Agriculture is the life supply chain that sustains global civilization—sunshine and soil give rise to food, connecting the most basic survival needs of different countries and groups. However, extreme weather repeatedly devastates farmlands, and the quality of arable land is silently deteriorating due to over-exploitation. This supply chain is facing severe challenges, while we pay attention to the immense potential inherent in plants; every interaction between crops and the environment reflects the wisdom of survival.
It makes us realize that agriculture no longer only carries the basic needs of satisfying people's hunger, moreover, under the constraints of resources and climate challenges, humans, it’s a key to link to achieving balanced coexistence with nature and achieving sustainable development.
We believe that the significance of this research project is not only to overcome technological challenges, but also to become a solution that is needed by society, understood and accepted by the public. To achieve this, we actively engage with different groups, listen to their needs, and engage in two-way interactions. In communications with growers, we share our technical principles, collect their actual demands and expectations regarding crop resilience, and optimize the experimental plan accordingly. During expert interviews, we both seek advice on experience and provide feedback on our technical challenges, jointly explore the feasibility of implementation together. In communication with the public, we not only popularize knowledge of synthetic biology, but also accept concerns about biosafety, and actively respond through public platforms to improve project risk response measures; During company visits, we actively learn from our experiences and, in conjunction with project progress, discuss with company representatives the commercial possibilities of technology implementation and our members' long-term exploration and growth paths in the field of synthetic biology. In policy research, understand industry standards and recommendations to ensure that projects are carried out within a compliant framework. Every communication is a two-way calibration process between the project and social needs, allowing the technological exploration in the laboratory to gradually have the possibility of practical application and solving real problems.
In order to truly serve the public, we use the 5W1H framework to promote comprehensive human practice work, forming a two-way closed loop from requirement collection to problem feedback and solution optimization.
The "Who", "Why", "Where", and "What" that shaped our project
Initially, our design was mainly based on literature review and assumptions, in order to keep our research relevant to reality and clarify who our project would be useful to and who would be concerned about. We have attempted to identify all stakeholders who will be affected or have the potential to affect the project, and have created this matrix. It witnessed how our project went from a simple idea to becoming increasingly mature and responsible through continuous dialogue with society.
The Core Group：
- Technical Experts: They provide technical feasibility certifications, and their support is the cornerstone of the scientific credibility of the project.
- Agricultural Growers: They are the end users of the technology, and their adoption directly determines the practical application effect of the project. It is essential to listen to their needs and pain points throughout the entire process.
Key Stakeholders：
- Policy Makers: They control regulatory approvals and policy directions. Although they may not pay much attention on a daily basis, their decisions can determine the project itself. It is essential to ensure that the project complies with regulations and actively mitigate risks.
- Agricultural Enterprises: They possess the capital and channels to commercialize technology. There is a need for learning and in-depth communication.
Operational Links：
- General Consumers: They are the purchasers of end products, and their acceptance affects market sales. It is necessary to build trust through popular science and transparent communication to eliminate doubts about the technology.
- Fresh Food Supermarkets: They connect production and sales, focusing on product quality, freshness, and consumer feedback. It is necessary to prove that the technology can lead to longer shelf life and better product appearance.
Broader Ecosystem：
- Downstream Application Enterprises: They are potential partners, but currently have a low degree of relevance. The possibility of future applications of the project can be communicated, but there is no need to invest a lot of communication resources.
- Environmental Protection Organizations: They are external forces in project review, concerned with technologies related to environment, biodiversity, and sustainable agriculture. They can be kept informed.
This map serves as a 'map' for our dialogue with society, and based on this sub-map, we have conducted a series of research and interactions.
(WHEN) Stage One
(WHY) Validate the authenticity of the issue and ensure the project addresses a real need.
Xiaotangshan Agricultural Planting Park is the first national-level agricultural science and technology park in Beijing, established in 1998, covering an area of about 2,500 acres. It has a rich variety of crops, including fruits, vegetables, flowers, and plants that are both medicinal and edible. The park uses Internet of Things (IoT) technology to collect data on temperature, humidity, light, and other factors through sensors, intelligently regulating equipment to create a suitable growing environment. Biotechnology methods, including tissue culture and gene editing, are employed for the rapid and high-quality reproduction of seedlings. Techniques such as soilless cultivation and precise drip irrigation ensure efficient use of resources, while an integrated water and fertilizer management system increases the utilization rates of water resources and fertilizers by more than 50% and 30%, respectively.
