Part 1. Organized A Wide Range of Popular Science Activities

Purpose：

In order to deliver potential health issues caused by folate deficiency to different groups of people, we organized interactive booth activities. In this way, the public can develop a rational understanding, learn to balance nutrition by eating high-folate foods daily, and view new technology products from a scientific perspective.

In order to provide the practical uses of synthetic biology in food safety and nutritional health to the public, we conducted activities to helps residents understand how synthetic biology addresses the daily issue of "eating", reduce public unfamiliarity with advanced biotechnology.

In order to publicize transgenic technology to the public, we made efforts to deliver the knowledge of transgenic food and safety supervision. These efforts aim to spark interest in science, promote the ideas behind the "high-folate soybean" project, and gather public feedback to support the project's development.

Activity 1: Campus Science Festival Booth

Content：

We set up a booth at the Campus Science Popularization Festival of South China Agricultural University, which mainly targeted a wide range of groups such as teachers and students, Guangzhou citizens, and parent-child families. Using animations and four-page brochures, we explained "What is synthetic biology" and "the principles and applications of transgenic technology" in simple language. We took transgenic papaya as an example to illustrate its safety and current application status in China and abroad. A puzzle game was designed to help the public visually understand the morphological structure of soybeans. In the Q&A session, we raised discussion-provoking questions like "Which of the following may be controversies caused by synthetic biology" to guide rational thinking. This activity introduced our team's project by explaining synthetic biology and the safety of genetically modified organisms, and emphasized the social value of enhancing crop nutritional value through synthetic biology methods.

Reflection and achievement：

A large number of teachers, students and citizens participated in the activity, with over 100 copies of popular science materials distributed and 331 valid questionnaires collected. Questionnaire results showed that participants came from diverse backgrounds, including various age groups and occupations. Analysis of the questionnaire data revealed both what the public knows and doesn't know about folate, highlighting the key value of our science popularization activities. It was found that 92.15% of the public were unaware of the daily recommended intake of folate, indicating a significant gap in current science popularization efforts. Among those who had taken folate supplements (31.42%), food-based supplementation (32.69%) and health products (34.62%) were the main methods used. When asked about their preferences, 71.15% of respondents favored "food supplementation", which strongly confirms the public acceptance and market potential of our project's concept of "naturally enhancing nutrients through daily food".

Activity 2: "SynBio Mystery Box" Interactive Activity

Content：

SCAU-China and SCAU-Guangzhou teams worked together to host a science outreach event called "Synthetic Biology Blind Box: What Kind of Living Thing Will You Create?" This event used a fun and relaxed approach to show teachers, students, and visitors the amazing world of synthetic biology. Instead of using complicated jargon, the activity focused mainly on enjoyable interactive challenges. We designed three puzzle games and four theme booths to simulate the path of synthetic organisms. People of all ages, including kids, teenagers, and older adults, were able to learn and have fun at the same time. Staff members were on hand to explain the synthetic biology concepts behind the puzzles, helping participants get a basic grasp of the field's key ideas and real-world uses.

Reflection and achievement:

Most participants reported that this activity gave them their first exposure to and understanding of synthetic biology. The gamified learning approach was engaging with appropriately balanced difficulty, leading to high overall satisfaction. There was widespread anticipation for similar events in the future. These positive responses have provided crucial support and also offered new insights for planning subsequent activities.

Activity 3: Interactive Pop-up Booth in Front of Supermarket

Content：

We set up a booth in front of the busiest supermarket at South China Agricultural University, where we interacted with different passers-by to promote science. To encourage people to stop and learn, we added fun elements like games, lucky draws, and free gifts. Our leaflets gave detailed info on synthetic biology and high-folate foods, and explained how folate works for different groups of people. To get more people involved and help them remember what they learned, we had activities like plant puzzles, synthetic biology quizzes, and handed out small prizes.

Reflection and achievement：

The event ran for 5 hours and reached about 400 people, with 200 leaflets handed out. Around 100 people joined the interactive games, and we gave away 35 small gifts. Our survey showed that most people have little knowledge about folate. After we explained the content of the leaflet, over half of the audience looked through it right away, showing their interest in biological knowledge. Questionnaire results also revealed that many people are unaware that folate should be taken daily by people other than pregnant women or those trying to conceive, and they also don't know the right daily dose. During our interactions, the public participated actively and shared their true thoughts. This helped them learn basic facts about folate and become health information spreaders in the community, allowing the knowledge to be passed on further.

Activity 4: Community Parent-Child Lecture

Content：

In Pingshan Community, Taoyuan Sub-district, Shenzhen, three iGEM teams worked together to organize the activity for local residents—primarily parent-child families. This event included thematic lectures, interactive workshops, and prize-winning quizzes, complemented by video screenings, physical exhibits, and hands-on experiments.

