Education

Introduction

This year, our team focused on making synthetic biology more accessible and engaging for people of all ages through a variety of educational and outreach activities.

Our main project was the creation of a synthetic biology board game, designed to teach key SynBio concepts through interactive play. By connecting strategy and science, players learned about real-world applications of genetic engineering and explored the ethical challenges behind biotechnology. The game helped introduce complex topics in a simple, enjoyable way and sparked interest in students who had little prior exposure to biology.

We also organized a public debate on de-extinction, encouraging open discussion on whether extinct species such as woolly mammoths or dire wolves should be brought back. The event highlighted the ethical and environmental questions surrounding emerging biotechnologies and promoted critical thinking within our school community.

To maintain ongoing engagement, we ran weekly school-wide announcements and awareness campaigns covering topics like healthy lifestyles, cancer prevention, and the impact of biotechnology on medicine. These short, accessible messages brought science into everyday conversations and increased curiosity about synthetic biology’s role in solving global challenges.

We reached younger audiences through hands-on DNA workshops, where students extracted DNA and explored genetics through simple experiments. These sessions turned abstract scientific ideas into fun, memorable experiences, encouraging curiosity and confidence in science from an early age.

Beyond our school, we presented our project at the Swiss iGEM Meetup, where we exchanged ideas and feedback with teams from across the country. We also showcased our work during the inauguration of our school’s new building, a major event that drew educators, researchers, and other schools. This presentation brought new attention to synthetic biology and inspired visitors to learn more about iGEM and its goals.

Through these initiatives, we built awareness, sparked curiosity, and encouraged critical discussion about synthetic biology — making it approachable, relevant, and exciting for our wider community.

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Board game

We were tasked to create a board game that was aligned with the values of iGEM, notably education and raising awareness. To avoid creating a boring and unengaging game, we decided to focus more on raising awareness with our game, rather than education. This was how “DNA: The Synthetic Biology Game” came to be.

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Key concepts

The main point we decided on was to use real synthetic biology terminology to enhance the educational aspect, while avoiding overly esoteric vocabulary. From this, we went on to lay out the core features. We decided to include some bio-part categories (RBSs, primers, terminators), and we wanted to implement a method for building plasmids with these parts.

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Design process

Initially, we planned to create a board game that included actual laboratories and scientists, where players would take turns moving scientists and harvesting DNA. This would’ve taken place on a hexagonal board like this:

Yet the main problem with this was it wasn’t educational. We had made it extremely fun to play, but it wasn’t aligning with our academic values.

We therefore started brainstorming and ended up incorporating certain aspects from many different games that we liked, blending them and adding a synthetic biology twist. We began by determining that it would be a card game to help with simplicity and ease of production. Next, we decided that the core aspect of our game should be something educational, so that we wouldn’t have to sprinkle it in later, to avoid oversimplification.

Thus, we decided that the core aspect should be the building and construction of ribosomes, enabling players to learn how to assemble a ribosome — the basis of synthetic biology. We then had to slowly learn how to incorporate a mechanism like that into a card game, deciding to simplify it down to the assembly of a primer, a ribosome binding site, and a terminator. Players would have to assemble these three into a triplet to form a ribosome, and by doing so, they gain a point (this aspect being taken from Mahjong). Additionally, we added a trading system to promote interaction between players and optimize fun.

We also took aspects from Liar Liar (a board game about placing cards and lying) to create a competitive flair to our game. Below are the original notes we took. We did not use all the ideas below, but some of them became core aspects of the game.

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DNA — The Rulebook

Goal of the Game

Be the first player to score 5 points. (You can change the target score for shorter or longer games.)

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Game Overview

DNA is a game of bluffing and risk-taking. Players score points by performing experiments set up by opponents, avoiding dangerous accidents, and collecting the right plasmid parts to build complete plasmids.

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Setup

Separate the cards into four decks:

• Research Projects
• Safety Gear
• Lab Outcomes
• Plasmids

Place these decks face down in the center.

Each player draws:

• 3 Plasmid cards
• 1 Safety Gear card

Flip over the top Research Project card and place it in the middle. Look at the Level of that Research Project (e.g., Level 4). Draw that many Lab Outcome cards for the round.

Ensure there is at least one Experiment card in play:

If none of the Lab Outcome cards drawn are Experiments, discard and redraw one card at a time until you add an Experiment card to the mix.

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Gameplay

1. Planning the Experiment

Each player secretly selects and places Lab Outcome cards face down in front of themselves. The number of cards each player places equals the Level of the current Research Project.

2. Taking Turns

Starting with the first player, players take turns flipping one Lab Outcome card from an opponent. In games with 3 or more players, you may only target the player to your right.

3. Accidents

If you flip an Accident card:

• The opponent who placed it gains a bonus:
  • They take one of your Plasmid cards at random.
  • They may continue flipping your remaining cards until they either:
    • Hit another Accident, or
    • Choose to stop (forfeit).

