Abstract
We engaged 30+ stakeholders across the entire pipeline—from lab to industry—including public, clinicians, researchers, and legal/industry advisors, Key Opinion Leaders (KOLs), investors ensuring our project is robust and socially relevant.
We also reached out to 6 iGEM teams and hosted the Shanghai iGEM meetup to exchange insights and strengthen our design.
From the outset, our team engaged diverse stakeholders to guide our project.
Phase 1, we gathered both public and clinical perspectives on eye health. Insights from these consultations led us to produce β-carotene and design youth-friendly formats, including a Roblox game and snack prototypes.
Phase 2 involved researchers, translational medicine experts, entrepreneurs, and policymakers. Their guidance shaped sustainable carbon source selection (might be helpful in the future), cloud-connected fermentation automation, and potential expansion into beverages, pet feed, and cosmetics.
Phase 3 focused on technical optimization. Microbiologists advised on yeast chassis selection, CRISPR-Cas9 genome editing, and subcellular compartmentalization, significantly boosting β-carotene yields. Programmers assisted in hardware and Roblox game development.
Phase 4 explored commercialization and social impact. Consultations with legal advisors, youth KOLs, and early users informed our focus on cosmetic products for faster regulatory approval, as well as packaging design, fan engagement strategies, and early funding initiatives.

Overview of our integrated human practice.
1. Laying the Foundation: Identifying Real-World Needs
What we did
- Online/offline Eye stress survey
- Eye Strain Thematic Interview (continued till 07/2025)
- Interview with Ophthalmologist Dr. Wu
Stakeholders
- General public (Offline outreach focused on schools and youth communities)
- 20+ high-screen-use individuals (programmers, students, researchers)
- Ophthalmologist/Patients
Why
We aimed to bridge statistical data with real-world experiences, understanding eye health challenges from:
- The public perspective - habits, attitudes toward eye health, and openness to functional foods/cosmetics.
- The clinical perspective - unmet medical needs, safety concerns, and feasible intervention strategies.
What we learned
- 30-40% of adolescent dry eye patients lack vitamin A, showing night vision decline and corneal staining.
- Most interviewees have used eye drops and taken lutein.
- Food/snack formats are preferred over capsules. Students are willing to pay 5-10 RMB/day for drinks and < 5 RMB/day for capsules.
- Bio-synthesized products are more accepted than chemically synthesized ones.
- Misconceptions persist, but interest in gamified education is high.
What we adapted to our project
- Selected synthetic biology strategy to produce β-carotene.
- Though we focus on treatment, we identified food/creative snacks are more popular which might be promising final products.
- Focused on adolescents with significant vision changes and high protection needs, and developed game-based engagement (e.g., Roblox) to attract them.
1.1 Eye stress survey
Date: 12/2024From our preliminary literature review and data research, we identified the following key issues:
- At least 2.2 billion people live with vision impairment. Shockingly,1 billion of these cases could have been prevented.
- East Asia and Southeast Asia have particularly high rates of vision impairment and myopia, with adolescent myopia rates reaching up to 97% in some urban areas.
- β-carotene, a precursor to vitamin A, is essential for maintaining eye health, but many adolescents have insufficient intake due to dietary preferences and habits.
Based on the findings from preliminary literature review and data research, we designed a questionnaire survey targeting local young people and the general public to better understand their real-world eye health status, eye strain, nutritional intake, consumption habits, and acceptance of β-carotene.
Survey Design
Questionnaire covering: (1) Eye-use habits, (2) Current eye-care methods, (3) Awareness & acceptance of β-carotene products, (4) Stakeholders
Distribution
Online (social media, campus groups) and offline (universities, libraries).
Results
We received 201 responses in total. Most respondents were students (teenagers), many with eye-related medical histories such as conjunctivitis, myopia, and dry eye. While many hope for innovative foods and know about beta-carotene’s role in eye health, acceptance of synthetic biology products remains limited, with misunderstandings persisting. The survey also revealed new stakeholders, such as personal care and cosmetics brands. For details, we provide both Chinese and English versions for reference.
1.2 Eye Strain Thematic Interview
Date: 12/2024-07/2025Aim
Through person-to-person communication, explore more specific questions, pain points, needs, and acceptance levels regarding eye strain and eye health.

