Goal 4 - Quality Education

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Our iGEM team has developed a comprehensive educational program aligned with Sustainable Development Goal 4, focusing on ensuring inclusive and equitable quality education while promoting lifelong learning opportunities. Through carefully designed initiatives spanning seven consecutive years, we have created a sustainable model that introduces synthetic biology to diverse student groups while addressing real-world environmental challenges. Our program demonstrates how scientific innovation can be made accessible to learners at different educational levels, from elementary students taking their first steps in science to high school scholars preparing for advanced research.

We have implemented a multi-tiered educational strategy that serves students across different age groups and knowledge levels. For elementary students (Grades 3-5), we conducted morning sharing sessions and cement workshops that introduced basic scientific concepts through interactive activities and visual demonstrations. Middle school students (Grades 6-9) engaged in more technical workshops, including pipette painting and gel electrophoresis training, which helped bridge theoretical knowledge with practical laboratory skills. High school students benefited from advanced programs such as summer camps at The Chinese University of Hong Kong and comprehensive assembly presentations that delved deeper into synthetic biology applications. Each program was specifically tailored to participants' academic levels, ensuring equitable access to quality STEM education regardless of prior experience or background.

The sustainability of our educational mission is reflected in both our longitudinal approach and resource-efficient methods. By maintaining continuous outreach for seven years, we have established a self-perpetuating cycle of knowledge transfer where former participants often return as mentors and instructors. Our use of waste materials in educational workshops demonstrates practical applications of circular economy principles while making science education more accessible and relevant. The growing interest from students across all age groups, evidenced by increased participation and applications to join our iGEM team, demonstrates the program's success in fostering sustained engagement in synthetic biology and sustainable development.

Our educational initiatives have created lasting impact by making quality science education accessible to diverse student populations while promoting the principles of sustainable development. By designing age-appropriate programs that spark curiosity and build practical skills, we are helping to cultivate the next generation of scientists and environmentally conscious citizens. The continued growth of our educational outreach, supported by partnerships with academic institutions and community organizations, ensures that we can maintain and expand these valuable learning opportunities. Through this work, we are contributing to a future where quality education in synthetic biology and sustainability is available to all students, regardless of their background or previous exposure to science.

Goal 11 - Sustainable cities and communities

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Goal 11 Sustainable Cities and Communities, which aims to create a more equitable and sustainable world. This goal focuses on making cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable. We mainly focus on emphasizing the importance of safeguarding the world’s cultural and natural heritage, and reducing the adverse environmental impacts of cities, particularly concerning air quality and waste management.

Our team uses synthetic biology to protect historical heritage and provide an alternative approach to protect our historical heritage, cut reliance on resource-heavy methods, so as to reduce environmental impact to our heritage. Our project explores a recycling and biodegradable method that substitutes the current method of heritage preservation, such as plastic polymer coating; it contributes to environmental degradation during extraction and production, their non-biodegradable nature leads to long-term waste issues. Our project are not only focusing on preservation, we are experiencing prevention on historical heritage as the chemical materials can act as a barrier to moisture and pollutants, also it is abundant and can be sourced sustainably. Using biosilica materials in preservation efforts can help reduce reliance on plastic, aligning with more environmentally friendly practices.

To drive action, we hosted several events to deepen our insight in the historical and cultural heritage in Macau, listened and discussed with stakeholders in different fields, also promoting the importance of sustainability by presenting our project to them.

Our commitment is grounded in deep, local engagement. The heritage tour[HP01] was not merely a sightseeing trip, it was fundamental research. By closely examining the limestone and brick of Macau's UNESCO sites, and through subsequent discussion with the MGM Sustainability Team, we ensured our project was aligned with local community needs and cultural context. Meeting with government experts provided the critical official perspective. Their feedback was instrumental in shaping both our biological approach and our hardware device, creating a holistic solution that reduces maintenance frequency, cost, and material waste for the city. Professor Yuen's emphasis on structural integrity and the practical difficulties of accessing tall heritage sites directly inspired our hardware team. We developed a sensor-based crack detection and repair device with significant advantages for heritage preservation. The device enables early intervention before small defects evolve into major structural issues, minimizes material waste, and ensures precise application of our biological solution. This innovation dramatically reduces labor costs, safety risks, and material waste associated with traditional methods. To make heritage preservation a shared, community responsibility, we engaged the public on multiple levels. At MIECF[EDU01], we connected our project to the broader goals of sustainable production.

For further information, please consider visiting the Human Practice Section, Education Section and Hardware Section on our website.

Goal 12 - Responsible consumption and production

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Our project advocates for responsible consumption and production, emphasizing the global need to reduce waste, promote sustainable resource use, and encourage adoption of sustainable practices.

Current heritage repairing methods often rely on traditional practices such as clay-sand subsoil plastering, lime wash, and chunambo wall production. These approaches generate excessive substantial waste, for instance, repeated removal of modern emulsion paints, excess low-pressure injection materials, and discarded paper pulps from salt scavenging treatments [1]. Moreover, production of protective coatings, such as plastic polymer coatings and nanolime coatings, involves labor-intensive processes and repeated trials that are costly and environmentally damaging. All in all, these practices are unsustainable, due to their ineffective resource use, production of waste, and high material cost.

