinical doctors, and researchers, we designed and perfected specific parts of our project CITHA, for examples, choosing the hTERT promoter, and adding ceRNA double insurance. Finally, we reconsidered the importance of ethics and safety in our project, inspired by professors of bioethics and their recommended papers. Our structured human practices helped foster this stronger version of CITHA catering to society and patients’ needs, and helped us grow into a mature team with a more comprehensive understanding of synthetic biology.

 

Public Engagement

Our public engagement has three aims. First is to change stereotypes and misguided beliefs towards cancer, second to promote synthetic biology and iGEM in schools, and third, to raise awareness on bioethics and its implications. With these three goals in mind, we planned a series of activities. First, we created our own account on WeChat and Instagram and handed out leaflets in surrounding communities to raise awareness on cancer, especially to the elderlies. Then, we held seminars, debate contests, and synthetic biology themed art and baking activities in high schools, focusing on interdisciplinary applications of synthetic biology and its ethical and societal concerns. Finally, we also hold innovative lectures and seminars in elementary schools. We introduced synthetic biology with the help of LEGO bricks. We also started conversation on bioethics when a pupil raised the issue of “artificial life”. Through these events, we were able to bridge the gap between the wet lab and people’s everyday life, and inspire the younger generations to start their journey into synthetic biology.