The event centered tightly on the theme of "food", translating complex synthetic biology concepts into everyday language that residents could easily grasp. To kick things off, an iGEM competition promotional video was shown, highlighting innovative synthetic biology achievements by teams worldwide. This helped residents get a basic idea of how the technology can be applied in real life.

Focusing on "Preventing Diseases and Living Healthily", the session explained the high-folate soybean project, breaking down how synthetic biology techniques are used to specifically boost folate levels in soybeans. Participants also took part in microbial observation activities, where they used professional microscopes to examine samples of bacteria and mold, learning to tell the difference between beneficial and harmful microbes. During the lecture, residents learned about the links between microorganisms, food spoilage and foodborne illnesses, as well as the key role of proper cleaning, storage and cooking practices through detailed explanations. To boost engagement, the speaker wrapped up with a Q&A session where participants who gave good answers received small gifts. The lecture featured the iGEM team's competition project, which showed how lab research can solve real-world problems and brought to life the synthetic biology principle of "from Lab to Life".

Reflection and achievement：

Many local residents and families with children joined the event, creating an active and lively atmosphere. Afterward, we shared news about the activity through an official WeChat post, which got 61 views. Both the hands-on workshop and prize-winning Q&A saw strong participation: the experiment part ran for around 30 minutes, and several practical questions were raised during the Q&A. Teenage participants showed great interest in using microscopes to look at microorganisms. They got really excited when they first saw the "hidden" microbial world with their own eyes. Parent-child families stayed focused and engaged while looking through the microscopes together. During the Q&A part, parents and kids raised their hands to answer questions quickly. Lecturers and residents talked a lot with each other, making the whole place feel relaxed and full of learning. After the activity, feedback showed that participants said they "now have a basic idea of how synthetic biology is used" and "know this technology can solve food safety and nutrition problems they care about." Some parents thought the activity "helped their kids develop an interest in science and hoped more community science events like this would be held." Most people felt the activity "answered worries about everyday eating and made advanced technology easy to understand and feel real".

Activity 5: Interactive Museum Activity

The South China Agricultural Museum, with its extensive collection, serves as a key platform for the public to gain scientific knowledge and an ideal location for science education activities. Working together with two other iGEM teams in South China, we have combined the iGEM research projects from all three teams with the museum's exhibits to create interactive activities that blend exhibit exploration with synthetic biology outreach. The target audience includes faculty, students from South China Agricultural University, and Guangzhou residents outside the university (primarily parent-child families, with ages ranging from 5 to 70 years old).

Content:

A game is designed where participants search for exhibits in different museum areas. These exhibits are linked to the three iGEM teams' projects, and each project is briefly introduced in the accompanying activity guide. Visitors can naturally pick up basic synthetic biology knowledge related to the iGEM project as they tour and explore the museum.

The booth features several interactive elements: showcasing the team's self-developed "Minecraft" synthetic biology module; hosting quiz games based on science brochures; offering various grains for kids to make grain art, helping them learn about different grain types while building hands-on skills; and displaying 3D models of DNA double helix and bacteriophages. These visual displays encourage visitors to examine structural details like base pairing in the DNA model, and lead into explanations of key biology basics.

Biological art exhibition boards centrally present artworks (pencil sketches, watercolor paintings, bacterial art) collected by different teams from past educational events. Accompanied by descriptions of the creative process, they vividly demonstrate the beauty of interdisciplinary integration beauty of biology and art.

Reflection and achievement：

The activity ran for 5 hours, drawing a total of 1,328 visitors, with over 700 stopping by the science popularization and game booths. Children responded enthusiastically, loving both the museum exhibit-hunting game and the cereal sticker art they created with their own hands. They also mentioned learning plenty of new things, even if some concepts were still a bit unclear. Parents noted that getting to play games and learn alongside their kids was great; it let the whole family have fun together while teaching children some basic biology. The museum director commented that events like this have diversified how synthetic biology is promoted to the public, making good use of the museum's role as a platform. They expressed hope for more such mutually beneficial collaborations moving forward.

Activity 6: Online Science Outreach Article

Content：

Popular science articles were published on the team's official WeChat public account by making full use of online resources and leveraging team members' professional backgrounds and understanding of synthetic biology. The content covers basic concepts of synthetic biology and the fundamental logic behind AI design.

Reflection and achievement：

Over 1,500 page views and more than 1,000 readers were reached through the continuous release of synthetic biology-related activities and popular science articles. These articles not only documented the details of our HP work throughout the project implementation but also helped widely spread our project and philosophy, enhancing different groups' understanding of synthetic biology.

Part 2. Carried Out Targeted Educational Outreach Activities

Purpose:

Educational science popularization activities of varying difficulty levels were carried out for fifth-grade primary school students and college students. These activities aimed to popularize basic knowledge of synthetic biology among school students, help them understand the application scope and usage norms of gene editing in synthetic biology, stimulate their curiosity and interest in biology and synthetic biology, and expand possibilities for their future development.