Interviews / 01
Date: July 11, 2025
Interviewee: Qin Jin Researcher

Interviews / 02
Date: July 11, 2025
Interviewee: Tao (Master student)

Interviews / 03
Date: July 12, 2025
Interviewee: Researcher Xiuru Shen

Interviews / 04
Date: July 12, 2025
Interviewee: Yue (Researcher)

Interviews / 05
Date: June 25, 2025
Interviewee: Luming Wang (High School)

Interviews / 06
Date: June 25, 2025
Interviewee: Yunchen Gu (High School)

Interviews / 07
Date: June 25, 2025
Interviewee: Meihao Ai (High School)

Interviews / 08
Date: June 24, 2025
Interviewee: Zihan Xu (High School)

Interviews / 09
Date: June 24, 2025
Interviewee: Xinchen Yu (High School)

Interviews / 10
Date: May 18, 2025
Interviewee: TANG (Primary School)

Interviews / 11
Date: April 20, 2025
Interviewee: Weiliang Mei (Programmer)

Interviews / 12
Date: March 15, 2025
Interviewee: Guojin Zhou (Designer)

Interviews / 13
Date: December 21, 2024
Interviewee: Mengyuan Gu (High school)

Interviews / 14
Date: December 21, 2024
Interviewee: Xiaoyu Sun (High school)

Interviews / 15
Date: December 21, 2024
Interviewee: Yifei Li (Programmer)

Interviews / 16
Date: December 21, 2024
Interviewee: Dubi Huang (Administrative assistant)

Interviews / 17
Date: December 14, 2024
Interviewee: Verena Wang (Middle School)

Interviews / 18
Date: December 14, 2024
Interviewee: Zoey Zhang (Primary School)

Interviews / 19
Date: December 14, 2024
Interviewee: Changshuo Wang (PhD)

Interviews / 20
Date: December 14, 2024
Interviewee: Doris (Office worker, Human resources)

Interviews / 21
Date: December 14, 2024
Interviewee: Xuerong Fu (Researcher)
1.3 Interview with Ophthalmologist Dr. Wu
Aim
To obtain a clinical evaluation from an ophthalmology expert on the feasibility of β-carotene for supporting vision health, and to identify unmet patient needs.
Why we Interviewed Dr. Wu:
- Strong alignment between his clinical focus and our technical approach.
- Longstanding research interest in the nutrition-eye health connection.
- Author of the highly cited 1998 paper Vitamin A Deficiency and Childhood Keratomalacia (600+ citations).
- Public advocate for dietary intervention in adolescent dry eye disease (2023 Eastern Ophthalmology Conference).
- Open to innovative therapeutics: served as a reviewer for a national nanocarrier eye drop project in 2021.

