Team:Stuttgart/Public Engagement

Human Practices

Education & Engagement

Intention

With automobile technologies and development being the representative industrial strain in Stuttgart we wanted to reach out to the local youth unions of the five largest political parties in Stuttgart to get a feel what standpoint biotechnology and synthetic biology have in Stuttgart. Therefore, we developed a questionnaire for the political parties with questions regarding the up- and downsides of synthetic biology in general, the standpoint of synthetic biology in Stuttgart, how synthetic biology can help combat modern global environmental problems as well as questions about our project.

Responds:

We reached out to the local youth unions of the five largest political parties: “Junge Union” (CDU), “Jusos” (SPD), “Grüne Jugend” (Die Grünen), “Junge Liberale”, (FDP) as well as “Junge Alternative” (AfD). From the five parties the Jusos, Grüne Jugend as well as Junge Alternative were responsive with the intention of filling out our questionnaire. The other two parties were non-responsive even after multiple contact attempts. As of now 2 of the 3 responsive parties completed the questionnaire (Grüne Jugend und Jusos).

Results:

To our surprise the Grüne Jugend, a youth union of “Die Grünen”, a political party known for a critical standpoint towards biotechnology and synthetic biology was very responsive and provided answers to all of our questions. The Jusos, a youth union of “SPD”, a political party known for a socialist standpoint provided answers to most of our questions. They noted that depth knowledge is missing for them to be able to answer some of our questions.

The questionnaire was designed in a specific way enabling us an easier way to analyze and compare the different political parties. Therefore, we provided specific statements asking the parties to answer in a specific range between “I agree completely” and “I completely disagree”. For further in-dept knowledge about their standpoint we also added some text questions. The statement-questions were prepared in graphs with the text questions found underneath the graph. As their political colors the answers of the Jusos are marked in red and the answers of the Grünen Jugend are marked in green.

iGEM Stuttgart Questionnaire Results

Relationship to biotechnology

Question
To your opinion, what influences the public image of biotechnology in Germany? How do you perceive said opinion and how could this opinion possibly be improved?

Jusos

The public image of biotechnology, or what is meant by biotechnology, is mainly characterized by individual examples that have become known. For example, we would count on genetically engineered plants, synthetic fuel, biodegradable plastic. These highlights are then mostly discussed with great skepticism without any sound background knowledge, shaped and treated with suspicion. It would be desirable to take into account of remove this skepticism. This should be a part of researchers as well, to approach parties and to inform decision makers at all levels. However, this is not only a problem of biotechnology but of cutting-edge research in general.

Grüne Jugend

Biotechnology plays a subordinate role in public discussions and mostly only in a indirect form such as in biofuels and fetal experiments. Biotechnology is often not named as such. Often a discussion ends with classical genetic engineering. Certain areas, especially synthetic biology, are not discussed in public at all. At the same time, the production of artificial living beings is ethically controversial. Furthermore, food companies are already making money with synthetic biology - many people do not get that. Overall, we need a lot more discussions and information sessions on the subject

Question
Please justify your answer to the regulation of biotechnology, what do you think needs to be changed?

Jusos

N/A

Grüne Jugend

With the use of modified organisms such as bacteria it must be ensured by the scientists that they do not enter the environment. It must be mandatory that Biotechnology and genetic engineering is more frequently labeled as such - especially for food and imports. Ethical boundaries must be anchored by law - this requires a social discussion. Patents on living things should be given according to stricter rules. How is it ensured that these technologies and knowledge are not used as a weapon and a biological weapon?

Biotechnology and synthetic biology have found and implemented various solutions to ecological issues. For example: "Golden Rice", Rice, which produces an increased amount of vitamin A with the idea of distributing this rice in developing countries with a broad vitamin A deficiency. Further promising projects for example mosses which are used to fix CO2 as well as particulate matter in cities are being developed

Question
Please justify your decision, where could specific problems lie? What could be advantages for society?

