Goal
Our goal is to create effective and engaging educational activities that inspires learners of all ages and educational backgrounds, on the uses of synthetic biology and cat allergy. Spreading knowledge and raising the public's awareness on topics of biology.
Overview
To most of the community, synthetic biology is a complex and often misunderstood field that can feel distant from daily life. Many may associate it with genetically modified organisms (GMOs), or even ethical ambiguities, lacking awareness of its practical applications in solving real-world problems.
This year, our education program followed a dual-track design connected by one unified narrative thread:
Life Science → Synthetic Biology → Gene Silencing → Allergy Science → Our Project (source-level reduction of cat allergens; educational scope).
● Track A (Layered Education): Age-tailored outreach for kindergarteners, middle-school students, families at a national summer camp, and online communities. All resources are standardized PPTs (from illustrated Pinyin materials to a myth-busting guide) and licensed CC BY-SA for reuse.
● Track B (Project-Relevant Public Education): Two survey rounds revealed widespread misconceptions about cat allergy. We designed targeted lectures for cat-owning families, teaching evidence-based exposure reduction and using our project as a case study to discuss gene silencing, safety, reversibility, and ethics.
Across both tracks we emphasized mutual learning, reusability, and ethical framing, reaching 500+ participants offline and 26000+ online users. Pre/post assessments show 40–50 percentage-point gains on key concepts.
Vision and Approach
Our goal was not to simply “tell,” but to foster mutual learning and participatory understanding: enabling different communities not only to comprehend but also to ask questions, demand evidence, make informed choices, and actively shape the future of synthetic biology.
Unified narrative thread (across all activities and materials):
Life Science → Synthetic Biology → Gene Silencing → Allergy Science → Our Project (reducing cat allergens at the source, educational level).
Implementation principles: tiered audiences | curiosity to evidence | safety, ethics, and dual-use awareness | resources standardized as PPTs, reusables (CC BY-SA).
Research
In order to educate the community, we decided to conduct two surveys. The first one is mainly about the target customer, the second one is about the community’s overall knowledge of the mechanism of cat allergy. Based on the survey results, we can enhance the community’s knowledge of synthetic biology.
Track A｜Layered Synthetic Biology Education (From Curiosity to Agency)
One of our main focuses is centered on the youth, from kindergarten to middle school students. This is an opportunity we see to shape the future for synthetic biology and creativity.
A1 Kindergarten Outreach (30 children) — Illustrated Science PPT + Pinyin Accessibility
We began with the youngest group. We introduced them to the topic of allergy, using easy phrases and Pinyin matching the Chinese characters. To make it more engaging, we also added many illustrations.
● Objective: Introduce the intuitive model of “cell → gene → protein” through visuals and storytelling, preparing for later concepts of gene silencing and allergy.
● Method: We created an illustrated science PPT (cells as characters, genes as “instructions”), with Pinyin annotations throughout to accommodate early literacy. Parents received keywords embedded in PPT notes for co-learning at home.
● Learning Evidence: Pre/post surveys showed correct identification of “cell ≠ bacteria” increased from 43% → 86%.
● Reusable Output: Kindergarten Synthetic Biology Intro (Illustrated + Pinyin).pptx .
A2 Middle School Science Club (250+students)
The middle school students will have a better understading of topics related to biology and allergy.Throughout the semester, we hosted five interactive lectures, engaging more than 250 students and sparking curiosity about synthetic biology.
● Objective: Help students understand the scientific cause of cat allergies, the principle of gene silencing, and real-world applications of synthetic biology.
● Content (PPT):
○ Basics of synthetic biology: cell as a factory, gene as an instruction manual;
○ Cat allergy mechanism: allergens are specific proteins secreted by cats, not hair itself;
○ Gene silencing (RNAi): how regulating gene expression can lower allergen levels;
○ Our project case study: combining synthetic biology and gene silencing to explore source-level reduction of cat allergens (educational only).
● Learning Evidence:
○ Correct recognition of “cat allergens = proteins, not hair” improved from 45% → 87%;
○ Understanding of “gene silencing vs. gene editing” increased significantly;
○ Students asked critical questions such as “What if silencing goes too far?” prompting us to add new slides on dose–effect, off-target risk, and reversibility.
● Reusable Output: Middle School Club: Cat Allergy & Gene Silencing.pptx .
● publishing related articles to schools websites to let more studetns get familiar with iGEM and our project
A3 Family / Public Outreach （500+participants）
● Objective: In a closed one-week camp, deliver a structured lecture helping families follow the unified thread and move from “understanding” to “discussion and informed decision-making.”
● Content (PPT, 4 modules):
○ What is synthetic biology? (engineering cycle and case studies);
○ Gene silencing (RNAi) vs. gene editing;
○ Allergy science: the true cause of cat allergy is allergen proteins (saliva/sebaceous secretions), not hair;
○ Our project: exploring source-level allergen reduction under principles of safety, reversibility, and evidence-based validation (educational only).
● Learning Evidence:
○ Recognition that “allergens are proteins, not hair” rose from 41% → 89%;
○ Families able to propose ≥1 effective exposure reduction method increased 33% → 77%;
● Reusable Output: DaGuo ShaoNian: Synthetic Biology × Cat Allergy Lecture.pptx (includes FAQ and “allergen footprint map” slides).
A4 Online Community & Cross-Team Collaboration — Myth-Busting PPT
● Method: Co-created the Synthetic Biology Myth-Busting Guide with 33 iGEM teams, contributing 17% of content (topics included “GMOs ≠ harmful,” “synthetic ≠ artificial from nothing,” “biosafety levels and engineering boundaries,” “common misconceptions of gene silencing”).
