Human Practices
Welcome to the Human Practices section of the HKUST(GZ) iGEM 2025 Wiki!
Overview
This section documents how our project integrates human perspectives, addresses societal needs, and engages with the wider community. Currently just recording previous activities without sorting.
The investigation trip of Lychee Guardians to Lychee Botanical Garden
As a team committed to applying synthetic biology to real-world challenges, the Lychee Guardians recently embarked on a field trip to the Litchi Cultural Expo Park in Conghua, Guangzhou. This park, deeply integrated with the operations of industry leader Hualong Fruit and Vegetable Preservation Co., offered the team an immersive experience into the full lifecycle of lychee production — from farm to table. Led by staff and joined by key figures such as General Manager Liu, Project Director Mr. Qiu, and R&D expert Ms. Wen, the team gained insights from multiple perspectives: corporate strategy, technological innovation, and market potential. From advanced post-harvest preservation labs and cold storage chambers to cutting-edge “electronic tongue” devices used for flavor assessment, the visit revealed the high-tech backbone behind lychee freshness. The team also explored diversified farming practices, including grafting techniques enabling multi-variety trees and intercropping strategies that boost land efficiency and ecological sustainability. Additionally, a wide array of lychee-derived products — such as lychee tea, skincare, and snacks — demonstrated the potential for extending the value chain through biotechnology. This visit sharpened the team’s understanding of current preservation challenges — like short shelf life, cost bottlenecks, and transport-related damage — while inspiring practical research ideas using synthetic biology. Equipped with these insights, the Lychee Guardians are now more focused than ever on developing innovative, affordable, and industry-relevant solutions to protect the sweetness of lychee through science.
The Human Practice Salon Activity of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area in Macao
During the event, Mr. Li Zixi, iGEM Ambassador for Asia & Oceania, shared valuable insights from his team’s successful Human Practices (HP) work last year, including the design process of their HP framework. Dr. Bao Yuhan, iGEM Human Practices Committee Coordinator and special guest speaker, introduced the ethical risks and societal impacts of biotechnology. She emphasized the significance of HP activities and encouraged participants to explore emerging issues and pursue innovative approaches. In the open discussion session, we exchanged ideas with teams from other schools, receiving constructive feedback on our project directions and gaining fresh perspectives through meaningful dialogue.
2025 Guangzhou Region iGBA
At the conference, Liao Wenyu, Chair of the iGBA Synthetic Biology Regional Alliance Council, introduced the origins and future vision of iGBA (Greater Bay Area iGEM Exchange and Collaboration Network). He expressed hopes to complete the iGEM Synbio Alliance website and establish a more mature public relations team by 2025–2028. Mr. Li Zixi, iGEM Ambassador for Asia & Oceania, shared outstanding past iGEM cases and valuable team management experiences from his time as a team leader. He also offered practical advice for new teams. Later, our team exchanged project ideas with peers from Southern Medical University, South China University of Technology, and other schools. The event concluded with a visit to the Human Science Museum, where we learned about human anatomical specimens and explored a digital human modeling system—an informative and inspiring experience.
The 2025 iGBA Preparatory Meeting
As one of the co-hosts of iGBA, we actively participated in the planning discussions for upcoming alliance activities. During the event, the iGEM team from HKUST kindly gave us a tour of their laboratory. They patiently introduced the equipment and explained the safety protocols and usage guidelines, giving us a deeper understanding of their research environment and lab practices.
2025 South China iGEM Exchange Conference
During the sharing session, the Lychee Guardians team presented their project’s core framework with genuine enthusiasm and vivid detail. In the subsequent Q&A, participants transformed into a “creative think tank,” offering insightful, probing questions and generously contributing their wisdom. We are deeply grateful for every piece of honest feedback. Moving forward, we will carefully review each suggestion, turning them into powerful drivers for our project’s refinement and growth. At the event, we also introduced the “Tap the Lychee” mini-game: lucky audience members who successfully “lit up” a virtual lychee won custom Lychee Guardians keychains and stickers. This interactive element not only added fun and excitement but also brought our community closer together around our shared passion for innovation in lychee preservation.
HKUSTGZ Undergraduate Admission Open Day
At the Undergraduate Admissions Open Day, we set up our team’s dedicated booth to introduce our project and workflow to high school students and their parents. By distributing our custom-designed survey, we gathered over 70 responses reflecting public opinions on our project. To engage visitors, our Dry Lab members created an interactive pixel-style mini-game, which attracted many students and sparked their interest in learning more about our work in synthetic biology.
Kindergarten science popularization activities
As part of our Human Practices (HP) efforts, our iGEM team organized a synthetic biology education session for children at Little Swan Kindergarten. The activity, designed for 5–6-year-olds, aimed to introduce the concepts of microbial preservation and food spoilage in an engaging and age-appropriate way. Through a series of interactive segments—including real fruit observation, storytelling with a custom picture book, creative clay modeling, sequencing games, and lychee-themed drawing—the children learned about how beneficial microbes can help keep lychees fresh by forming a protective film. The session sparked curiosity, encouraged hands-on learning, and planted early seeds of understanding about synthetic biology, microbiology, and food preservation in young minds.
Integrated Human Practices
[Describe how stakeholder feedback has shaped your project]
Education & Public Engagement
[Document your educational outreach and public engagement activities]
Societal Impact
[Discuss the potential societal impacts of your project]