The iGEM project is a closed-loop project integrating academics of interdisciplinary, scientific research, social practices, project management and operation, communication and promotion, financial and legal affairs, and multi-party cooperation. Taking part in the iGEM competition feels like running up a company. It requires that team members have strong personal academic ability, as well as the ability to seek help and solve problems cooperatively. Our project started in April 2022, from ideas to kickoff. In the past six months, we have experienced many twists and turns, including the joy of learning new knowledge and mastering new skills, the anxiety of having to suspend the experiment and change the lab due to pandemic outbreaks, the expectation of constantly adjusting the plan after finding problems through practices, and the sense of fulfillment when we finally overcame difficulties and successfully completing the project. This achievement comes from the joint effort of team members, as well as all the experts from relevant institutes and enterprises, and all the teachers from DKU. Thanks to those who supported and helped us.
Shiran Yuan, as the team leader, set up the iGEM team, recruited all the team members, and was responsible for the execution and operation of all aspects of the project, including conceptualization, fundraising, project administration, human practices, investigation, experimental design, analysis, model, hardware, part design and submission, collaboration and partnership, education and communication, external cooperation, giving speeches, writing, documentation, visualization, wiki design, wiki programming, etc. And also, Shiran Yuan was invited by the iGEM to be an official volunteer for the iGEM translation glossary.
Beilong Tang is responsible for a part of the wiki programming work, and he contacted Kunshan Middle School for the popularization seminar.
Jingwen Zeng is in charge of the graphic design of the team logo, and the procurement of team uniforms and the poster.
Fengqiu Sheng is responsible for photography.
Zonghan Li gave some advice on the wiki design etc.
First of all, we would like to thank DKU for trusting us and funding us for the iGEM competition. We also appreciate the great help of the DKU InE team and the AP team.
Dr. Ming-chun Huang, our PI, gave great support to our team in the iGEM competition, helped us review the project plan and provided valuable suggestions.
Dr. Liqi Ren, Dr. Fang Li, Ms. Zhengyang Chen, and Mr. Mingyang Zhang helped us apply for the budget, manage project funds, and gave us full support in the administrative process.
Dr. Xin Li, Dr. Jing Bai, and the DKU AP team gave us great support in legal and financial affairs.
Mr. Huangrui Chu supported the building of the iGEM team.
Due to the occurrence of new COVID cases in Beijing, we were unable to enter the high-end national laboratory of CRAES where we had planned to conduct our experiment. Fortunately, we found Ailurus Biotechnology, whose cloud lab can realize our experimental plan with high-throughput technologies. Many thanks to AilurusBio’s support and provision of new cutting-edge technology. Mr. Jionglin Chen, from AilurusBio and CCiC, gave us great help on the lab.
Prof. Zhipeng Bai, Prof. Yongjie Wei, Prof. Zhigang Li, and Prof. Yan Qian, they helped us evaluate the direction of the project, gave us a lot of knowledge on the environmental pollution detection.
Ms. Yunhui Fan introduced the status of the operation process and specifications of large enterprises in pollution detection, and compared the advantages and disadvantages of various types of technologies and equipments.
Ms. Shijue Yuan, Mr. Shan Jiang, and Mr. Jianqiang He introduced to us the main operation specifications and processes of small and medium-sized pollution detection enterprises, as well as their experiments in using biological bacteria to control pollution.
Mr. Xianbin Yan and Mr. Chen Wang introduced to us the general situation of the enterprise's environmental pollution control, as well as the process and reform of conventional metal pollution detection technology to us.
Dr. Jinyu Wang, our advisor from Huazhong University of Science and Technology, helped us a lot in project ideation and implementation.
Dr. Yin Zhang from the Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology (SIAT) of the Chinese Academy of Science (CAS), Master. Jerome Rundon Lon from South China University of Technology, Dr. Jinshui Yang from China Agricultural University, also gave us a lot of consulting help in project ideation and implementation.
Prof. Shoushuai Feng, Jiangnan University, correspondence author of “Molecular Insights into the Copper-Sensitive Operon Repressor in Acidithiobacillus caldus”, granted us permission to use the A. caldus csoR sequence.
Prof. Bo Yu, Chinese Academy of Sciences, correspondence author of “Mercury Bioremediation by Engineered Pseudomonas putida KT2440 with Adaptationally Optimized Biosecurity Circuit”, granted us permission to use the Doc toxin sequence.
Dr. Song Qiu, Mr. Zhen Cao, Mr. Zhenhu Lu, Mr. Yukun Yao, Mr. Song Chen, and Ms. Ran Li offered us the opportunities to give popular scientific lectures to the students in their respective educative institutions.
Synthetic Biology is not in the courses list in DKU. Our student leader Shiran Yuan had the idea to participate in the iGEM competition in April this year, based on the personal curiosity and interest. He learnt the knowledge of synthetic biology via the internet and the literature online helped a lot. The brainstorming kept about half a month. Our project were kicked off in May. The lab preparation in CRAES started from June and the Cloud lab in Ailurus started in July.