Human Practices
Stakeholder Interviews
<Academias>
1. Dr. Min Gu Kang (Medical doctor in Genetics)
Background/Reason Behind Selection
Dr. Min Gu Kang is a board-certified medical doctor with a background in genetics and has a lot of interest in the field of synthetic biology. Our team has conducted the interview to gain a deeper understanding of how gene editing is impacting the medical field directly, and his personal opinion about the field as an expert.
Interview Process/Summary
Dr. Min Gu Kang confirmed familiarity and interest in gene editing, actively following related studies and news. He stated that gene editing cannot be entirely ethical, but is a significant technology by emphasizing the importance of regulations to set the moral boundaries. While he was unfamiliar with the “Lab-on-a-chip” technology, he highlighted synthetic biology’s potential in medicine, such as engineering cells to fight diseases (cancer-fighting T cells), producing vaccines and hormones, and potentially creating organs more efficiently.
Insights Gained from the Interview
Applied his cautious yet hopeful perspective on synthetic biology to ensure that our team presents synthetic biology not only as a medical tool but also as a field that requires careful moral and ethical consideration.
2. Dr. Sung Ung Kang (Assistant Professor of Neurology at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, a faculty member of the Institute for Cell Engineering’s Neuroregeneration Program)
Background/Reason Behind Selection
Dr. Sung Ung Kang is an Assistant Professor of Neurology at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine and core faculty member of the Institute for Cell Engineering’s Neuroregeneration Program. Our team conducted an interview with him because of his expertise in gene editing, synthetic biology, and experiences on “Lab-on-a-chip” technology.
Interview Process/Summary
Dr. Sung Ung Kang reported being very familiar with gene editing, as he uses it daily in his work. He believes gene editing can be ethical for treating diseases such as cancer, but stressed the need for strict control due to its potential risks. He identified key ethical concerns, including limited scientific knowledge of DNA’s complexity, the unpredictable effects of genetic modifications, and the dangers of misuse leading to harmful mutations. He described synthetic biology’s contribution in healthcare and medicine in the future, such as growing human cells for testing drugs and reducing the reliance on animal testing. He shared his direct experience on “Lab-on-a-chip”, explaining how the technology’s small size and sensors allow faster and more accurate analysis of cell cultures. He expressed his confidence in biotech tools, though aware of the cultural differences in accepting these new technologies. He emphasized that public education is essential in creating an atmosphere of acceptance, safety, and clearing out the misconceptions around these. He also concerned cost as the biggest barrier to accessibility, but highlighted that once developed, technologies like “Lab-on-a-chip” can be more affordable than standard technologies. Lastly, he suggested that public acceptance of controversial biotechnology depends heavily on education, giving the U.S. as an example where self-prescribing medication is possible due to higher general awareness.
Insights Gained from the Interview
Dr. Sung Ung Kang underlines the vast potential of genetic editing to treat diseases but warned of the ethical concerns due to genetic complexity and misuse of such technology. He stressed that the key lies in education: to improve public acceptance and awareness with responsible use of emerging biotechnologies such as lab-on-a-chip.
3. Dr. Min Kyung Joo
Background/Reason Behind Selection
Dr. Joo is the director of research at Daedan Bio, providing insight from a biotechnology industry perspective. This interview with her aimed to understand her views on gene editing and synthetic biology technologies, particularly the ethical considerations and practical implication aspects.
Interview Process/Summary
She does not specialize in synthetic biology or gene editing but has heard of lab-on-a-chip as a method to study cells. She acknowledged that gene editing can remain ethical if practiced under proper control but recognized its risks dealing with living organisms. She also pointed out that from a patient's viewpoint, there exists a strong desire for treatment despite ethical complexities; synthetic biology and lab-on-a-chip tools can serve as valuable resources for cell-level research before clinical trials to address such needs. She emphasized that informing the public of such emerging technologies is essential to empower patients’ with broader treatment options.
Insights Gained from the Interview
This interview highlighted the importance of considering the patient’s perspective, an aspect that is often overlooked in technological development. Incorporating the public with the development process and increasing understanding of how cutting-edge technologies work behind the scenes plays a crucial role in building trust and utility.
4. Dr. Dae Hyun Baek (Assistant and Associate Professor of School of Biological Sciences at SNU)
Background/Reason Behind Selection
Dr. Dae Hyun Baek has extensive experience as a Postdoctoral Fellow at Whitehead Institute / MIT / HHMI and is an Assistant and Associate Professor of School of Biological Sciences at SNU. Additionally, they are the CEO of a startup that utilizes deep neural networks for the detection of cancer mutations. His unique expertise in cancer genomics and experience with sensitive patient data makes his insights particularly valuable for understanding the regulatory and ethical landscape of genetics research in Korea.