In this survey, we conducted on-site observations of the plant growth environment, the waxy growth conditions of different plant leaves, and the light, temperature, and humidity control systems in the greenhouse. During an interview with Ms. Zhao from the plantation, we learned that pest control heavily relies on pesticides. Although pesticide technology is mature, it is costly, and resistance is inevitable. Outdoor planting faces no effective solutions for extreme weather, while the greenhouse can buffer external influences through temperature and humidity controls; however, environmental parameters can still trigger plant stress responses. Xiaotangshan Plantation integrates retail picking and wholesale; freshness of fruits and vegetables is also a significant issue. The short storage time after harvesting leads to loss, while picking fruits and vegetables that are not yet ripe can compromise quality. Complex packaging is necessary during wholesale sales to reduce transportation loss.
Through this field research, we had a surprising discovery — the actual needs of agricultural growers are very aligned with our research direction of enhancing plant wax through light regulation. For example, enhancing wax can help plants resist pests and diseases, thereby reducing pesticide use, and it can also improve plants' resistance to adversity such as drought and strong light. At the same time, the shelf life of fruits can be extended, reducing transportation losses. These address critical pain points in cultivation.
Ms. Zhao also specifically told us in the interview that for scaled cultivation like theirs, they can sometimes apply for government subsidies to cover part of the costs for new technologies or transportation. This made us realize that the promotion of the project can not only rely on the value of the technology itself, but can also actively align with agricultural policies. For example, integrating into green agriculture support programs, using policy support to lower the threshold for growers to experiment, allowing our technology to be implemented more effectively.
Xiaotangshan Agricultural Planting Park is the first national-level agricultural science and technology park in Beijing, established in 1998, covering an area of about 2,500 acres. It has a rich variety of crops, including fruits, vegetables, flowers, and plants that are both medicinal and edible. The park uses Internet of Things (IoT) technology to collect data on temperature, humidity, light, and other factors through sensors, intelligently regulating equipment to create a suitable growing environment. Biotechnology methods, including tissue culture and gene editing, are employed for the rapid and high-quality reproduction of seedlings. Techniques such as soilless cultivation and precise drip irrigation ensure efficient use of resources, while an integrated water and fertilizer management system increases the utilization rates of water resources and fertilizers by more than 50% and 30%, respectively.
During an on-site interview at Freshippo, Manager Liu, responsible for the supermarket's fruit and vegetable section, revealed the core operational challenges faced by the fresh retail industry. Currently, the average loss rate of fresh products in this supermarket is as high as 8.2%, with categories such as strawberries, grapes, and leafy vegetables being particularly vulnerable, having a shelf life of only 1-3 days. To maintain quality, the supermarket has to rely on high-cost cold chain logistics, dynamic humidity control systems, and meticulous smart temperature layer management technologies. For products that are no longer fresh, they are typically discarded directly; however, for items that still look acceptable but are past their expiration date, additional manpower and logistics resources are needed to redirect them to discount channels for sale, which further increases the operational burden.
This research has led us to new reflections on the strategy for implementing technology. The strong demand from merchants for technology to reduce waste has validated the enormous potential commercial value of our project. However, the contradiction in consumer perception between 'visual freshness' and 'actual shelf life,' as pointed out by Manager Liu, provides us with crucial information. This has prompted an optimization of our project direction: in the future, we not only need to prove through laboratory data that 'light-controlled wax technology' can effectively extend shelf life, but we also need to focus on whether this technology can simultaneously maintain or even enhance the visual quality of fruits and vegetables, such as color and firmness. In terms of promotion strategy, our focus will shift from merely promoting the technical advantages to providing solid economic benefit models or demonstrating clear scientific shelf labeling, to explain the situation of 'longer shelf life leading to slower sales,' so that the value created by the technology is perceived and accepted by consumers.
We randomly surveyed 15 groups of consumer households in the supermarket. The survey found that consumers generally prefer natural plant waxes and are concerned about artificial waxing, especially families with children, who are more inclined to choose 'organic' and 'natural' products. Although some consumers stated that they were not clear about the specific role of wax and were more focused on the immediate freshness and appearance of fruits and vegetables, when they learned that our technology is 'enhancing the plant’s own wax' rather than adding an external one, they all showed a high level of acceptance. Some consumers also expressed concerns, mainly focusing on worries that the thickened wax might affect the taste.
