Overview
Our educational philosophy is envisioned as the cultivation of a “Knowledge Garden,” a living ecosystem of learning designed not merely to transfer facts, but to ignite a lifelong passion for discovery. We believe true education helps people forge a deeper connection with the world by sparking curiosity and inspiring critical thought.
To bring this garden to life, our approach is guided by four core values. Our commitment begins with ensuring a Broad Reach, conceptualized as an ‘Education Tree’ whose branches extend to learners of all generations, from planting the seeds of curiosity in primary school students to engaging with community elders. We ensure this reach is coupled with deep Inclusivity, creating a barrier-free garden accessible to everyone, regardless of location, ability, or cultural background through tailored materials and multilingual content. To make the learning experience truly memorable, we focus on dynamic Engagement, blending science with art, music, and interactive activities like a science-themed orienteering challenge to create a rich, multi-sensory journey. Finally, we strive to give our educational efforts an Amplified Voice, utilizing digital platforms and collaborations to extend our impact far beyond our immediate community, ensuring the knowledge cultivated in our garden resonates globally.
Figure 1: The "Knowledge Garden" educational philosophy.
Now, let us step into the educational garden we have built.
Education Tree: Cultivating Curiosity Across Generations
We believe science education is not a transfer of facts, but an invitation to wonder and discover. This vision comes to life through our Education Tree, a framework designed to engage learners from childhood to elderhood with experiences tailored to their unique perspectives.
Our approach adapts to every age. For children, we ignite wonder through hands-on play and storytelling. For middle and high schoolers, we foster critical thinking by connecting complex theory to real-world impact. At the university level, we spark interdisciplinary dialogue through collaborative, inquiry-based challenges , and for the wider community, we embed science in daily life through accessible, story-driven handbooks.
Figure 2: The "Education Tree" framework, designed to engage learners across all generations.
Underpinning this framework is a foundational commitment to inclusivity. This principle drives us to bridge geographical divides with rural outreach, design for all abilities with intuitive and accessible materials, and welcome diverse academic backgrounds to ensure our dialogue transcends specialization. Our ultimate goal is to nurture a living network where science becomes a shared language for all.
Figure 3: The core principles of inclusivity: "For Equity," "For All Abilities," and "For All Cultures."
Branch 1: Rooted in Beginnings
To awaken a sense of wonder for life’s microcosm in children and nurture their innate curiosity as future explorers, we embarked on a mission to ignite curiosity in young minds, whether through screens or shared classroom space. Our focus was never one-way knowledge transfer; instead, we aimed to meet each group of young minds where their curiosity lived, guiding them to discover the magic of the unseen world through dialogue and play.
Our journey began not in a physical room, but across the digital landscape. On August 13th, 2025, we connected virtually with 99 eager young learners at Dawu Primary School in Zhangzhou, Fujian Province. Adapting our interactive spirit for the online space, we brought the microscopic adventure directly to their screens.
Figure 4: A virtual outreach session with students from Dawu Primary School.
Building on this momentum, we brought the adventure into the physical world on September 4th, 2025, at Sichuan Tianfu New Area No. 3 Primary School, joining a group of eager “little explorers” for a hands-on journey into cells. Instead of starting with facts, we began with a story: 300 years ago, Robert Hooke’s first glimpse of cells through a microscope. Through vibrant visuals and interactive exploration, we invited the children to observe the incredible diversity of cells. The core of the session was hands-on creation: using colorful clay, each child became an architect, sculpting their own vibrant cell world – molding cytoplasm, shaping nuclei, and crafting unique organelles. This wasn’t about memorizing parts; it was about experiencing structure and function through tactile imagination.
Figure 5: A three-part image showing: a student building a cell model with clay, a student interacting with a team member, and a team member teaching children about preventing H. pylori.
The adventure continued as we introduced a hidden troublemaker, H. pylori. We briefly touched on the drawbacks of current treatment. This naturally led to sharing our team’s inspiration. Crucially, we connected it everyday preventive actions, like using serving chopsticks and drinking clean water.
Figure 6: A group photo with the students of Sichuan Tianfu New Area No. 3 Primary School.