Profile: Dr. Wu Naichuan (Ophthalmologist)
Authority
- Referred to as a “living archive” of Chinese ophthalmology.
- Founder & Director, Shanghai Peace Eye Hospital (est. 2002; first private tertiary eye hospital in Shanghai).
- Recipient, State Council Special Allowance (1992), one of China’s highest medical honors.
- Former Consultant, Corneal Disease Group, Chinese Ophthalmological Society (core national body for dry eye research).
Clinical Expertise
- Pioneer of dry eye diagnostics in China; introduced tear break-up time (TBUT) measurement in the 1980s (still the gold standard).
- Chief editor, Clinical Diagnosis and Treatment of Corneal Diseases (includes vitamin A deficiency-related dry eye).
Public Health Leadership
- Initiated the “Shanghai Primary and Secondary School Vision Health Project” in 2015, reaching 200+ schools.
Key Interview Insights
- Trends in Adolescent Eye Health
- Sharp rise in adolescent cases: ~40% of patients are adolescents; among them, 15-20% have dry eye and >50% have myopia.
- Vitamin A deficiency-related dry eye accounts for ~30% of adolescent cases, presenting as roughened corneal epithelium and TBUT < 5 seconds.
- Main drivers: Excessive screen use and reduced outdoor activity.
- Common Characteristics of Adolescent Patients
- High-intensity eye use: >8 hours/day on screens; frequent late-night device use.
- Nutritional imbalance: 68% have picky eating habits, low dark green/orange vegetable intake → vitamin A and lutein deficiency.
- Misconceptions: Parents often believe glasses alone address all vision issues, neglecting retinal health.
- Causes of Myopia & Vitamin A Deficiency Prevalence
- Myopia: ~30% genetic, ~70% environmental (near work, lack of outdoor time).
- Vitamin A deficiency: Present in 30-40% of adolescent dry eye patients; symptoms include night vision decline and positive corneal fluorescein staining.
- Linked to Westernized diets (fast food) and low β-carotene absorption (< 20% without adequate dietary fat).
- Limitations of Traditional Vitamin A Supplementation
- Safety risks: Excessive intake from animal liver sources can cause toxicity (headache, liver injury).
- Low absorption: Plant-based β-carotene needs intestinal lipase for conversion; adolescents may only absorb < 20%.
- Poor adherence: Capsules often rejected by children; long-term use required for sustained effect.
- Evaluation of Synthetic Biology-Based β-Carotene Production
- Safety: Microbial fermentation eliminates pesticide residues; purity >95% (vs. ~70% for traditional extraction).
- Precision: CRISPR-Cas9 metabolic engineering increases yield and lowers cost.
- Clinical potential: Microencapsulation could enable slow release, prolong tear film stability, and reduce intake frequency.
- Recommendations for Public Education & Engagement
- Gamified learning: Mobile game “CarroMaster” where players edit yeast genes to produce nutrients restoring “Dry Eye City.”
- AR interactive demos: Smartphone-based animations showing carrot → β-carotene → retinal repair.
- Social media campaigns: “24-Hour Eye Care Agent” challenge promoting daily protective habits.

2. From Insights to Innovation: Designing Our Solution with Stakeholder Feedback
What we did
- Environmental Innovation Day
- Participate the 2024 China Health Industry Innovation Summit & 5th “Chip Award” Ceremony
- Interview with Prof. Shao Liming (Director, Shanghai Collaborative Innovation Center for Drug R&D, Department of Pharmacy, Fudan University)
- Interview with Prof. Li Yijia (Shanghai Baoshan Synthetic Biology Translational Research Institute)
- Interview with Dr. Dai Guoxiong (Deputy Director, China Primary Health Care Foundation)
- Interview with Dr. Liu Chang (Founder of ASKhealth)
- Interview with Dr. Shen Yanrong (Secretary-General, National Biomedicine Enterprise Platform)
Stakeholders
- High-school students interested in science
- Academic researchers
- Translational medicine practitioners
- Successful biotech entrepreneurs
- Policy makers in health and biotechnology
Why
From the start, we aimed for our project to move beyond academic research toward real biopharmaceutical and nutraceutical applications. To prepare for this transition and anticipate future risks, we engaged stakeholders across the entire pipeline—from researchers and translational scientists to successful entrepreneurs and policy experts. Their insights helped us foresee potential challenges in regulation, technology transfer, and market adoption, enabling us to better plan for risk mitigation and ensure societal relevance.
What we/others learned
- The importance of integrating digital tools (e.g., cloud-based fermentation monitoring) to increase efficiency.
- Stakeholder perspectives on safety, bioavailability, production cost, ESG compliance, and health benefits of β-carotene.
- The necessity of policy support, public awareness, and sustainability metrics to ensure long-term application.
What we adapted to our project
- We explored sustainable substrate options, such as repurpose kitchen waste oil as a yeast cultivation medium, which could support future industrialization and environmentally friendly.
- We designed an internet-connected cloud platform and monitoring device to automate and optimize fermentation processes.
- We broadened our future vision to include not only nutraceuticals and functional foods but also pet feed, beverages, and cosmetics, all under regulatory compliance.
2.1 NACIS Eco Day
NACIS Eco Day, organized by ECO School, a global initiative, encouraged high school students to actively explore solutions for environmental protection. As an iGEM team, we used this opportunity to connect our project with sustainability by testing kitchen waste oil as a medium for yeast cultivation. Our preliminary experiments confirmed the feasibility of this approach, offering valuable insights into enhancing the sustainability of future industrial applications. At the same time, we promoted science communication by sharing our research and collecting feedback from environmental enthusiasts through engaging interactive questionnaires (Chinese version, English version). With the support, resources, and broader audience provided by ECO School, we successfully expanded both the scientific impact and the public engagement reach of our project.