Interview Process/Summary
The interviewee described how Korea’s strict regulations on data disclosure, including prohibitions of data transfers from hospitals, significantly hinders research progress compared to the US, where controlled access is granted for research. He noted that Korea’s research environment is conservative and excessively regulative to the point of being obstructive. He advocated for government-level ethics committees and interventions, benchmarking foreign solutions and developing policies accordingly. They also emphasized the importance of informing the public, especially if data leaks occur and responsibility is clearly assigned, which would reassure the public. Furthermore, research access should be granted to centers with proper facilities such as firewalls and server security.
Insights Gained from the Interview
We learned that Korea’s strict regulations and conservative approach to genomic data sharing significantly hinder research progress compared to more open environments like the US. We were also able to recognize the need for government-led policy reform, public engagement, and secure infrastructure to balance ethical concerns with scientific advancement in gene editing and data usage.
<Companies & Organizations>
1. Becky Bosley (Director from the International Myeloma Foundation)
Background/Reason Behind
Becky Bosley has been an oncology nurse since 2006, and for the last eight years, has primarily focused on myeloma. Passionate about empowering patients with education, she leverages her oncology nursing expertise to support myeloma patients and their care partners. As a breast and ovarian cancer survivor, she brings a deeply personal understanding of the challenges faced by those diagnosed with cancer.
Interview Process/Summary
She shared how both roles shaped their understanding of myeloma patients’ needs beyond just medical care, such as listening, validating emotions, and avoiding toxic positivity. She also found that emotional support through open communication, therapy, and stress relief techniques really helps. She believes personalized education and trust are key for helping patients feel confident in navigating complex treatments like precision medicine. Their advice to young researchers is to include patients and caregivers throughout the entire research process.
Insights Gained from the Interview
Through this interview, we learned that emotional support and validation are just as important as medical treatment for myeloma patients. Also, involving patients and caregivers throughout the research process ensures that innovations truly reflect their everyday needs and challenges.
2. Sung-joon Yoon (Director of Fortuga Bio)
Background/Reason Behind
Sung-joon Yoon is the CEO of a company called Fortuga Bio. Fortuga Bio is a company that develops immune anticancer drugs and is specifically focusing on developing nanoparticle-based treatments that mimic the function of dendritic cells (DC). He has a master’s degree in bioengineering in Korea (has experience with lab-on-a-chip research), worked as a cosmetic researcher at LG Chem for 5 years, and has experience in machine learning-based microscope image resolution improvement research in Germany. Currently, Fortuga Bio’s goal is to solve the cost of existing cell therapy (500 million → 100 million), treatment period (1~2 weeks → immediate), and patient customization limitations.
Interview Process/Summary
The interviewee explained that while their company focuses more on solid tumors rather than blood cancers, they see strong potential in gene-based medicine and lab-on-a-chip technology for advancing personalized, low-side-effect treatments. They said that traditional methods like chemotherapy and radiation are harmful and inefficient, while gene and cell therapies offer promise. However, these technologies remain prohibitively expensive. They agree that financial and logistical challenges hinder the progress of high precision medicine.
Interview Process/Summary
Through this interview, we learned that the development of new technologies such as personalized treatments does not always go very smoothly because of financial issues, and logistical issues. However, if we overcome such challenges, this technology might revolutionize the medical field, and solve myriad issues that we weren’t able to solve before.
3. Seungmin Kim (Professor in Sungkyunkwan University, Institute of Quantum Biophysics)
Interview
During the interview, the expert highlighted that biochips offer major advantages in modern medicine due to their ability to provide rapid and accurate diagnoses using minimal samples, enabling earlier disease detection and personalized treatment. However, current challenges include the complexity of replicating biological environments on chips, as well as issues with stability, reproducibility, and affordability. The expert noted that biochips could play a key role in monitoring blood-based cancers such as multiple myeloma, by isolating and analyzing specific proteins, cells, or DNA fragments to track disease progression and treatment response. While ethical or privacy concerns were considered minimal, the expert emphasized the need for regulatory approval and clinical validation before hospital adoption, similar to the process for diagnostic kits approved by agencies like the Korean Ministry of Food and Drug Safety or the U.S. FDA. Recent advances, including the use of organoids and induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), have significantly improved biochip accuracy and realism by allowing scientists to model human tissues more effectively. Although biochips are currently expensive and mainly used in research, the expert expressed optimism that costs will decrease as technology advances, eventually allowing broader access and integration into routine diagnostics. Finally, the expert advised students in synthetic biology to pursue research that genuinely interests them and to explore interdisciplinary fields combining biology and technology, as these areas hold great potential to solve real-world medical problems.