Whether connecting digitally with Dawu or sharing a classroom in Tianfu, these encounters were never about simply transmitting knowledge. They were about forging authentic moments of shared discovery. Seeing the focused engagement online, witnessing eyes light up over clay models, hearing children passionately debate how Ben might work – these are the sparks we strive to ignite. Our goal isn’t just to talk about biology; it’s to awaken the innate scientist and explorer within every child by meeting their curiosity where it lives and journeying alongside them into realms of possibility and imagination. The boundless creativity and genuine wonder we encountered, both virtually and in person, stand as powerful reminders of what flourishes when young minds are truly inspired.
Branch 2: Strengthening the Trunk
Middle school students represent the robust trunk of our knowledge garden where learners poised to develop foundational perspectives in science. For this vital group, we consciously move beyond unidirectional teaching, creating instead a collaborative exploration space. Through interactive synthetic biology lectures and cross-school team exchanges, we ignite critical thinking and awaken agency. Our goal is not to fill vessels with facts, but to nurture their innate curiosity as co-explorers, empowering them to see themselves as active participants in science’s unfolding narrative.
Synthetic Biology Lecture Series
Recognizing that today’s students are tomorrow’s scientific leaders, we launched a comprehensive educational initiative to introduce middle and high school students to the transformative world of synthetic biology. Our goal was not simply to transfer facts, but to ignite curiosity and empower young minds to see themselves as active participants in science’s unfolding narrative. To achieve this, we developed the “Building Life: An Introduction to Synthetic Biology” lecture series, designed as a dynamic, interactive dialogue rather than a one-way lecture.
Our initiative began in Beijing, where from May 15th to June 19th, we visited four leading high schools—Beijing No. 8 High School, Beijing No. 4 High School, Beijing National Day School, and The High School Affiliated to Renmin University of China (RDFZ)—engaging over 150 students. We then expanded our reach beyond the capital, holding sessions at Suqian Middle School in Jiangsu on June 27th and Nankai Middle School in Chongqing on August 14th.
Our curriculum, framed around the theme “From Decoding Life to ‘Programming’ Life,” bridged foundational knowledge with real-world impact. We introduced synthetic biology as a discipline blending biology with engineering principles, covering its history from the lac operon to CRISPR, its core tools like genetic logic gates, and its revolutionary applications in medicine (CAR-T therapy) and environmental science. In Chongqing, the engagement evolved into a vibrant exchange where students explored complex concepts through hands-on analogies, comparing gene regulation to computer code and metabolic engineering to urban planning.
Beijing No. 8 High School,
80+ people,
2025.5.15
Beijing No. 4 High School,
30 people,
2025.5.22
Beijing National Day School,
26 people,
2025.6.16
The High School Affiliated to Renmin University of China (RDFZ),
20 people,
2025.6.19
Suqian Middle School,
40+ people,
2025.6.27
Nankai Middle School,
40+ people,
2025.8.14
The true success of our lecture series was measured not in the information we delivered, but in the dialogue we fostered and the inspiration we sparked. Each session thrived on reciprocity, with dedicated Q&A segments consistently becoming the highlight. Students posed thoughtful and challenging questions, from the technical mechanisms of CAR-T therapy to the complex ethical boundaries of creating new life forms. These discussions were a powerful reminder that science communication is a two-way street; their fresh perspectives and sharp inquiries pushed us to reevaluate our own assumptions and refine our project’s communication strategy.
Figure 7-8: Students actively engaged in discussion during a lecture.
The impact resonated deeply in the students’ feedback. A student from RDFZ was fascinated by the “logic circuit diagrams for intracellular gene regulation,” calling them “very cool” with “broad application prospects.” In Chongqing, students saw abstract concepts crystallize into personal inspiration. One student envisioned synthetic biology as world-building with “biological ‘code’,” while another distilled its interdisciplinary spirit: “Like assembling LEGO, we can create new life systems!”
“Like assembling LEGO, we can create new life systems! This isn’t just biology; it’s engineering, coding, and designing tomorrow’s solutions.”——Ping Yuan
“When genes become modular… we might build a tiny world with biological ‘code.’ This is biology’s unique romance.”——Zhu Chen
“Treating H. pylori showed me biology solves real problems. CAR-T and engineered bacteria revealed endless possibilities—we’ve barely scratched the surface.”——Youzong Yin
“It started with familiar concepts like promoters, then expanded using vivid metaphors. The oscillating E. coli video was mesmerizing—it made me think about constructing ecosystems, not just studying them.”——Xueying Wan
“Like assembling LEGO, we can create new life systems! This isn’t just biology; it’s engineering, coding, and designing tomorrow’s solutions.”——Ping Yuan
Ultimately, these moments affirmed our core belief: education is not just about lecturing; it is about conveying an emotional power built on a rational foundation. The greatest sense of achievement came not from explaining a concept, but from hearing the sustained gasps of awe from the audience when we described the genetic toggle switch and showed an image of blinking E. coli. In that instant, we knew we had struck a chord. Regardless of whether these students pursue synthetic biology in the future, they were touched by the beauty and wonder of science. By transforming biology from a memorized subject into a living, creative discipline, we hope we have provided them with a new canvas for their imagination.
