In iGEM, “Education” is not only about teaching synthetic biology; it is about meeting people where they are, building trust, and helping communities make informed health decisions. Because our project targets post-operative colorectal cancer (CRC), we designed an education program with two complementary goals:

1. Introduce synthetic biology (SynBio) in accessible, age-appropriate ways so that non-experts understand what engineered probiotics and optogenetics are—and what they are not.
2. Promote CRC prevention knowledge (risk factors, early warning signs, and screening) so people—especially older adults—can act early.

To achieve this, we separated our audience into two groups with different learning needs:

• Youth & Students (secondary/tertiary): curious about how SynBio works, eager for hands-on activities and career pathways. We focused on conceptual clarity, safety ethics, and creativity (e.g., games, demos, design challenges).
• Middle-aged & Older Adults / General Public: primarily care about health outcomes and safety. We emphasized CRC prevention, practical screening guidance, and how our therapy remains controlled and safe.

Across all activities we followed a DBTL approach for outreach: design each intervention with clear learning objectives → pilot → collect quick feedback (1–3 question polls, open comments) → iterate materials

1) University Co-Learning Workshop at China Agricultural University (CAU-China)

What we did. We co-hosted an interactive session with CAU-China using their Synthetic Biology Card Game. Students formed small teams to assemble “gene circuits” with cards representing promoters, RBSs, coding sequences, and kill switches, then mapped those to real functions in our project (targeting, red-light control, biosafety). How we taught.

• Mini-talk: “From Parts to Patients — how a promoter becomes a therapy.”
• Card-game sprint: build a safety-first circuit for a probiotic; explain your logic to peers.

Open Q&A on career paths and research ethics.

Feedback & results. Students told us the game lowered the entry barrier and helped them see why our PBAD-MazF module matters. Several teams requested our slides and a printable game kit to reuse in their clubs.

• Accessibility: bilingual keywords, large-print cards.

2) Citywide High-School SynBio Forum (Beijing)

What we did. At a Beijing-based medical school’s outreach event, we joined multiple teams to give short talks on engineered probiotics and optogenetics, followed by a poster hour. How we taught.

• Live demo of a light-inducible workflow (conceptual only; no live organisms on site).

Small-group rotations to discuss safety, design-build-test-learn (DBTL), and human practices.

• Feedback & results. Teachers highlighted the clarity of our safety narrative (kill-switch logic, whitelist compliance). Students reported increased confidence explaining SynBio to parents/teachers and asked to adapt our safety slides for their clubs.

3) On-Campus Flagship Lecture (Auditorium)

What we did. We hosted a large public lecture at our school titled “Programming Probiotics: From Circuits to Care”. How we taught.

• 30-minute storytelling talk (problem → SynBio solution → safety)
• 10-minute hardware segment (why 660 nm light, why magnetic switch)

15-minute audience Q&A

• Feedback & results. Students valued the Bio × Hardware integration; several signed up for follow-up workshops. Science teachers requested our lesson slide pack for future classes.

4) In-Class Micro-Talks (Classroom Mini-Sessions)

What we did. We visited a biology class for short, discussion-led sessions. How we taught.

• “Choose-your-own-circuit” activity on a whiteboard.

Safety quiz (3 questions) to check understanding of whitelists and kill-switches.

Feedback & results. The micro-format fit tight schedules and improved core concept retention; students reported they could “explain our project in two sentences” after the session.

• Teacher takeaway: The micro-talk template is easy to repeat during the school year.

5) Family-Based Conversations with Older Relatives:

“Know CRC, Act Early”

What we did. Instead of holding a public seminar, our team members each reached out to their own grandparents, parents, and older relatives to discuss colorectal cancer (CRC) awareness and screening. This approach made the conversation more personal and approachable, allowing health information to spread naturally within families.
How we taught.

• Shared basic knowledge on CRC risk factors such as diet, smoking, and family history.
• Explained common early symptoms (e.g., changes in bowel habits, bleeding, unexplained weight loss).
• Encouraged relatives to seek regular screening and medical consultation if symptoms appeared.
• Briefly introduced the idea of engineered probiotics in simple language, highlighting that iGEM projects follow strict safety rules and only use approved biological parts.

Feedback & results.

Many older family members said they had never heard clear explanations about CRC prevention before. Several shared that they planned to book health checkups or colonoscopy appointments, or remind friends of similar age to do the same. This family-based communication model proved highly effective in spreading health awareness through personal trust networks.

• Accessibility: students adapted explanations to dialect or local language, used large-print handouts, and followed up later to check if their relatives had taken action.

6) Street-Level Pop-Up Booth:

“Ask Us Anything”

What we did. We set up a sidewalk information booth to engage passers-by. How we taught.

• Two quick one-pagers: CRC prevention checklist and SynBio in 60 seconds.
• “Myth vs Fact” cards about probiotics and safety.

Referral sheet listing local screening clinics and hotlines.

• Feedback & results. Many visitors said they rarely receive CRC-specific information in public spaces. The concise sheets helped them identify warning signs and know where to go if symptoms appear.

• Audience-first framing. For older audiences we lead with health actions; for youth we lead with how SynBio works.
• Safety transparency. We openly discussed whitelist rules for high-school teams and our decision to drop hemolysin after consulting the Safety Committee.
• Plain language, strong visuals. Minimal jargon, large fonts, bilingual keywords where helpful.
• Measurable learning. Short pre/post prompts (e.g., “name one CRC screening method” / “explain a kill-switch in one sentence”).

• Knowledge: Students reported better understanding of optogenetics, targeting, and kill-switches; older adults reported clearer awareness of CRC risk & screening.
• Behavioral intent: Multiple attendees stated they would book screenings for themselves or relatives, or ask doctors about appropriate tests.
• Reach & reuse: Teachers and student clubs requested our materials (slides, card kit, safety quiz), enabling replication beyond our own events.
• Community trust: Transparent safety communication (whitelist, PBAD-MazF logic) improved acceptance of engineered probiotics as a concept.

Our education program connects SynBio literacy with real public-health value. By tailoring messages to youth (how biology can be engineered responsibly) and to older adults/general public (what to do about CRC today), we demonstrate that iGEM education can both demystify science and improve health decisions.