Through random surveys of consumers, we are convinced that the technology route of our project is highly aligned with the core demands of the consumer end. Consumers' preference for 'natural' and their concerns over 'artificial additives' highlight the unique advantage of our strategy of 'light-regulating the plant's own wax synthesis.' It is not just another waxing technique, but rather triggers the plant's own protective mechanisms. This not only provides us with clear communication priorities for the market, emphasizing 'stimulating natural protection' rather than 'technical treatment,' but also strengthens our product positioning centered around 'safety and naturalness.' Consumers' concerns about taste also suggest that taste assessment needs to be validated as an important indicator. Moreover, the differences in the needs of different households indicate that in the future, we can develop differentiated strategies targeting segmented groups during promotion, allowing our project to better serve the expectations of different consumers.
(WHEN) Phase Two
(WHY) Integrate responsibility and safety into project design
Should our project choose Arabidopsis or Nicotiana benthamiana as the model crop for studying light-regulated cutin synthesis?
Professor Liu, while recognizing the status of Arabidopsis as a classic model, analyzed the applicability of Nicotiana benthamiana based on the preparation period of our project, technical feasibility, and the degree of result display. He pointed out that Nicotiana benthamiana, with its rapid and efficient genetic transformation capability, sufficient biomass, and genetic advantages over other economic crops, is more suitable for completing gene function verification, phenotypic data collection, and demonstrating application potential within a limited project cycle.
Professor Liu's systematic analysis made the decision-making process of our team clearer. In the end, we decided to adopt Professor Liu's suggestion and choose Nicotiana benthamiana as the main model crop for this project. Time is our most precious resource as an iGEM team, and its shorter growth and transformation cycle allows us to carry out multiple rounds of 'design-build-test' within the competition timeframe. The broad leaves of Nicotiana benthamiana provide us with easily accessible abundant biological materials and also ensure the accuracy of waxy biochemical analyses. As a representative species of the Solanaceae family, Nicotiana benthamiana enhances the potential value of our research results for transformation and promotion in agricultural production, finding a better balance between basic research and practical application for the project.
Consulted Professor Yang on issues related to the technical feasibility, biosafety regulations, innovative exploration, and responsible development of the light regulation of plant wax synthesis project. Professor Yang provided specific suggestions on the following aspects during the discussion:
- In terms of experimental strategy, the project advances with an engineering and modular approach, suggesting a focus on key genes in both upstream and downstream to achieve phenotype-gene association validation, significantly enhancing experimental feasibility. The light gradient design should be reasonably set using literature and preliminary experiments to avoid blind attempts, thus saving time costs.
- We further inquired about the details of laboratory operational norms and biological safety management processes. Professor Yang emphasized that although there are no ethical approval requirements like those for animal experiments, strict biological safety control measures must be established: all gene editing materials must undergo high-pressure sterilization in the laboratory to prevent environmental leakage, and experimental waste must be classified and disposed of centrally. The team must formulate and comply with safety operation SOPs, especially in the construction of CRISPR vectors and plant transformation stages. These suggestions have helped us systematically construct a biological safety practice framework for the project.
- Professor Yang pointed out that the inherent innovation of the plant chassis itself in iGEM inspires us to extend the project's value to resource recycling, development of industrial and medical materials, and providing a new plant platform for the large-scale production of natural wax.
- In response to potential public concerns raised by the project, Professor Yang suggested emphasizing that the technology only enhances the plant's own wax content without introducing exogenous genes, which falls under 'natural enhancement'. It is important to focus on public awareness and participation during HP activities. Based on this, we adjusted the content of our public communication materials to highlight the messages of 'natural, safe, and sustainable'.
The expert consultation with Professor Yang Jinshui provided crucial technical and strategic guidance for the project. The modular engineering concept proposed by Professor Yang allowed us to optimize the experimental design, focusing on key genes in the regulatory pathway rather than comprehensive coverage, which significantly improved the efficiency and feasibility of research and development. On the biosafety front, we established strict experimental operation protocols and waste treatment processes in accordance with his recommendations, ensuring the project is conducted responsibly. Particularly important is that Professor Yang guided the team to consider the potential value in resource utilization. Furthermore, he emphasized the need to balance innovation with standardization and encouraged us to hold ourselves to high standards, which has led us to continually refine the project design.
In the lecture, Professor Zhou Wei introduced a pair of transcription factors, SmMYB53 and SmbZIP51, discovered by his team that regulate the synthesis of Danshen ketone. He revealed how they finely tune the expression of the downstream target gene SmCYP71D375 through their interaction, thereby affecting the molecular mechanism of Danshen ketone synthesis. The study employed techniques such as yeast screening, yeast two-hybrid, pull-down assays, and EMSA, demonstrating the foundational research approach to endogenous regulatory mechanisms.