Growth of yeast cultured with different proportions of waste oil as carbon source











2.2 2024 China Health Industry Innovation Summit & 5th “Chip Award” Ceremony
At this summit, we learned about cutting-edge projects, such as the “Internet Hospital + Nursing Home” model by Shanghai Renji Hospital, which integrates digital healthcare and elderly care. This inspired us to consider applying internet-based cloud technologies to monitor and optimize our fermentation process.
During the evening gala, we performed the theme song “When We ESG”, expressing our team’s commitment to public health, green economy, ESG principles, and sustainable development. Our performance earned us a public service certificate, symbolizing our dedication to linking biotechnology with social responsibility.






2.3 Interview with diverse experts
From the earliest stages of project design, we prioritized expert input to ensure that our work would be scientifically sound, socially relevant, and practically applicable. We interviewed specialists from five key domains:
- Drug R&D and Translational Medicine
- Industrial Biotechnology and Green Chemistry
- Public Health and Policy
- Biotech Entrepreneurship and Commercialization
- ESG and Sustainable Biomanufacturing
Introduction
Prof. Shao Liming
Prof. Shao Liming is the Director of the Shanghai Collaborative Innovation Center for Drug R&D, Department of Pharmacy at Fudan University. His research focuses on drug discovery, pharmacology, and translational medicine, making him a valuable expert on bridging basic science with clinical application.
Prof. Li Yijia
Prof. Li Yijia is a leading researcher at the Shanghai Baoshan Synthetic Biology Translational Research Institute, specializing in industrial biotechnology and green chemistry. His expertise lies in scaling synthetic biology solutions for sustainable production.
Dr. Dai Guoxiong
Dr. Dai Guoxiong is the Deputy Director of the China Primary Health Care Foundation. His work centers on public health, preventive care, and health policy, making him an important stakeholder in evaluating the societal value of nutraceuticals.
Dr. Liu Chang
Dr. Liu Chang is the founder of ASKhealth and a successful biotech entrepreneur. With deep experience in healthcare innovation and startup incubation, he bridges the gap between academic research and commercial applications.
Dr. Shen Yanrong
Dr. Shen Yanrong serves as the Secretary-General of the National Biomedicine Enterprise Platform. She works extensively on ESG (Environmental, Social, Governance) evaluation and sustainable biomanufacturing strategies for biotech enterprises.
These discussions provided valuable perspectives on safety, scalability, public health significance, commercialization, and sustainability, shaping both the technical and social dimensions of our project.
Integrated Insights & Key Takeaways
Across all consultations, several themes consistently emerged:
Safety and Regulation
Experts urged us to address safety, quality control, and compliance from the earliest stages to facilitate future nutraceutical or pharmaceutical applications.
Scalability and Cost
Industrial experts stressed that success depends on demonstrating advantages in cost, scalability, and environmental footprint over traditional production methods.
Public Health Impact
β-carotene supplementation can significantly reduce vitamin A deficiency-related conditions, emphasizing the societal value of our approach.
Commercial Viability
Our design must balance scientific rigor with market demand, affordability, and diverse application scenarios to attract investment and consumer acceptance.
Sustainability and ESG
Incorporating green manufacturing principles and transparent ESG practices is essential for long-term industry alignment and social responsibility.
Sustainability and ESG
Incorporating green manufacturing principles and transparent ESG practices is essential for long-term industry alignment and social responsibility.
These insights collectively shaped our technical strategy, outreach plans, and long-term vision, ensuring that our project integrates innovation with real-world impact.