Safety Gear can protect you:

• If your Safety Gear’s Level is greater than the Accident’s → Accident avoided.
• If the Level is equal → Flip a coin (50/50).
• If your Level is lower → Accident happens.

4. Experiments

If you flip an Experiment card, immediately draw the number of Plasmid cards shown on that card.

5. Ending the Research Project

A Research Project ends when:

• All cards have been flipped, or
• All players have either hit an Accident or chosen to forfeit.

Shuffle all non-Plasmid cards back into their decks. Players keep their Plasmids.

6. Plasmid Trading Phase

After each Research Project is completed:

• Each player chooses one Plasmid card they don’t want and passes it to the player on their right.
• When a player receives a Plasmid:
  • They may accept it and expel a different Plasmid card from their hand to pass on, or
  • Reject it and simply pass the same card on.

The passing continues clockwise until the card returns to the original player who started the pass. After this phase, begin the next Research Project.

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Scoring Points

A player who collects a Primer, a Ribosome Binding Site, and a Terminator of the same color may reveal them to assemble a Plasmid. Assembling a Plasmid scores 1 point. The first player to reach 5 points wins the game.

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First printed prototype

Final product

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Weekly announcements

Every week a member of our iGEM team has presented updates and upcoming events in the school assembly. These regular announcements have sparked growing interest in our work, inspiring more students to join the project and fostering curiosity about synthetic biology across the school community.

Presentation for School Community Presentation

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Debate

When the news of Colossal Biosciences attempting to bring back dire wolves gained attention, we noticed a surge of misinformation surrounding the topic. In response, our team organized an informational debate to educate our community on the science behind de-extinction. The debate encouraged critical thinking by exploring both the ethical concerns and potential benefits of such technologies.

Debate planning document

Motion: THB we should continue research on extinct animals

Opposition:

• Andrei – 1st speaker
• Adelia – 2nd speaker
• Oxford – 3rd speaker
• Lia – 4th speaker

Proposition:

• Bade – 1st speaker
• Pablo – 2nd speaker
• Anabelle – 3rd speaker
• Valentina – 4th speaker

Chair: Souad

For:

1. Medical and technological advancements

   • Diversify ecosystems
   • Learn about conservation to avoid future extinction
   • Better understanding of ecosystems
   • Educational purposes + awareness

2. Philosophical ethics

   • Makes humanity realize consequences of past actions
   • Reflection on past consequences
   • Changes perception of captivity
   • Improves human-animal relationships

3. Human benefits

   • Applicable research for different uses
   • Engages younger generations
   • Great for public education
   • Promotes conservation-related careers and investments

4. Political benefits

   • Tourism opportunities
   • International collaboration and competition

Against:

1. Ethics

   • Religious objections to resurrection of extinct species
   • Animal rights concerns
   • Humans should not interfere with wildlife

2. Eco-political issues

   • High cost with low success rate
   • Media misrepresentation and misinformation risks
   • Limited public understanding

3. Biological risks

   • Potential biodiversity disruption
   • Risk of cross-contamination or pandemics
   • Waste of resources better spent on human health research

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Swiss iGEM Meetup

iGEM Swiss Team Meet Up Presentation

Several members of our team participated in the Swiss iGEM Meetup, where we presented our project progress and exchanged ideas with other teams. The event was an incredible opportunity to learn from peers, gain feedback, and strengthen connections within the iGEM community. It provided valuable perspectives that helped us refine our project and its potential applications.

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Educational Kickstarter campaign

We launched a Kickstarter campaign to bring our synthetic biology card game to life — a fun and educational project that combines science, strategy, and creativity. The game was designed to introduce players to real-world concepts in genetics, molecular biology, and bioengineering through engaging gameplay and dynamic card interactions.

Our team developed the idea to make synthetic biology more accessible and exciting for students, educators, and hobbyists alike. The Kickstarter allowed us to share our vision with a global community, gather feedback, and raise the funds needed for high-quality production, artwork, and expansion packs. Through the campaign, we built a passionate community of backers who share our enthusiasm for science, learning, and play.

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Presentation at the inauguration of our local science building

In June, our school inaugurated its new Science and Entrepreneurship building, φLo. To engage the large number of attendees, we organized a stand where presenters showcased our project and introduced visitors to the principles of synthetic biology.

iGEM Poster

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Sticker and Hoodies

To raise awareness about our lung cancer detection kit, we designed hoodies and stickers featuring our IGEM logo. Students began wearing the hoodies and placing stickers around campus, which quickly caught people’s attention. Many students have asked questions about the project, giving us the chance to explain and share information about lung cancer detection. This simple visual design helped make the topic more approachable and encouraged more people to learn about the importance of early detection and keeping their lungs healthy.

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Bakesale

We also held a bake sale, selling cookies shaped like different biology-related items. For our project, we 3D-printed a special lung-shaped design, and we also included other shapes such as viruses and pipettes. This creative approach caught people’s attention and encouraged them to ask questions about the shapes and what they represented. As a result, many students were exposed to these biology concepts in a fun, hands-on way, sparking a natural curiosity about the topic outside of the classroom.