Jusos

On the one hand, society wishes that future problems can be remedied by technological progress. On the other hand, we are seeing growing skepticism about progress and about science in general. The challenge is to overcome fears and prejudices, to give as many people as possible a sense of the risks and thus to create acceptance. The chance is there to use creative solutions to break down deadlocked structures and reveal apparent contradictions.

Grüne Jugend

• Mosses for fixing particulate matter are always good - the question is whether you need to do so by means of synthetic biology (if this happens in the above example), or if you resort to natural mosses. Ultimately, however, you cannot avoid the emission of CO2 and fine dust.
• A better supply of vitamin A is worthwhile. But here too, the question arises whether it requires genetic engineering - or if the people and smallholder shut be provided structures, be supported and educated to solve the problem.
• Synthetic biology can provide solutions. However, the interventions in nature are difficult to assess before use. Here, significantly more research is required before use in nature. Because the damage caused by synthetically modified living things could become uncontrollable.

A part of this year's project aims to make biotechnology more environmentally friendly and CO2 neutral. Cultivation of microorganisms for the production of target molecules usually use defined medium consisting of a carbohydrate source for example yeast extract. To get yeast extract, yeast must also be cultured. Herby a carbohydrate source has to be used as well. In an aerobic cultivation, the carbohydrate source is metabolized to gain energy, while also forming CO2 as a by-product. The carbohydrate source is usually corn, sugar cane or, most recently, soy. These plants are cultured in monocultures located in developing countries. These monocultures for one use the local land taking away the food source of locals and cause a high CO2 pollution due to the transportation. For this reason, we as the iGEM Team Stuttgart want to develop media for the cultivation of microorganisms based on microalgae. Microalgae can be cultivated in any body of water, use the energy of the sun to form carbohydrates through photosynthesis and can be cultivated locally. Our goal is to establish the microalgae as a substitute for the yeast extract and thus create a CO2 neutral, environmentally friendly and sustainable biotechnology.

Question
Where could problems to the above mentioned problems lie? What should be achieved before Stuttgart should become a pioneer city for biotechnology projects?

Jusos

If you want to make Stuttgart as a pioneering city for biotechnology, then the advantages, disadvantages and background of biotechnology must be universally understandable and tangible by everyone. The steps hereby are a sound treatment of the topic, presence in the local media and the public as well as presence in local politics. It is important that the parties act as multipliers for this goal. Therefore, the topic must be prepared in such a way that laymen understandably explain the new technology to other laypersons.

Grüne Jugend

Mosses for fixing particulate matter are always good - the question is whether you need to do so by means of synthetic biology (if this happens in the above example), or if you resort to natural mosses. Ultimately, however, you can not avoid the emission of CO2 and fine dust. A better supply of vitamin A is worthwhile. But here too, the question arises whether it requires genetic engineering - or if the people and smallholder shut be provided structures, be supported and educated to solve the problem. Synthetic biology can provide solutions. However, the interventions in nature are difficult to assess before use. Here, significantly more research is required before use in nature. Because the damage caused by synthetically modified living things could become uncontrollable.

Question
Soy plantations are mostly located in south America. Hereby rainforest areas are deforested through fire clearance. Does this change your opinion on soy extract, if yes why?

Jusos

Definitely. We demand that climate protection has to be considered globally. Again, it is important that the scientific side clarifies the consequences of new developments.

Grüne Jugend

We urgently need approaches to reduce our dependence on soya imports, because arable land is scarce. The forest clearing is a disaster for the entire planet. As a long-standing and current importer of soy products in high quantities we Europeans are particularly responsible for researching regional / sustainable alternatives. But the decisive factor will be the quantity required (for example in the industrial application of biotechnology and animal husbandry).

Question
In context of environmental pollution, we would prefer the growth medium from microalgae instead on any other medium

Jusos

We can not answer this question because we lack background knowledge.

Grüne Jugend

Both in terms of land use, transport and CO2 emissions, the microalgae are the better choice in my opinion.