3. Iterative Development: Refining the System through Continuous Feedback Loops
What we did
- Visit Shanghai Huamao Pharma
- Interview with Dr. Zhang Li (QiKe50 Health Innovation Club, Shanghai)
- Interview with Prof. Chen Xianzhong (Jiangnan University, microbiology, multiple interview)
- Interview with Dr. Xia Yuanyuan (Jiangnan University, microbiology)
- Online meeting with Technical Expert, NetEase (Game Development)
Stakeholders
- Competing companies (chemical synthesis producers)
- Academic researchers (technical advisors)
- Programmers (game development consultants)
Why
Before conducting experiments, we visited chemical companies to understand the differences and challenges between chemical and biological β-carotene synthesis. We wanted to confirm whether biotechnological methods truly offer advantages.
During our project, three key feedback loops guided our development:
Chassis selection - We were initially uncertain which microorganism to use. Expert advice helped us finalize Saccharomyces cerevisiae (yeast) as the production host. Gene editing - Collaborating with Dr. Xia, we applied her lab’s CRISPR-Cas9 editing system to successfully introduce the required biosynthetic genes into yeast. Yield improvement - Facing production bottlenecks, we consulted Prof. Chen, who suggested compartmentalization strategies. This led us to design a lipid droplet localization system, significantly boosting β-carotene yield.
Meanwhile, our teammates working on the accompanying game development and device design also engaged with NetEase technical experts to give feedback and suggestions for our challenges.
What we/others learned
- Gained insights into chemical β-carotene synthesis, including regulatory requirements and safety assessments.
- It is confirmed that biological synthesis offers market potential and environmental advantages but also carries risks such as metabolic instability.
- Learned advanced strategies such as cellular compartmentalization for enhancing yields.
- Professional feedback highlighted the importance of a coherent core gameplay loop, meaningful puzzles, and thematic consistency for both engagement and learning.
What we adapted to our project
- Selected yeast (S. cerevisiae) as the chassis organism.
- Successfully applied CRISPR-Cas9 editing (Dr. Xia’s system) to express carRP and carB genes for de novo β-carotene biosynthesis.
- Implemented compartmentalization (lipid droplet targeting) to enhance productivity.
- We refined our game by focusing on core gameplay, aligning puzzles with synthetic biology concepts, removing unrelated elements, and improving visual and interactive feedback.
3.1 Interview with Shanghai Huamao Pharma
Date: 14/04/2025AIM
To understand mainstream chemical synthesis methods of β-carotene and compare with biological synthesis.
Summary
We interviewed Wei Zhe, General Manager of Shanghai Huamao Pharma, a chemical company engaged in biotechnology. Huamao provided insights into the Wittig reaction route, its advantages (cost efficiency) and drawbacks (TPPO pollution, VOC emissions). They emphasized that biotechnological production could reduce hazardous waste. The discussion also covered regulatory hurdles for new ingredients and highlighted the potential environmental advantages of microbial synthesis.





Interviewees: David, Rachel, Abi, Hugo, Jerry
3.2 Dr. Zhang Li (QiKe50 Health Innovation Club, Shanghai)
Date: 23/05/2025AIM
To evaluate the industrial potential and technical challenges of microbial β-carotene production, and to guide chassis selection for efficient, scalable synthesis.
Summary
Microbial β-carotene production is a sustainable alternative to chemical synthesis but faces challenges such as strain instability and product degradation. Choosing the right host organism is critical for achieving high yield and industrial feasibility.
3.3 Interview with Prof. Chen Xianzhong (Jiangnan University, microbiology)
Date: 07/07/2025AIM
Open discussion about Saccharomyces cerevisiae as a host for β-carotene production and discuss strategies for introducing and optimizing pathway genes.
Summary
Prof. Chen confirmed the strong potential of yeast as an industrial chassis due to its tolerance, scalability, and substrate versatility. He emphasized the necessity of codon optimization when introducing heterologous genes and suggested parallel testing of multiple yeast strains before final selection.
3.4 Interview with Dr. Xia Yuanyuan (Jiangnan University, microbiology)
Date: 15/07/2025
Dr. Xia Yuanyuan
(Jiangnan University, microbiology)
AIM
To obtain technical support in gene editing of yeast.
Summary
Dr. Xia introduced her lab’s CRISPR-Cas9 editing system, which integrates genes directly into the yeast genome (instead of plasmid-based expression). She also recommended using auxotrophic strains for safety and screening purposes.
3.5 Interview with Shanghai Huamao Pharma
Date: 10/08/2025Summary
We interviewed Wei Zhe, General Manager of Shanghai Huamao Pharma, and shared preliminary experimental results with the company. They pointed out that our current β-carotene yield still falls significantly short of the requirements for industrial production, and further enhancements in yield are necessary.
3.6 Interview with Prof. Chen Xianzhong
Date: 12/08/2025