Some Advice for Our Project
The expert emphasized the importance of genuine passion and intrinsic motivation when conducting research projects, which is especially relevant in the context of iGEM’s open-ended, interdisciplinary structure. As reflected throughout the training lectures, synthetic biology projects, particularly those involving cutting-edge technologies like microfluidics and biochips, are inherently complex and often face technical setbacks. Therefore, selecting a research theme that team members are deeply interested in is key to sustaining engagement and navigating challenges.
Additionally, the expert encouraged students to gain hands-on experience in settings where biology intersects with engineering and technology. This advice aligns closely with the iGEM project’s emphasis on translational research: moving from theoretical concepts to practical applications, such as constructing lab-on-a-chip platforms that model cancer progression. Engaging directly in laboratory activities, including gene modulation, cell culture, and chip fabrication, allows students to bridge the gap between textbook knowledge and real-world problem solving.
Connection to Our Project
The expert’s insights closely align with the goals and design of our project, which utilizes lab-on-a-chip technology to model the progression of multiple myeloma driven by genetic mutations. A key connection lies in the integration of biology and technology to solve real-world
medical problems. Our project reflects this interdisciplinary approach by combining microfluids, synthetic biology, and cancer biology to study NRAS mutations in multiple myeloma cells, enhancing the model’s clinical relevance.
The expert also emphasized the importance of hands-on, project-based learning, which our team experiences through every stage of the research process: from vector design and cell culture to functional assays and chip-based migration studies.
Ethical and regulatory awareness was another point of alignment. The expert’s focus on safety, privacy, and the path the clinical adoption parallels our emphasis on responsible research conduct, including safe gene delivery methods and consideration of future regulatory requirements for diagnostic technologies.
Finally, the expert’s critique of traditional disease models supports our use of 3D cell culture and lab-on-a-chip systems to better replicate the tumor microenvironment. By creating more predictive and physiologically relevant models, our project aims to improve preclinical testing and accelerate cancer drug development.
Space for Future Development and Directions
Our project establishes a strong foundation by integrating molecular biology, 3D cell culture, and lab-on-a-chip engineering, but several areas offer potential for growth. Standardization and scalability will be essential for broader adoption, requiring reproducible fabrication methods, validated performance metrics, and regulatory frameworks as biochip technologies move toward clinical and industrial use.
Accessibility is another key challenge. To make diagnostics more affordable and widely available, future efforts should focus on reducing production costs, simplifying chip manufacturing, and miniaturizing devices for broader deployment. Integrating patient-derived cells could further enhance disease modeling and support personalized medicine.
Ethical and social considerations must also be addressed. Data privacy, informed consent, and public engagement frameworks are critical to building trust in synthetic biology applications. Finally, real-world implementation will depend on collaboration with hospitals, industry partners, and regulators to refine usability, ensure compliance, and enable clinical translation.
<Individuals>
1. Charlotte Godfrey
Background/Reason Behind
Charlotte Godfrey is a student in Phillips Exeter Academy who has taken advanced biology courses and showed strong interests in the field. Although not an expert yet, she was chosen as an interviewee to gain insight from the younger generation and understand how students understand complicated biotechnological topics such as gene editing and lab-on-a-chip technology.
Interview Process/Summary
Charlotte Godfrey confirmed familiarity with the concept of gene editing, considering a wide range of perspectives about the ethical problems regarding this topic. She mentions how gene editing is a matter of right or wrong, and there are strong arguments on both sides; however, she leans more towards utilizing that new technology, at least for medical purposes, and not for personal gain.
Insight Gained from the Interview
Used her opinion to understand how younger generations approach biotechnology with both positive and negative perspectives, giving insights to our team to promote balanced, ethically appropriate discussions about gene editing and synthetic biology.
2. David Dai
Background/Reason Behind Selection
David Dai is a Biology tutor in Phillips Exeter Academy who shows a sophisticated understanding in Biology and Bioengineering. He was chosen as an interviewee because he’s someone who works closely with students and research, so we expected his answers to be both practical and insightful, giving us a general understanding of what others might think of our project.
Interview Process/Summary
David Dai described multiple myeloma as a cancer affecting plasma cells, noting its potential to cause organ damage such as kidney failure. He viewed lab-on-a-chip as an effective approach for detecting and monitoring multiple myeloma at earlier stages. He expressed that the ethical debate over gene editing cannot be fully “resolved”, since it depends on personal beliefs about what is right or wrong. He supported the medical use of gene editing and suggested limiting gene editing only to essential, life-saving medical cases.