Our project applies synthetic biology to deliver a sustainable, three-step solution (adhesion, prevention, repairing) that addresses heritage deterioration caused by acid rain and salt efflorescence, which are primary factors worldwide. Our engineered E. coli reduce sulfates into cysteine, with enhanced efficiency via YdeD and YhaM. For structural protection, biosilica produced by silicatein fills cracks without generating harmful byproducts. Also, we improve bacterial surface adhesion using CsgA and INP genes, allowing the system to anchor firmly on buildings, especially in acidic conditions. Moreover, our solution offers sustainability benefits by significantly reducing waste through biodegradable, self-regenerating coatings, avoiding toxic residues compared with current traditional methods. Operating efficiently under natural conditions, our project minimizes environmental impact while maximizing resource use. Additionally, by combining effective repair, prevention, and strong adhesion, the system provides durable protection that extends the lifespan of heritage sites, ultimately reducing maintenance frequency, labor, and associated costs.

Building partnerships with international stakeholders plays a crucial role in transforming scientific innovation into real-world sustainable practices. We met with the management of MGM China Holdings Limited [HP07], an international group in Macau greatly dedicated to sustainability and cultural heritage preservation. During our visit, we introduced our innovative synthetic biology methods contributing to sustainable heritage conservation to the MGM management. They expressed genuine interest in our bioengineered solution, and were willing to pilot our solution on a small-scale test applied to the legs of the iconic MGM Lion Statue to assess feasibility. Additionally, they expressed their gratitude for the sustainability of our project in the innovative production and industries aspect, emphasizing their interest in long-term sustainable collaboration. They also offered to support outreach efforts by connecting us with government bodies and co-organizing public workshops at the Macau Science Center to raise awareness on synthetic biology and heritage preservation. This partnership reflects the power of cross-sector collaboration in driving locally grounded, sustainable innovation.

To connect synthetic biology to the public and education outreach, we participated in 2025 Macau International Environment Co-operation Forum (MIECF) [EDU01]. During the event, we showcased the success of our previous project using bioengineered methods to enhance production in orange peel essential oil. With our approaches, relevant products have already been produced on a small scale and launched into the market this year. The event allowed us to connect with NGOs, international enterprises, startups, and local factories that share the same goal in sustainable production. In addition, our interactive workshops held during the event invited participants from all ages to create their own fragrances with ingredients of our biotechnology yielded essential oils, raising awareness about sustainable lifestyles.

For further information, please consider visiting the Human Practice Section and Education Section on our website.

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[1] http://m.icm.gov.mo/mhd10/e/RepairKnowledge

Goal 13 - Climate Action

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Our project addresses the urgent challenge of climate change and its impact on cultural heritage preservation. Heritage sites are not merely architectural landmarks; they are living records of human history, artistic achievement, and cultural identity. Yet, these treasures are increasingly vulnerable to climate-related threats. Phenomena such as salt efflorescence and acid erosion are exacerbated by rising global temperatures, severe precipitation, and sea level rise. These forces accelerate material decay, induce structural stress, and are more prone to cracking, fragility, and in some cases, irreversible damage.

Current preservation methods, such as plastic polymer coatings or nanolime applications, involve applying specific chemical suspensions onto the exterior of buildings by skilled technicians, often requiring extensive scaffolding when working on tall fragile buildings such as cathedrals and monuments. While these approaches can provide protection, they suffer from several drawbacks. The treatments demand specialized expertise, which increases the labourpower. Also, the protective effect is usually temporary and limited, failing to have long-term prevention effect, which requires frequent applications. Then, the high cost of synthesising the chemical suspensions, making the methods economically unsustainable. In addition, the use of the chemical suspension may have staining effects on the exterior of the buildings, causing the appearance of the building changes. Finally, the use of large-scale scaffolding not only raises safety concerns but also leads to unnecessary material waste, adding to the environmental burden. Overall, current practices are not a sustainable and ideal approach to protect our heritages.

Our project explores how synthetic biology can introduce innovative, eco-friendly strategies for heritage preservation. By incorporating the csgA gene, which demonstrates improved adhesion under acidic conditions such as those created by acid rain. By adding scilicatein sequences, it enable the formation of biosilica with self-repairing properties. This biological process has the potential to reinforce structural integrity at the micro-level, creating a longer-lasting protective effect against climate-induced damage. In addition, our hardware team has developed a sensor-based detection device capable of identifying cracks in heritage materials and delivering our biological repair agents directly to affected areas. This integrated system reduces reliance on extensive manpower while improving efficiency in both detection and repair.

Beyond laboratory innovation, we are deeply committed to education and public engagement on promoting SDGs and iGEM into the public. Through initiatives such as our heritage tour [HP01], students gained first-hand understanding of Macau's UNESCO World Heritage sites, learning about traditional building materials, their vulnerabilities, and the role of climate change in accelerating deterioration. From interviews with government experts and property owners [HP03], we heard the pressing need for long-term, cost-effective, and environmentally responsible preservation strategies. Our collaboration with MGM Management, a recognized leader in promoting the SDGs in Macau, allowed us to exchange ideas on sustainability, project design, and community engagement. These experiences underscored the importance of linking scientific innovation with societal awareness, ensuring that heritage preservation remains both technically viable and socially meaningful.

For further information, please consider visiting the Human Practice Section, Education Section and Hardware Section on our website.