Activity 1: Primary School Science Education

Content:

A science popularization class was held for fifth-grade students at Tangshu Primary School in Huadu District, Guangzhou City, Guangdong Province, where basic knowledge of synthetic biology was introduced. Experimental operations were organized to enhance understanding, and art creation sessions were set up, including writing (inventing new products using synthetic biology) and painting (designing mascots with synthetic biology themes). The course emphasizes that biological development should not come at the cost of environmental damage; instead, it should focus on protecting and restoring natural environments.

During the summer vacation, the Western Wheat Field Student Aid Group organized a science outreach activity for fifth-grade students at Dingxi Primary School. The activity covered basic biology knowledge in three parts: ecosystems, levels of biological organization, and cell and molecular science. It also included a simple introduction to synthetic biology. The concept was explained using a "computer programming" analogy, where DNA is likened to code, gene editing to program modification, and engineered organisms to new functional devices. Technical principles were presented, including microbial engineering processes and plant modification using high-folate soybeans as an example. Additionally, application cases in fields such as medicine, agriculture, ecological restoration, and energy innovation were showcased. Finally, an experimental session was designed where children were taught to extract DNA.

Reflection and achievement:

In the primary school education section, 90 primary school students took part, and all of them handed in their art creations. The feedback after the class was positive. Their works showed that they generally grasped the basic ideas of synthetic biology and its value in use. They also agreed with the environmental protection concepts highlighted in the course, which sparked their understanding of and interest in biology and synthetic biology.

Activity 2: Interdisciplinary Debate Competition for University Students

Content：

South China Agricultural University hosted an interdisciplinary debate competition themed "Is Patent Protection for Gene-Edited Microorganisms Appropriate?" The event aimed to break down academic barriers and encourage college students to think deeply about the ethical, legal, and social issues in synthetic biology innovation. It focused on teaching students about gene editing and patent basics, building their critical thinking and ability to analyze issues from different angles. This helped the audience understand the complex trade-offs in technological development and promoted a more responsible approach to innovation. The competition used the Asian Parliamentary Debate format, which features fast-paced, real-time argument exchanges. This style suited the multi-faceted complexity of technology ethics topics well. The debate topic directly related to common technical methods used in iGEM, prompting discussions on how innovation should be regulated and shared. The affirmative team argued that patent systems drive innovation and its practical application, while the negative team highlighted concerns that patent monopolies might create research obstacles and social risks. Professional feedback from instructors at the School of Life Sciences and Intellectual Property Center deepened the discussion by examining biosafety, technical feasibility, and legal practice from multiple angles.

Reflection and achievement:

Over 80 people participated in the debate, with the interactive segment lasting 25 minutes and generating more than 10 thoughtful questions from the audience, showing strong engagement in critical thinking. The event noticeably expanded participants' understanding. For instance, a student from the Law School shared, "I now realize patents involve not just business concerns but also ethics and access issues"; a Life Sciences student asked, "How can iGEM teams protect their rights if their work is open-sourced?" This question directly led the team to research open-source agreements in detail. The debate's arguments and challenges gave the team important social and ethical insights for developing protection strategies for the high-folate soybean gene components and related technologies in their project. This process truly reflected the core "Responsible Innovation" principle of iGEM Human Practices.

Part 3. Exploring Model of Industry-University-Research Integration

Purpose:

A core question guided the design of our "High-Folate Soybean" project in the lab: Does our developed product truly meet the practical needs of rural areas? And will farmers accept genetically modified crops? To avoid letting the project stall in uncertainty, we decided to step outside the campus, go deep into the fields, and gather first-hand feedback from the real world. Using our project as a case study, we demonstrate how concepts and outcomes originating from the laboratory can ultimately enter society and impact daily life.

Activity content: Summer Social Practice (Rural Vitalization)

In July 2025, the team conducted a 3-day summer "Sanxiaxiang" social practice activity. A combined approach of in-depth interviews and field surveys was adopted, which specifically included: holding one-on-one talks with villagers to gauge their understanding and acceptance of genetically modified crops; visiting soybean farms to observe local planting methods and technical requirements; speaking with village officials to learn about the implementation of local agricultural policies and the challenges faced by industrial development; and consulting agricultural experts to get professional technical guidance and planting recommendations.