Insights Gained from the Interview
Applied his perspective to emphasize the importance of transparency and education in fostering trust around synthetic biology innovations, guiding our team to think of outreach materials that address both ethical and scientific aspects of our project.
3. Eun Jung Heo (Philosophy teacher)
Background/Reason Behind Selection
Our team conducted an interview with a philosophy teacher to explore the ethical and philosophical implications of gene editing and synthetic biology. We aimed to gain a non-scientific, values-based perspective on the field.
Interview Process/Summary
Eun Jung Heo confirmed familiarity with the concept of gene editing, considering its ethical legitimacy depends on the contexts : ethical and morally necessary when it comes to saving lives, but not when applied to non-essential enhancements like intelligence or physical appearance. Although being unfamiliar with “Lab-on-a-chip” technology, she expressed interest when introduced to it. She saw synthetic biology as having enormous medical potential, but emphasized the importance of strict ethical boundaries to ensure its use for the ‘good of human beings’.
Insights Gained from the Interview
Incorporated her value-based perspective to highlight that synthetic biology and gene editing depend not only on scientific effectiveness but also on its ethical legitimacy, leading us to prioritize ethical framing in our project.
4. Jae Jin Lim (Bio Teacher)
Background/Reason Behind
We interviewed the biology teacher because we thought he would have some good insight into both the scientific and the ethical concerns related to our project. We wanted to understand how someone with a lot of background knowledge might view lab-on-a-chip technology and the public opinion in Korea around Biotechnology.
Interview Process/Summary
Jae Jin Lim confirmed his expertise with the concept of multiple myeloma and gene editing, providing detailed background knowledge and potential doubts on this topic. He mentioned that using the lab-on-a-chip technology for diagnosing and treating multiple myeloma is a good idea, but he could not be fully convinced until there are some real-world cases in which this technology took a big part in treating a serious disease. He also mentioned how it will take a while for the Korean society to fully accept this new technological advancement.
Insights Gained from the Interview
Through his expertise in this subject, we realized that even someone with much experience in this field has doubts on new technologies. We will need to explain our project clearly and thoroughly, not only thinking about the science, but the ethics, fairness, and how people view this subject.
5. Alponse Munyentwari (Philosophy Major)
Background/Reason Behind
Our team conducted an interview with Mr. Munyentwari because he majored in philosophy, and might provide a unique perspective on our lab-on-a-chip project. Since we focus more on personal health and data, we wanted to hear what someone who thinks deeply about ethics, fairness, and society might say. We were curious about what kinds of concerns people might have beyond just the reliability of the technology.
Interview Process Summary
Alponse Munyentwari was not as familiar with this topic, but he managed to give us a lot of new insights on potential ethical, and societal consequences of this project. He gave our project comments about how our project might change the way people think about their own health and their place in society. He brought up another thought about how new technologies change not just what we do, but also how we perceive ourselves and others, which left a great impression on us.
Insights Gained from the Interview
This helped us realize how feedback from a non-scientist can be just as important as expert advice. Mr. Munyentwari made us think more about the human side of what we’re doing. For example, whether people feel safe, respected, and treated fairly. It reminded us that technology isn’t just about how it works, but also about how it makes people feel, and the kind of world it helps build.
6. Lenny Musungu (Bio Teacher)
Background/Reason Behind Selection
With nearly 15 years of teaching experience in biology and chemistry, he has a sophisticated understanding of biology. Given such educational background and familiarity with biological concepts, this interview aimed to explore his perspective on gene editing and synthetic biology.
Interview Process/Summary
During the interview, he admitted that despite his general familiarity with gene editing, he is not as confident in knowing its detailed mechanisms. He believes genetic editing is ethical when used for humane purposes, but crosses a natural line when applied for cosmetic changes or creating new organisms. He emphasized the importance of public awareness and such technologies reaching a broader audience to prevent it becoming exclusive to the wealthy. While unfamiliar with lab-on-a-chip technology at first, he agrees that synthetic biology can improve the accessibility of medical tests and accelerate treatment development.
Insights Gained from the Interview
The fact that even an individual with extensive biology teaching experience lacks thorough knowledge of gene editing goes on to illustrate the broad gap in public understanding, reinforcing the need to the general public about the emerging biotechnology to increase acceptance and responsible use.