Takeaway

Most of the results revealed a lack of basic knowledge about synthetic biology with negative press influencing the opinion about synthetic biology. With the widely spread lack of knowledge on synthetic biology we wanted to influence, and change said opinion. We had several plans surrounding our intended change of said opinion: Setting up a talk with several political representatives as well as scientists on the field of synthetic biology, visiting local schools educating pupils about synthetic biology as well as visiting school fairs enlightening young people about synthetic biology and our iGEM project. Due to the lack of willing political representatives participating at a public talk about synthetic biology our first intended plan was not able to be set up. With summer vacation of schools starting on the mid of July and school starting in mid of September and the time schedule of the education plan not capable of opening up for a school hour about synthetic biology the visitation at local schools (although the stated that they were open to the idea) could not be followed through. However, we were still able to reach out to the youth educating about synthetic biology in the context of a student fair.

Public Engagements

„Einstieg“ student fair in Karlsruhe Germany

After evaluating the questionnaire completed by young members of common German political party’s it was very surprising to see how synthetic biology is regarded by the society. People seem not to have enough knowledge in the field to see the potentials, but movies and books taught them, that it inherits great danger. 

In order to educate people about the ideas and potentials of synthetic biology we took our opportunity and went to the student fair in Karlsruhe Germany, simply called as “Einstieg”. Here students from secondary schools and high schools can annually find out more about different apprenticeships and study offers to get an idea of their future job.

In this year the student fair “Einstieg” has counted over 5000 visitors and around 100 information stands. This fair was combined with a vocation Challenge, in which the participants had to visit various stands and interactive stations. Our stand was one of five of these interactive stations and enabled us to reach many people and to realize a lively flow of information.

We presented a laboratory-scale bioreactor model that was specially developed for the organism V. natriegens in order to study the principles of organic cultivation. We tried to find out how much the students knew about biology in general and talked about the principles of synthetic biology and which ecologically benefits in can provide in comparison to e.g. the chemical synthesis. In this context we informed about our iGEM project “PhCoVi” and tried to share the general ideas of increased protein production with Vibrio natriegens connected to a CO₂ efficient bio cultivation on algae substrate. The most challenging part was to find explanations for scientific concepts that could even be understood by a student who never got in touch with biology at all. Nevertheless, it was a joy to see how the interest of the participants increased over the talk. In some cases, we were even able to motivate students to think about studying biotechnology after graduation.

In summary it can be said that we as aspiring biologists have still a lot of work to do to recover the trust and the acceptance of the society and to share our love for this particular field. There for we should start with young people, because they are carrying the ideas of the future and as the next generation, they will have the greatest influence on the use of synthetic biology, but also on the responsibility of this scientific branch. By exhibiting our iGEM project at the trade fair “Einstieg”, we took a first step in this direction. A first step of many still necessary, in order to cause a change.

In order to illustrate our interactions, conversations and discussions with the many visitors, we took a picture with each group with their consent and used them to build up a collage.

iGEM Team Students Build Most Innovative Reactor

Students of the iGEM Team Stuttgart were able to win this year's competition of the "Biochemical Engineering" Network in Dresden for the "Construction of the best 99 Euro-Bioreactor". They where challenged against nine teams of different universities and won the prize for the most innovative reactor. This was the second time in a row that the team was able to secure a place on the podium.

The aim of the competition is to design and build a bioreactor with a budget of 99€ that will autonomously cultivate cells over a period of 24 hours. As a rule, research facilities with similar tasks are not available for less than 50,000€. This year, the focus was on the cultivation of Vibrio natrigens, a microorganism that is characterised by a high growth rate and, with appropriate modification, promises faster production of drugs or bioplastics.

Due to the rapid division rate and the high substrate requirement (food for the cells), pH regulation and constant supply of a carbon source had to be ensured in the process control. If too little is fed, the cells starve to death, too much and saturation symptoms occur. In order to provide sufficient oxygen for the cells, the students at the University of Stuttgart opted for a porous, 3D-printed rotor with a hollow shaft that transported the air directly into the cultivation liquid and to the cells. This innovative concept convinced the sponsors and was traditionally chosen by them.