Professor Zhou Wei's sharing has provided us with a valuable learning opportunity. The research pathway of "yeast screening library → interaction verification → mechanism analysis" that Professor Zhou detailed not only offers us insights but also validates that the technical route adopted by our project is mature and feasible. This strengthens our commitment to the project research, verifying the ceramide synthesis pathway and light signaling regulation relationship between NbHY5 and NbCER1, confirming that this choice is correct. Just as Professor Zhou's team provides new targets for the metabolic engineering of Danshen ketone, we hope that by clarifying the mechanism of light regulation in wax synthesis, we can also provide strategies for developing crop resistance technologies based on light intervention.
Systematically sorted out the national laws, regulations, and regulatory framework related to plant synthetic biology research and agricultural genetically modified organisms, with a focus on analyzing the specific requirements for biotechnological R&D, environmental release, and safety management in key regulations such as the "Biosafety Law" and "Regulations on the Safety Management of Agricultural Genetically Modified Organisms." It clarified the legal requirements, approval processes, and regulatory bodies at each stage from laboratory research to field environmental release. Additionally, it compared the differences in regulatory policies between domestic and international contexts, providing a clear compliance path for project advancement.
Through an in-depth interpretation of policies, we not only clarified the current compliance requirements but also identified key areas that need to be prioritized and developed in the future:
- 1.Establish a policy communication and public participation mechanism. In the future, we should actively set up regular communication with local agricultural authorities and biosafety experts to report on project progress and potential risks. At the same time, we should explain the technical principles and safety measures to the public in an accessible manner.
- 2.Establish an internal ethics review group for the project to conduct self-assessment at critical points such as experimental design and material handling.
- 3.An excellent project should consider how to contribute to policy improvement. We could try to summarize the practices of this project in safety management and ethical governance, providing references for similar research and practical cases from the front lines.
(WHEN) - Phase Three
(WHY) Goal: To explore the learning path from laboratory to commercialization.
We visited the company's standardized tissue culture laboratory and communicated with the technical leader about the tissue culture and genetic transformation technical bottlenecks of hazelnut, a tree crop. We learned about the significant differences between it and herbaceous crops in genetic engineering applications, as well as the cost structure and efficiency optimization strategies in the industrial production of tissue-cultured seedlings.
This corporate visit provided us with an important industry perspective, allowing us to gain a deeper understanding of the application and conversion of research projects. After realizing the high difficulty and long cycles of genetic transformation and tissue culture propagation of woody crops, we more clearly recognize that the technology of light-regulated wax synthesis is more suitable for application in herbaceous economic crops or horticultural crops at this stage. These crops not only have high conversion and cultivation efficiency but are also easier to validate at scale in a controlled light environment.
The issue of production costs for tissue-cultured seedlings raised by the company prompted us to consider optimizing light source efficiency, lighting cycles, and energy consumption early in the technology development phase to reduce potential operational costs in future applications and enhance the economic feasibility and market acceptance of the technology. The standardized operational procedures, environmental control, and project management methods in the tissue culture laboratory have provided important references for us to conduct efficient and repeatable experiments in the lab, especially in photobiology experiments where environmental consistency is crucial for the reliability of the results. This corporate visit helped us understand the complete chain of technology development from a practical perspective, making our project's subsequent work more aligned with real-world logic.
During the visit, Ms. Liang, the head of the enterprise, introduced us to the collaborative innovation model of industry-university-research at Tsinghua University School of Engineering Research Institute. She shared in detail the complete industrialization path of Hetang Shenghua in the field of cell therapy, from laboratory research and development, process development to scaled-up production, and specifically discussed the characteristics of talent demand and career development pathways in the biotechnology field.
Ms. Liang's sharing made us realize that a complete research project requires not only innovative ideas but also systematic planning and management. Although we are still in the laboratory stage, we have begun to try to break down the project into multiple organically connected phased goals and set clear task nodes and time plans for each stage, allowing the team to proceed with the experiments in a more organized manner while also learning to plan the project from a longer-term perspective.
Through this exchange, we also recognized that the biotechnology field needs composite talents who not only master core technologies but also possess project management skills. This has prompted us to focus not only on the training of operational skills in the experiments but also to consciously cultivate comprehensive abilities such as teamwork, data integration, and results presentation. This realization has not only made our project execution more efficient but also provided clear guidance for the academic and professional development of each member in the future.
(When) - Ongoing
(Why) - Goal: To carry out responsible scientific communication and gather social feedback.
We distributed a public acceptance survey on "Utilizing Synthetic Biology Technology to Increase Plant Wax Content" through online channels, collecting a total of 322 valid responses. The questionnaire covered participants from different age groups and professional backgrounds, focusing on the public's awareness of plant wax, acceptance of synthetic biology technology, and attitudes towards potential application scenarios. In offline educational activities, we actively communicated face-to-face with 16 parents of participating students, using science popularization posters and interactive Q&A sessions to intuitively introduce the characteristics and functions of plant wax, while patiently addressing their questions and concerns regarding synthetic biology technology.