7. Jae Eun Shim (Bio Ethics Teacher)
Background/Reason Behind
Our team conducted an interview with her because she has a sophisticated understanding of ethics concerning biology’s development, which we thought would be a useful perspective to use for our project. Since she specifically teaches Bio Ethics, she could provide us with good insight on what ethical problems there might be in our project.
Interview Process/Summary
This interview highlighted that public resistance to gene editing in Korean society comes from past controversies over GMOs and Confucian family values. In student led biotechnology research, honesty, transparency, and a sense of social responsibility were emphasized as key ethical principles. It also focused on the importance of nurturing ethical imagination and recognizing the dual nature of scientific technologies in education. Lastly, when applying genetic information in real medical settings, protecting personal data and obtaining informed consent were essential bioethical considerations.
Insight Gained from the Interview
We gained new perspectives on how cultural, historical, and ethical contexts shape public attitudes toward gene editing and synthetic biology. It also made us reflect on the importance of responsibility and transparency, especially as a student researcher engaging with advanced technologies.
8. Minha Oh (Bio Teacher)
Background/Reason Behind
The interviewee’s experience as both an AP Biology teacher and a medical doctor provides a valuable perspective that bridges her involvement in both educational and clinical settings. This interview specifically focused on gaining insight on the ethical challenges of implementing gene editing and lab-on-a-chip technologies and the potential impacts.
Interview Process/Summary
The interviewee explained that to their understanding, sample preparation and isolation are traditionally done separately; but lab-on-a-chip integrates these steps into a single device, and the technology is still experimental and has not yet been applied to real patients. Currently, available treatments include chemotherapy or bone marrow transplantation. She believes that research on multiple myeloma aligns with many ongoing studies and gene editing could potentially cure many genetic diseases like cystic fibrosis, comparing its broad implication to the impact of PCR technology, which enabled many previously impossible developments. However, she also raised concerns about possible eugenics, attempts to eliminate perceived inferiority, off-target mutations, and reduced genetic diversity from germline editing. She emphasized the need for more research into side effects and careful consideration of risks versus benefits.
Insight Gained from the Interview
From this interview, we gained a greater appreciation for the broad scientific potential and real-world impact of gene editing and lab-on-a-chip technologies in treating genetic diseases like multiple myeloma. It heightened our awareness of the complex ethical concerns, including risks of unintended consequences and societal implications, which must be considered in advancing gene editing research.
Offline Public Survey @ Apgujeong, Seoul: Results
Offline Public Survey @ Apgujeong, Seoul: Analysis
Introduction
On June 22nd, the Korea-CX team conducted a public awareness survey around the Apgujeong Station in Seoul regarding Multiple Myeloma. Through direct engagement with people, we were able to acquire some valuable insights.
Awareness Aspect
- ● About 60% of the respondents were not aware of what Multiple Myeloma was.
- ● Out of 59 respondents, about 35 of them never heard of Multiple Myeloma.
Ethical Issues
- ● 70% of the respondents thought that animal testing is not ethical no matter what.
- ● In that sense, 80% of the people thought that the lab-on-a-chip is a good alternative for animal testing.
Based on these results, concerning Multiple Myeloma and animal testing, our team could conclude that ethics is also one of the major factors of concern when it comes to embracing new technologies.
Proposed Implementation
What values— environmental, social, moral, scientific, or other—did you have in mind when designing your project?
When designing our project, we carefully considered the scientific, social, and environmental values. Scientifically, we ensured that our design was feasible within the current technological limitations. Socially, we were mindful of how the rise of biomedical technology might raise concerns amongst conservative societies such as Korea. We also prioritized environmental responsibility, acknowledging that during the manufacturing process and the disposal of used products could generate chemical and material waste. To address this problem, we designed our project so that the products are reusable, not producing any harmful by-products.
What impact will your project have?
Our project will raise the limits of the current models for studying Multiple Myeloma. Compared to conventional methods of studying Multiple Myeloma, LOC platforms offer real-time observation, controlled microenvironmental conditions, and reduced use of animal models. Not only does this provide researchers extremely detailed information with minimized sample size, it also dismisses the need for use of animal studies, which many think of as unethical. This reduces the error that results from the difference in genetic information between animals and humans because people are able to use human samples.
How do you envision others using your project?
We envision our project being used by researchers and clinicians as an innovative biotechnology to study Multiple Myeloma more effectively. By providing a LOC platform that enables real-time observation and precise control of the disease’s microenvironment, scientists can use our model to test drug responses, analyze disease progression, and explore personalized treatment without relying on animal experiments. In the long term, we hope our project will serve as a foundation for future biomedical applications, inspiring further developments of synthetic biology and biotechnologies to make cancer research more ethical, accessible, and sustainable.