Reflection and achievement：

Local village officials noted that compared with regular soybeans, which have lower profit margins, high-folate soybeans offer clear health benefits. This gives local soybeans an edge to move beyond homogeneous competition and connect directly with high-end markets and food processing companies. When quality standards are met, the purchase price will be higher than that of regular soybeans, directly boosting farmers' earnings. Looking at the industrial chain, stable buying can be ensured through contract farming, which protects farmers' income. In the medium to long term, it can attract deep-processing enterprises to collaborate, developing products like high-folate soybean powder and soy-based foods, thus keeping more profits within the local area. Additionally, it can be integrated with rural tourism development to become a signature healthy ingredient for farm stays and guesthouses. We also recognize that a successful synthetic biology project needs to be both technically and economically feasible. Project promotion can't just depend on the team working alone; trusted channels like local governments must be brought into play. That's why in our Human Practices work, we've added collaboration with grassroots agricultural technology units.

Part 4. Developed New Models

In the early stage of the project, an "Industrial Folic Acid Synthesis Differential Equation Model" based on chemical reaction equations was constructed, with neural networks used for auxiliary solving. This was done to understand the pollution and waste generated in industrial folic acid synthesis pathways, highlight the unique advantages of plant-based folate synthesis, and address the relative lack of research on pollution and waste issues in industrial folic acid production.

During the middle stage of the project, two models were developed to support practical implementation: an "AI-guided Gene Selection Model Based on Structure-Adaptability Prediction" and a "Fine-tuned Qwen3 Vertical Model Based on SFT and RAG". These models specifically target two key challenges: selecting appropriate target genes and enhancing the quality of information retrieval.

In the later stage of the project, understanding the folate content and distribution after soybeans are converted into soy products was considered crucial, since high-folate soybeans are often provided to consumers in the form of soy products. To simulate this process, a thermal stability model based on the structure of folate was constructed.

These models have significantly supported the project's progress at various stages and proven to be of great practical value. Additionally, the concepts and techniques used in these models are believed to benefit other projects as well.

"Good" module is our innovative practice of transforming the core concepts of synthetic biology and genetic engineering into interactive learning experience through the platform of "Minecraft". Through lively and interesting games, the module aims to provide players with opportunities for scientific learning, especially for young people, to stimulate their interest in genetic engineering, synthetic biology and future science. Its educational significance lies not only in the transmission of knowledge, but also in the cultivation of players'critical thinking, creativity and awareness of scientific ethics through simulation and interaction. The module is based on the MC Mod developed by the sustech-bio team.

SCAU Guangzhou Minecraft Genetic Modification Mod （in iGEM Team Software Gitlab）
SCAU Guangzhou Minecraft Genetic Modification Mod

For this year's iGEM, we've developed a unique educational large language model for synthetic biology—an AI tutor adept at communicating precisely with people of different cognitive levels.Traditional science outreach is often hindered by technical jargon. Our core breakthrough lies in using precisely engineered prompts to enable the same model to generate vastly different, yet equally brilliant, content. For children, it tells fairy tales about "DNA Lego" and "bacterial chefs". For students, it uses analogies like "molecular scissors" for CRISPR, linking to textbook knowledge. For the general public, it rationally discusses hot topics like artificial meat safety and environmental applications.This is more than a technical fine-tuning; it's precise alignment on a cognitive level. We make complex science accurate, understandable, and inspiring.

Part 5. Scientific Research Achievements in High-folate Soybeans

During the implementation of our project, it was successfully confirmed that high folate enrichment can be achieved in soybeans using synthetic biology approaches. By examining 4 different enzymes involved in folate anabolism, the key genes that effectively increase active folate components in soybeans were identified, and stable soybean genetic materials were developed. These valuable research findings will facilitate subsequent in-depth studies on these genes by scientists and promote the practical application of these achievements in actual production. Our project provides first-hand scientific information for the development of high folate soybeans.

Part 6. Comprehensive Improvement of Personal Abilities

Purpose:

This section aims to help team members better understand the core concepts of the entire project, boost their ability to carry out and finish tasks at each stage, learn from other teams' successful experiences, sharpen their awareness of potential problems and problem-solving skills, and strengthen the whole team's cohesion and competitive edge.

Activity content:

Online communication partners: 2024 iGEM Team SZU-China from Shenzhen University, 2025 iGEM Team CAU-China from China Agricultural University.

Offline communication partners: 2024 Team HKUST(GZ) from Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (Guangzhou), 2025 iGEM Team from Zhejiang University of Technology.

iGEM conference participation: IGBA Guangzhou Regional Exchange at Southern Medical University, South China Regional Exchange at Shenzhen University (Lihu Campus), iGBA (Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Synthetic Biology Industry-University-Research Forum) at The University of Hong Kong, China International Genetically Engineered Machine Competition Exchange in Zhongguancun, Beijing, and Shanghai iGEM Exchange hosted by the NACIS Shanghai Carotene iGEM Team.

Reflection and achievement:

Through these sharing sessions and discussions, we have not only gained experience in team formation and management, but also received comprehensive support and made progress in designing wet experiments, building models, and organizing HP activities. At the same time, the personal qualities and abilities of team members have improved, and the overall competitiveness of the team has been strengthened.

Timeline for Education Activities