This social practice, which combines online questionnaires with offline communication, provided valuable public awareness perspectives for our project.
Online data shows that 42.86% of respondents had no knowledge of the concepts of 'plant wax' and 'synthetic biology'; offline communication revealed that many parents had 'heard of gene editing but were unclear about the difference from synthetic biology'. This finding made us realize the necessity to strengthen public science popularization of basic concepts. Accordingly, we adjusted our promotional strategy and used everyday metaphors such as 'plant natural protective clothing' in subsequent activities, which significantly improved communication effectiveness. One parent commented, 'Enhancing the plant's own capabilities sounds much more reassuring than gene editing,' prompting us to emphasize 'activating the plant's natural protective mechanisms' in all external materials, effectively reducing the public's sense of distance and concerns.
Data indicated that 59.63% of respondents were most worried about 'product safety,' especially health risks in the food and cosmetics sectors; in offline discussions, parents showed a higher concern for 'food safety' and 'health.' This prompted us to prioritize safety validation in our project. We specifically designed a 'Safety and Ethics' explanation column on our team's WeChat public platform to actively respond to public concerns.Online data showed that medicine and fruit and vegetable preservation were the most favored (accounting for 33.54% and 35.4% respectively), but offline communication with parents provided more specific feedback on their needs. Some parents suggested, 'If this can really reduce pesticide residues in fruits, I would prioritize buying such products,' which helped us further clarify the application direction of 'reducing pesticide use.41.61% of online respondents believed that government or authoritative institution safety certification' is crucial, and offline parents expressed similar views. This made us recognize the importance of transparency and authoritative certification. We carefully recorded all suggestions, continuously updated project progress through social media links, and established a long-term public dialogue mechanism.
Through this research, online questionnaires helped us grasp the macro awareness situation, while offline communication allowed us to deeply understand the reasons behind the data, making our project more aligned with social needs and achieved two-way communication with the public.
We conducted science popularization and research activities aimed at teachers and students through meticulously designed science posters displayed on campus notice boards and interactive workshops themed around synthetic biology. The activities covered 10 international high schools and attracted active participation and discussion from a large number of teachers and students, successfully collecting feedback information from the campus.
By analyzing the collected feedback, we found a significant gap in knowledge and a coexistence of curiosity among peers regarding synthetic biology. This prompted us to timely optimize our science communication content, replacing specialized terms with relatable analogies like "enhancing plants' natural defenses," which significantly improved the communication effectiveness. The most pressing question for students was "How does this technology affect daily life?" This made us rethink how to present the project, focusing on the practical aspects of how synthetic biology can solve real-world problems rather than just staying on a theoretical level. Coordinating activities across 10 schools greatly enhanced our organizational and coordination skills, which are equally valuable as laboratory skills. The innovative suggestions and ideas put forward by the students also provided important assistance for improving and advancing the project.
Our team has established social media accounts on WeChat public accounts, Xiaohongshu, Douyin, and Instagram. Through the production of popular science short videos, the release of project progress images and texts, and the organization of online Q&A interactions, we continuously disseminate knowledge about synthetic biology to the public and share the latest achievements in our research on light-regulated plant wax synthesis and our team's daily activities.
Through the content dissemination across multiple social media platforms, we successfully reached audiences from all over the country. Extending the project's impact far beyond the campus, allowing more people to understand and pay attention to the application potential of synthetic biology in the agricultural field. The instant interaction features of social media platforms enabled us to collect public opinions directly. Through continuous content updates and brand building, we gradually established the project's online presence. In this process, team members not only learned multimedia content production skills but also strengthened their ability to translate professional knowledge into public language for science communication.
Looking back on this journey, it was not just an experiment but also an exploration of growth and values. Through continuous dialogue with various sectors of society, we constantly listen, reflect, and iterate, deeply integrating technological research and social responsibility.
- Further optimizing light control parameters provides a reference for subsequent researchers on plant cuticle synthesis mechanisms and enhancing plant resistance strategies.
- Popular science content will continue to be updated. We will open source the popular science content and training materials to benefit more high school research teams.
Our project has become more complete and solid due to these dialogues. We have not only created a project on "light-controlled cuticle synthesis," but more importantly, it has broadened our team's cognitive boundaries, increased public trust in synthetic biology, and provided a new, green possibility for future agriculture.