Dialogue with high school iGEM teams
We transformed lecture halls into collaborative spaces where high school innovators became co-creators. Following our campus seminars, we deepened our commitment to fostering cross-generational dialogue through dynamic exchanges with two pioneering high school teams—RDFZ-China and SubCat-China.
Dialogue with RDFZ-China
On June 20, 2025, we engaged in an in-depth discussion with RDFZ-China, a team developing intelligent engineered bacteria for colorectal cancer. What began as an interview they initiated quickly evolved into a mutual deep-dive into the frontiers of microbial engineering. The conversation started with our shared philosophy of redefining gut microbes as programmable living diagnostics and therapeutics. However, their incisive questions steered the dialogue toward the critical topic of biosafety. We collaboratively explored solutions to challenges like horizontal gene transfer and environmental release, discussing multi-layered kill switches and orthogonal genetic systems. This exchange proved to be a powerful catalyst for our own reflection, as their questions prompted us to re-examine our project’s design and risk assessments with a more critical and comprehensive perspective.
Figure 9: An in-depth interview with iGEM team members from RDFZ-China.
Collaborative Spark with SubCat-China
Our exchange with SubCat-China on July 28, 2025, was a dynamic session focused on our shared goal of combating H. pylori. Their project, which uses nanobodies delivered via gel microcapsules, closely aligned with our own, sparking a reciprocal brainstorming session. Building on their impressive work, we shared our innovation of a calcium carbonate coating to potentially enhance gastric mucus penetration for their hydrogels. We also proposed specific biocontainment strategies, such as kill switches and auxotrophy designs, and suggested how computational modeling could complement their wet lab experiments. Explaining our methodologies to curious peers became an invaluable exercise in self-evaluation, forcing us to articulate our rationale and view our project’s blueprint with fresh eyes.
Figure 10: A group photo from the collaborative meeting with SubCat-China.
Figure 11: Our team listening to SubCat-China's project presentation and offering suggestions.
Branch 3: Reaching Higher
Extending our educational roots into university soil, we launched an inclusive adventure to ignite synthetic biology curiosity across Peking University’s diverse academic landscape. To transform synthetic biology from a specialized field into a shared playground for diverse minds, we created the Synthetic BioQuest, a four-day digital expedition (September 7-10, 2025) designed not to test knowledge, but to spark interdisciplinary dialogues. Over just four days, 176 students from 19 departments, spanning from Life Sciences, Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Electronics Engineering and Computer Science, Basic Medical Sciences, and beyond, embraced the challenge, demonstrating that synthetic biology’s brilliance transcends disciplinary boundaries. We designed every multiple-choice question as a gateway to wonder, intentionally moving beyond right-or-wrong paradigms. Each scenario reframed synthetic biology as collaborative storytelling, where genetic toggle switches became plot twists and metabolic pathways transformed into supply chain mysteries. Education’s deepest impact occurs when revelation transcends specialization. By replacing lectures with playful inquiry, we didn’t just host an event; we seeded an ecosystem where disciplines cross-pollinate and curiosity builds bridges to innovation.
Branch 4: Extending to Wisdom
To bridge the gap between our laboratory and the broader community, we developed an educational handbook specifically for the elderly, a demographic particularly vulnerable to Helicobacter pylori. Titled “A Guide to Preventing Helicobacter Pylori,” this digital booklet was designed for maximum accessibility. Recognizing the needs of our audience, we crafted the guide with simple, clear language, a large-print font, and vibrant illustrations to make complex health information easy to understand. In line with our commitment to inclusivity, we also produced an English version to ensure this vital health information was accessible to non-Chinese speaking members of the community. We then disseminated the electronic versions of both handbooks through community social groups, ensuring the preventative guidance could be conveniently shared to help seniors safeguard their health.
Summary
Our “Education Tree” is a comprehensive educational framework designed to cultivate scientific curiosity across generations, grounded in a core philosophy of inclusivity and dialogue.