AIM
Intensive discussions about strategies for increasing β-carotene yield in yeast.
Summary
β-carotene is a fat-soluble vitamin. Preliminary experiments have confirmed that it does impact the growth of Saccharomyces cerevisiae and exhibits certain cytotoxicity. Based on literature research, we found that a cellular compartmentalization strategy could help alleviate this issue. Our candidate organelles included peroxisomes and lipid droplets. After consulting with Prof. Chen, we ultimately selected lipid droplets as the target for compartmentalized expression. Prof. Chen also shared potential lipid droplet-targeting signal peptides identified by their team. This discussion greatly facilitated the progress of our project. He also elaborated on genetic stability, codon optimization, and fermentation process optimization as critical success factors for industrial viability.
Interviewers: James, Peiyang, Rita, David, Damien
3.7 NACIS Shanghai iGEM Team × NetEase games Technical Support
Date: 03/08/2025Meeting Objective:
To discuss our team’s initial attempt to gamify synthetic biology education through an interactive game, review its current design, and explore improvements in gameplay, educational value, and practical implementation.
Based on professional advice, we have updated our demo. See Education-Roblox game (Link to Education-Roblox game). Besides, NetEase sponsored our team’s merchandise for the iGEM Shanghai Regional Meeting.
(1) Overview
The iGEM team developed a demo game to make synthetic biology concepts more engaging for young audiences. The game aims to combine entertainment and scientific knowledge, allowing players to enjoy the gaming experience while learning core biology principles. However, we do feel it difficult to optimize the game, therefore, we seek for professional advice from NetEase games. Note: The interviewed expert requested anonymity; therefore, we have not disclosed any names or photographs in this part.
(2) Key Discussion Points & Feedback
A. Gameplay Design (Fun & Engagement)
- What drives sustained engagement for teens?
- Establish clear goals and meaningful objectives.
- Maintain an enjoyable process with proper pacing to avoid boring “dead moments.”
- Social Features & Fun Factor:
- Current demo shows creative thinking and effort in using a trendy tool (Roblox) for content expression.
- However, from a game-design perspective, completion level is low; some game elements are unrelated to the theme, creating noise.
- Recommendation: Focus on coherence of core game loop and minimize unrelated elements.
B. Educational Value (Knowledge Integration)
- How deep should the knowledge be embedded?
- Maintain a strong core narrative (main trunk) aligned with synthetic biology concepts.
- Decide if victory conditions are challenge-based or narrative-driven.
- Advanced expressions like hidden fragments or philosophical depth can come later, but first secure the core learning pathway.
C. Practical Concerns
- What should be the main focus given current skills/resources?
- Choose between gameplay or story—focus on gameplay first.
- Visual style should reflect personality and theme consistency, rather than high-end specs.
- Future promotion strategy:
- Clarify the primary goal: Competition entry > Personal/School portfolio > Commercialization.
- Avoid rushing to social platforms unless the game achieves very high polish or unique creativity.
- Safer options: school exhibitions, institution showcases, personal portfolios.
(3) Evaluation & Recommendations
- Strengths:
- Ambitious and innovative attempt by high school students.
- Demonstrates technical ability to use a modern tool (Roblox) for interactive education.
- Contains thoughtful design elements and creative exploration.
- Challenges:
- Low overall game completeness.
- Dispersed core knowledge delivery; some unrelated elements cause thematic inconsistency.
- Suggestions for Improvement:
- Strengthen core puzzle design: puzzles should be meaningful, engaging, and connected to the biology theme.
- Ensure game environment matches the theme and avoids irrelevant components.
- Add feedback mechanisms for correct/incorrect answers (visual/audio/emotional response).
- Decide main design direction (challenge-based vs story-driven) and build around that.
- Design Reference Examples:
- Overcooked (recipe-based tasks → lab experiments).

- Shawarma Legend (customer requests → experimental goals).

(4) Conclusion
- The project shows strong potential if development stays focused on its core objectives.
- Refine the core gameplay loop and make all puzzles strongly relevant to synthetic biology concepts.
- Define the main design goal: prioritize educational depth or form innovation.
- Align visual style to create a cohesive and appealing overall look.
- Prepare a polished demo for the iGEM competition before considering any public release.

Online meeting with NetEase expert.