● Dissemination: Published interactive posts across 8 social media platforms, using a consistent narrative visual: Life Science → Synthetic Biology → Gene Silencing → Allergy → Project.
● Impact: Cumulative reach of 26000+, with >500 interactions; frequent misconceptions were integrated back into A3/B3 PPTs.
● Reusable Output: Synthetic Biology Myth-Busting (Collaborative).pdf
Track B｜Project-Relevant Public Education: Closing the Loop on Cat Allergy Science
B1 Identifying Misconceptions (Initial Survey)
Our initial survey revealed a fundamental misconception about cat allergies — most participants knew they were allergic to cats but did not understand the biological cause.
Specifically, 64.72% of respondents reported knowing that cat allergy exists, yet were unaware that it is triggered by the Fel d 1 protein, secreted mainly from cats’ saliva and sebaceous glands.
It's showing poor awareness of how allergen proteins spread through the environment. This finding highlighted the urgent need for targeted education focusing on the true origin of cat allergens and source-level prevention strategies.
B2 Second Survey: Understanding Cat Allergy Awareness
We conducted a second, focused survey with 181 respondents to verify misconceptions and refine our education design.
What we measured:
● Knowledge of allergen proteins (e.g., Fel d 1) and transmission via saliva/sebaceous secretions and the environment;
● Behavioral intentions for environmental management (cleaning frequency, textiles/soft surfaces, high-exposure zones);
● Expectations for safety, reversibility, and evidence behind interventions.
Key findings:
● A persistent misconception remained: 144/181 (≈79.6%) still identified cat hair as the main allergen source, rather than proteins;
● Many respondents underestimated environmental persistence of allergen particles, indicating the need to emphasize source-to-environment pathways;
● Non-pharmaceutical strategies were well received: families showed strong acceptance of risk-based cleaning routines and visitor awareness cards (≈60% willingness).
Educational refinement:
Based on these results, we prioritized modules that (1) correct the “hair vs. protein” misconception, (2) explain how Fel d 1 spreads and lingers in indoor environments, and (3) translate knowledge into actionable household practices. This aligns with our subsequent improvements in outcomes (e.g., recognition rising from 41%→89%, and ability to propose ≥1 exposure-reduction method from 33%→77%).
B3 Family Education Lectures
● Content (aligned with main thread):
What cat allergens are → How they reach humans (attachment, surface/airborne spread) → How to scientifically reduce exposure (cleaning frequency, textiles, high-risk areas, visitor awareness cards) → How to critically read online claims (“hypoallergenic ≠ allergy-free”) → Connection to synthetic biology/gene silencing (educational only).
● Learning Evidence: Significant improvements in knowledge and behavioral intentions; family feedback on “cost–benefit–feasibility” informed updates to lecture visuals and recommendations.
● Reusable Output: Family Lecture: Cat Allergy Science & Environmental Management.pptx.
B4 Education ↔ Project Feedback Loop
● Education → Project: Misconceptions revealed by surveys prompted us to reinforce “allergen protein → transmission → management” in HP and education materials, and to refine interview guides.
● Project → Education: Our project case (gene silencing) was used to clarify why we emphasize safety, reversibility, and evidence-based validation, helping the public set realistic expectations.
Impact & Evaluation
We conducted a comprehensive evaluation—combining pre/post surveys, participant feedback, and expert reviews—to measure success and refine our approach.
● Offline reach: Kindergarten, middle school, summer camp, and family/community events totaling 500++ participants.
● Online reach: 26000+ across platforms, with >500 interactions.
● Learning gains: Key concept correctness improved by 40–50 percentage points.
● Behavioral intentions: ≈60% of cat-owning families reported willingness to adopt risk-based cleaning measures.
● Teacher adoption: ≥80% expressed readiness to integrate our PPTs directly into clubs or elective courses.
● Data governance: All PPTs versioned with changelogs; survey items and coding frameworks shared in anonymized form (CC BY-SA).
Reusable Resources (PDF| CC BY-SA)
● A1: Kindergarten Synthetic Biology Intro (Illustrated + Pinyin).pdf
● A2: Middle School Club: Cat Allergy & Gene Silencing.pdf
● A3: DaGuo ShaoNian: Synthetic Biology × Cat Allergy Lecture.pdf
● A4: Synthetic Biology Myth-Busting (Collaborative).pdf
Due to server restrictions on some iGEM Wikis, which allow only PDF uploads under 10 MB and prohibit external file-sharing links, we are unable to host all supplementary materials directly on this page. If you would like access to additional files or datasets, please feel free to contact us through any available channel — we are more than happy to share our resources under the CC BY-SA license framework.
Ballot Questions
Vision for the Future
Our work confirms that education on allergy and synthetic biology thrives when it is practical, inclusive, and community driven.
● Mutual learning / dialogue: Both tracks used the loop “survey → teaching → follow-up survey,” with real public questions driving iterative updates.
● Documented for reuse: All resources standardized as PPTs with CC BY-SA licensing;
● Thoughtful implementation: Tiered goals; Pinyin accessibility for young children; clear safety and ethics framing; no individual medical advice.
● Broadening participation:
○ Childrens “tell stories and draw models”;
○ Students “ask about evidences and safety boundaries”;
○ Parents “make practical management choices”;
○ Teachers and iGEM peers “adapt and reapply resources.”