For our youngest learners, we sparked wonder through hands-on activities like clay-cell modeling and interactive virtual storytelling. We engaged middle and high school students—the “trunk” of our tree—through an extensive “Building Life” lecture series that spanned multiple cities and collaborative exchanges with peer iGEM teams, fostering critical thinking about synthetic biology’s power and responsibilities. At the university level, our “Synthetic BioQuest” broke down disciplinary silos, inviting students from diverse academic backgrounds to explore science through playful, inquiry-based challenges. Finally, we extended our reach to the wider community, including elders, weaving science into daily life with an accessible, story-driven handbook. More than just a series of events, the Education Tree is our commitment to nurturing a living network where science becomes a shared, accessible language for all.
Immersive Educational Experience
Our educational philosophy is rooted in the belief that true understanding blossoms not from passive learning, but from active, multi-sensory engagement. We sought to move beyond traditional lectures by translating complex scientific principles into the universal languages of interactive gameplay, physical sport, and aural art. This approach transforms abstract concepts into tangible, memorable experiences, making science more accessible and exciting. By leveraging the power of these sensory experiences, we aimed to create a more inclusive and emotionally resonant “garden of knowledge,” demonstrating that science is a field of immense creativity and human connection and ensuring the seeds of scientific curiosity are planted in fertile ground, ready to grow and flourish.
Interactive Experience: The Bioscience Culture Festival
On May 25, 2025, our iGEM team, in collaboration with the Life Sciences School Student Union, hosted a signature event for the annual Bioscience Culture Festival. This festival is a major campus-wide occasion, drawing a lively and diverse crowd. Our booth was thronged not only by life science majors but by students from across Peking University’s many disciplines, as well as curious off-campus visitors. Crucially, this included a large number of families with young children, making it an invaluable opportunity to spark scientific curiosity in the next generation. Our primary goal was to bridge the gap between complex synthetic biology concepts and a broad, non-specialist audience, transforming our corner of the festival into an accessible, exciting, and memorable hub of scientific discovery.
Figure 12: Our team's interactive booth at the Bioscience Culture Festival.
To achieve this, we designed a hands-on interactive game called the “Gene Circuit Challenge”. We drew visitors in with colorful posters and engaging 3D models, inviting them to step into the role of a “synthetic biologist” for a day. Participants were handed task cards presenting a specific problem, which they had to solve by designing a functional gene circuit. They strategically selected different biological input sensors, such as those for temperature or pressure, and combined them with fundamental logic gates like ‘AND,’ ‘OR,’ and ‘NOT’ to unlock the secrets of an engineered bacterium. Throughout the experience, our iGEM team members served as enthusiastic guides, translating the intricate mechanics of gene expression and regulation into simple, relatable language and analogies.
Figure 13: The custom-designed cards for the "Gene Circuit Challenge," featuring various synthetic biology components.
The impact was immediate and deeply rewarding. We witnessed moments of genuine discovery as a humanities student grasped the logic of a gene circuit or a child’s face lit up with understanding. By showcasing tangible applications like “Cancer Hunters” and “Smart Farm Managers,” we connected our game to the tremendous real-world potential of synthetic biology in medicine, agriculture, and environmental protection. The event reaffirmed our core belief that interactive engagement is a powerful tool for education. It successfully demystified our field, making it tangible and thrilling for people of all ages and backgrounds and leaving our visitors with a deeper appreciation for the endless possibilities that life science brings to our world.
Figure 14: Students and visitors enthusiastically participating in the "Gene Circuit Challenge."
Fusion of Sport and Science: The “D-B-T-L” Protein Pathway Challenge
On September 6, 2025, we hosted the “Design-Build-Test-Learn” (D-B-T-L) Protein Pathway Challenge, a dynamic event designed as a key station within the official orientation scavenger hunt for the incoming Class of 2025. This activity was strategically targeted at the approximately 120 undergraduate freshmen of the School of Life Sciences, held at the Golden Life Science Building on the Peking University campus. For these new students, this was one of their first formal introductions to the world of biological engineering. Our goal was therefore twofold: to introduce the foundational D-B-T-L cycle—the core iterative process of synthetic biology—in a way that was engaging and memorable, and to foster a spirit of collaboration and problem-solving in an energetic, team-based setting.