NetEase sponsored our team's merchandise for the iGEM Shanghai Regional Meeting.
4. From Lab to Life: Exploring Commercial Potential and Social Impact
What we did
- Interview with Lawyer Wei (Shanghai Association Of Food And Drug Safety)
- Live-stream session with “Bettie” founder of HafHaf Youth Skincare Brand
- Livestream with “A Brother”: Youth Entrepreneurship and Market Adoption
- Shanghai iGEMers Meetup
- Live-stream session with South China University of Technology iGEM team & Release personal care prototype online
- Communicate with earliest state investor
- Offline personal care prototype (POCO) promotion
Stakeholders
- Lawyer (regulations)
- Key Opinion Leaders (KOLs) in adolescent skincare and cosmetics
- Online audience interested in science-based personal care products
- Investors
Why
- To identify feasible commercialization strategies for our project while staying compliant with regulatory standards.
- To build early awareness, gather consumer insights, and cultivate a target audience for upcoming products.
- To test audience interest and integrate entrepreneurial guidance into our Phase 1-Phase 2 strategy.
- To better understand what attracts investors
What we/others learned
- The approval process for drugs and health supplements is long and complex, whereas cosmetics have a comparatively faster and simpler pathway. Marketing materials must avoid exaggerated claims to prevent classification as quasi-pharmaceuticals.
- Collaborating with certified contract manufacturers is crucial to ensure product compliance and successful filing.
- Scientific education is an effective, compliant approach to raise awareness of health-related benefits without making explicit therapeutic claims.
- Engaging KOLs in adolescent cosmetics provides both credibility and access to a target demographic, supporting early-stage brand recognition.
- Market Entry Must Be Youth-Centric: Products targeting students need subtle “pseudo-makeup” effects and attractive packaging to encourage first-time use.
- Sustainability Requires Partnership: Achieving financial balance depends on securing a main funding partner and integrating supplier advantages.
What we adapted to our project (MARKET/ENDUSER)
- After consultation with Lawyer Wei, we shifted the focus of future commercialization efforts toward cosmetic products rather than functional food or supplements, due to simpler approval processes and shorter timelines.
- Our marketing and communication strategies emphasize scientific education and awareness rather than direct health claims, ensuring compliance.
- Early engagement with KOLs informs product design, messaging, and promotional approaches for both Phase 1 “pseudo-makeup” products and Phase 2 eye-health supplements.
- We shifted more effort toward fan base building and packaging design in Phase 1 products, supported by the development of our first carotene lipstick prototype, to ensure adoption among student users.
4.1 Interview with Lawyer Wei (Shanghai Association Of Food And Drug Safety)
Date: 06/2025Aim
The aim of this interview was to clarify the regulatory pathways, compliance requirements, and marketing restrictions for introducing microbially synthesized β-carotene into food and cosmetic products in China, providing direction for the project’s commercialization strategy.
Summary
This interview explored the approval processes, licensing needs, labeling rules, production arrangements, and communication constraints surrounding microbially synthesized β-carotene in China. It highlighted the importance of demonstrating compositional equivalence with natural β-carotene, working through licensed contract manufacturers, adhering to dosage limits in food applications, and respecting the line between scientific education and prohibited health claims. These insights will guide both product development and market positioning.



4.2 Livestream: 2025 iGEM Project × “Bettie”
“Bettie”:Founder of HafHaf Youth Skincare Brand (Sales > ¥100M)
AIM
We introduced our 2025 iGEM project in a live-stream session on the GenZEC platform. This activity serves as a strategic step to build early awareness and cultivate an engaged audience for our upcoming products.
SUMMARY / KEY POINTS

4.3 Livestream with "A Brother": Youth Entrepreneurship and Market Adoption
Date: 05/07/2025A Brother: A Brother is one of the driving forces behind the FARMTOPIA project, which won the Silver Award at the 2022-2023 CTB Global Innovation Forum. Under his leadership, the project has successfully achieved mass production and business model validation, excelling in environmental sustainability, farmer support, and high-quality agricultural products.
ABCD Mother: As a self-media creator, her creative content is mainly about parents and children, focusing on youth products. She has a strong fan base, with 10.424 million followers on Tik Tok, 1,268 works published on Tik Tok (China mainland), and 370 million likes.
Aim
The aim of this livestream was to present the latest project updates (including carotene lipstick prototypes and the two-wave product strategy) to “A Brother”, “ABCD Mother”, and the online audience, while also discussing practical challenges in youth entrepreneurship such as consumer adoption, sustainable financial planning, and opportunity recognition.
Summary
In this session, our team:
- Introduced the progress made after previous discussions with ABCD Mother and Bettie, showcasing the carotene lipstick prototype.
- Explained the two-wave promotion model: (1) pseudo-makeup products for awareness-building and (2) eye-care functional products for long-term health benefits.
- Engaged A Brother in a focused discussion on entrepreneurship, covering:
- How to persuade users to try new products.
- How to balance product pricing, company profit, and R&D investment.
- How to discover entrepreneurial opportunities in daily life.




4.4 Shanghai iGEMers Meetup
Date: 23/08/2025On August 23rd, our team successfully hosted the Shanghai iGEM Regional Meeting, bringing together multiple iGEM teams for collaboration and knowledge sharing.
The session began with iGEM Ambassador (Xiaohan Zhang) introducing important competition guidelines and key considerations for teams. Following this, each team presented their projects through posters and PowerPoint presentations, facilitating active discussion and feedback.
Participating Teams
- NACIS Shanghai
- Jilin University
- South China University of Technology
- South China Agricultural University
- Tongji University
- Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University
Highlights & Key Takeaways
- Knowledge Exchange:
Teams showcased their project progress, received constructive feedback, and discussed potential improvements.- Example: The Ambassador suggested that we adjust the visual representation of our parts in the PPT to comply with iGEM standards. We promptly implemented these changes.
- Other teams proposed testing alternative promoters to evaluate their effect on production efficiency. While time constraints prevent experimental verification at this stage, this idea may inspire future promoter screening to enhance yield in our project.
- Hardware Feedback:
The iGEM Ambassador was impressed by our image-based carotene detector, praising its practicality. After confirming that our approach uses color data from standard photographs rather than complex infrared spectroscopy, he highlighted key advantages:- Simple and cost-effective process
- Affordable for widespread application
- High potential for real-world implementation
Event Impact
This meetup provided an excellent platform for mutual learning, peer feedback, and future collaboration opportunities. It not only strengthened the bond between Shanghai teams and other universities but also helped us identify areas to refine in both technical design and presentation quality.

Profile: iGEM Ambassador Xiaohan Zhang





4.5 Live-stream session with South China University of Technology iGEM team & Release personal care prototype online
We invited the South China University of Technology iGEM team to share their project and discuss commercialization strategies with the audience. During this second follow-up live-stream, we also showcased our personal care module prototype online.

Live-stream session Poster

Live-stream session
4.6 Interview with earliest state investor
We also consulted several successful early-stage investors to gather their insights on our project, asking what factors they value most in an investment and what types of projects are most likely to attract their support.
Feedback from early-stage investors in the field of Big Health:
POCO presents a truly innovative and smart approach to a criticalhealth challenge. Your ‘cosmetics first, supplements follow’ strategy isbrilliant-it’s a fantastic way to build a brand and generate revenuewhile navigating regulatory timelines. You’re not just selling a product;you’re building a culture, and that is where lasting brands are born. Avery compelling and exciting vision!
---------- The interviewee’s identity has been anonymized for privacy.
The project direction is very promising. In China, eye conditions such as myopia, dry eye, and night blindness are quite common among children, and strengthening eye nutrition is an important issue. Approaches such as incorporating nutrients into daily diets through food additives or other creative ideas, or encouraging children to consume them regularly and enjoyably, represent a strong angle. POCO’s concepts—such as carotene-based personal care products, straws, and snacks—target the ‘fun-seeking’ lifestyle and consumption habits of young people, making eye care something playful and cool. This is a valuable attempt with strong market potential, and we look forward to seeing the product’s further development!
----------Gaoyi, Early-stage investors

Donald Gao
Early-stage investors
4.7 Offline personal care prototype (POCO) promotion
September marks the start of the school year, so we organized a back-to-school event. With the school’s permission, our team promoted our product prototype on campus to raise awareness of vision health among students and gather their feedback on the prototype.
Something to expect: We will update and present our final product prototype during the onsite exhibition.