The challenge was designed as a high-energy, hands-on simulation. As teams of four arrived at our station, they were briefed on their mission: to function as a cohesive unit of enzymes to collaboratively deduce and physically construct a molecular synthesis pathway. This was a race against the clock, demanding not just scientific knowledge but also clear communication, strategic thinking, and swift execution. The teams had to physically manipulate components to represent the correct sequence of a biological process, a task that transformed an abstract textbook diagram into a tangible, high-stakes puzzle. The experience was carefully crafted to mirror the real-world process of biological engineering, where scientists must design, build, and test their ideas in an iterative loop to achieve a successful outcome.
Figure 15: The team's station for the "D-B-T-L Protein Pathway Challenge" during the freshman orientation scavenger hunt.
The event proved to be a powerful and effective educational tool. For many freshmen, this was an unforgettable, hands-on introduction to the principles that would define their future studies, providing them with a concrete understanding of the iterative nature of scientific research. Beyond its academic value, the challenge also served as a highly effective icebreaker. In the heat of friendly competition, students quickly learned to rely on one another, forging new friendships and building a sense of community. The activity successfully embodied the core tenets of iGEM—collaboration, creativity, and perseverance—and provided the perfect launchpad for the academic journey of the new class.
Digital Media Matrix: Sowing Seeds of Knowledge Without Borders
To bring our “Knowledge Garden” to a global audience, we cultivated a dynamic digital media matrix designed to transcend physical boundaries. We believe science should be a conversation open to all, and our online presence was engineered to make this a reality. Our strategy was organized around three key pillars, each contributing to a vibrant ecosystem of learning, engagement, and community.
Core Science Popularization
The foundation of our digital outreach was a reliable and accessible source of scientific knowledge. Our primary platform, the WeChat Official Account, featured 20 articles that achieved a cumulative readership of over 7,500 by the end of September. This hub was built upon two flagship popular science series.
Our five-part “Synthetic Biology Series” was crafted to guide readers on a comprehensive journey from the practical to the profound. The series unfolded logically to build a holistic understanding:
- We began with Applications, grounding the science in daily life by exploring “smart” probiotics that regulate gut health, yeast that produces milk proteins without cows, and bio-fermentation that creates sustainable cosmetic ingredients like squalene.
- Next, the Tools chapter demystified core technologies, using analogies to explain CRISPR as a “find and replace” function for DNA and DNA synthesis as a “life printer”.
- Having built this foundation, the Ethics chapter elevated the conversation to encourage critical thought on biosafety—such as designing “safety locks” for engineered microbes—and the equitable access to these powerful new technologies.
- We concluded with the Future chapter, sparking imagination with concepts like DNA data storage and engineered microbes for space exploration.
Figure 16: The five-part "Synthetic Biology Series" of educational articles.
Connecting directly to our project, the six-part “‘Lasting Peace for Your Gut’ Series” empowered the public with actionable health knowledge. Each article profiled a common gastrointestinal pathogen, such as Helicobacter pylori, in an accessible format. We used “Pathogen Files” to outline core traits, described symptoms and transmission routes with memorable rhymes, and critically discussed the limitations of existing treatments, like the side effects and antibiotic resistance associated with the “quadruple therapy” for H. pylori. Each piece concluded with practical prevention advice, effectively bridging a widespread health concern with the innovative solution our project offers.
Figure 17-18: The "'Lasting Peace for Your Gut' Series" on gastrointestinal pathogens.
Channel for Emotional Connection
We believe that a truly effective learning experience must be emotionally resonant. To build a community, not just an audience, we focused on genuine human connection. A key example was our Bilibili video encouraging students during the high-stress “Gao Kao” (National College Entrance Examination). This initiative was not about self-promotion but about offering solidarity and support. By connecting with our audience on a personal level, we aimed to show that science is a passionate pursuit driven by people who care, making our “Knowledge Garden” a warmer and more welcoming space for all.
Figure 19: The team's Bilibili video offering encouragement to students during the "Gao Kao" (National College Entrance Examination).
Showcase for Amplifying Impact
Finally, our digital matrix served as a transparent archive of our journey and its impact. We published seven detailed summaries of our key events, transforming moments like our Living Biotherapeutics Conference, our participation in the CCiC competition, and our synthetic biology lectures into lasting digital resources. This practice not only extended the reach of our physical events to a global audience but also created a public record of our team’s progress and the valuable feedback we received, allowing our community to follow our project’s evolution in real time.
Figure 20: A collage of event summaries posted on the team's official WeChat account.