Summary of Comprehensive Human Practices
I.Core Philosophy and Action Framework
(I) Guiding Ideology
Guided by four key questions—"What are we doing?", "Why are we doing it?", "How does the world affect us?", and "How do we affect the world"—we build a bridge between projects and reality through continuous interaction with the real world. We focus on the demands of stakeholders and take their opinions as the basis for product improvement to ensure that products meet needs and serve people and society.
(II) "5I Cycle" Action Framework
An innovative closed-loop iterative system consisting of five connected links is proposed to ensure that practice is professional, systematic, and rooted in reality:
Link Core Goal Key Content
Inspiration Identify problems and generate new ideas Explore project directions from real-world problems and potential needs of stakeholders
Ideation Develop preliminary solutions for the project Formulate project plans based on inspiration, and clarify technical directions and preliminary frameworks
Information Collection Improve and adjust preliminary project plans Focus on obtaining in-depth feedback from multiple parties, including farmers, distributors, scientists, and consumers
Improvement & Interaction Interact with society and seek opinions Optimize plans based on collected information and strengthen continuous interaction with stakeholders
Implementation & Outlook Expand the project and prospect its future Implement plans and layout long-term development directions such as crop expansion, standard formulation, and model promotion
II. Practical Implementation of the "5I Cycle"
(I) Inspiration: Identifying the Problem of Tomato Bacterial Wilt
A survey conducted at the Shanghai Jiangqiao Vegetable Wholesale Market shows that tomatoes are susceptible to Ralstonia solanacearum, which causes bacterial wilt. During the high-temperature and high-humidity season from June to September, the yield per season decreases by 30%-60%, and in extreme cases, there is a total crop failure. The disease causes wilting within 2-3 days after symptoms appear, with a mortality rate of nearly 100%, and it occurs at a critical growth stage. The pathogen can survive in the soil for 2-7 years, which also increases the cost of cultivation. However, existing prevention and control measures all have shortcomings and cannot completely solve the problem.

(II) Ideation: Determining the Technical Direction of Engineered Bacterial Agents
To address tomato bacterial wilt, the team, after consulting Professor Wang Qiyao from East China University of Science and Technology, decided on the plan of "engineered Escherichia coli secreting erucamide". This substance has targeted antibacterial properties and low cost, and the engineered bacteria can also colonize the rhizosphere of tomatoes. Taking into account farmers' demands for "effective prevention, affordable cost, and easy operation", the team formulated the strategy of "rhizosphere colonization + continuous secretion". It is planned to modify Escherichia coli and make it into beads containing trehalose. The application method is to dilute 100g of the beads per mu (a Chinese unit of area, approximately 0.0667 hectares) with 50L of water for root irrigation. The first irrigation is conducted 7 days after sowing, and supplementary irrigation is carried out in the early stage of disease occurrence.

(III) Information Collection: Investigating the Core Needs of Multiple Parties
Through interviews and surveys, the concerns and specific needs of different stakeholders were identified:

(IV) Improvement: Optimizing the Plan from Multiple Dimensions
To optimize the prevention and control plan for tomato bacterial wilt, the team developed a "trehalose-chitosan microsphere" sustained-release preparation to improve stability, and designed three levels of safety measures to eliminate concerns about residues. Additionally, the preparation was mixed with fertilizers to form granules, and an instruction manual was created to enhance usability. At the same time, the team strictly adhered to compliance requirements, held popular science exhibitions to promote the safety of the technology, and fulfilled social responsibilities.

(V) Implementation & Outlook: Planning for Long-Term Development
It is planned to complete tomato field trials by 2026 and extend the technology to all solanaceous crops such as eggplants and peppers by 2027. The team will collaborate with the Shanghai Academy of Agricultural Sciences and East China University of Science and Technology to draft relevant technical specifications and submit them, filling the gap in industry standards. In addition, a "green prevention and control loan" will be launched in cooperation with rural commercial banks. Farmers can apply for subsidies when purchasing bacterial agents, and the repayment period is synchronized with the 3-month tomato harvest cycle, reducing the pressure of early-stage investment on small-scale farmers.
III. Popular Science and Exchange Activities
To enhance the public's understanding of synthetic biology and the project, multi-dimensional outreach activities were carried out:
Activity Type Specific Content Target Audience Outcomes
WeChat Official Account Regularly publish project stories, scientific research highlights (such as research on erucamide), popular science knowledge, and interactive quizzes Students, farmers, and the general public The content is easy to understand, enabling readers to learn how the technology solves practical agricultural problems
Bilibili Science Channel Create animated popular science content (on the hazards of bacterial wilt and the principle of ErucaBead), scientific research vlogs (daily life in the laboratory), and interesting short videos (answering questions about pesticide use) Young people and students Disseminate information in a visual and entertaining way, narrowing the gap between academia and the public
Campus Roadshows Conduct lectures, experimental demonstrations (PVA dissolution test), and interactive Q&A sessions at the Shanghai Xuhui District Youth Activity Center and affiliated experimental middle schools Primary and secondary school students Covered more than 600 students, stimulated their interest in synthetic biology and green agriculture, and received invitations for subsequent cooperation from schools
University Visits Visited the bioreactors, material processing facilities, and proteomics laboratories of East China University of Science and Technology, and attended mini-lectures Team members Gained an intuitive understanding of industrial production technology and deepened the understanding of the interdisciplinary nature of synthetic biology
Expert Training Under the guidance of the college dean and PhDs in the fields of microbiology, plant pathology, and materials science, conducted lectures, laboratory practical operations, and case studies Team members Strengthened academic foundations and improved capabilities in experimental design and scientific thinking
Technical Learning Invited former iGEM alumni to conduct gene editing workshops, sharing the principles of CRISPR-Cas and experiences in iGEM Team members Addressed technical questions (such as stable gene expression) and obtained practical suggestions for competitions and project advancement
Competition Observation Watched the live broadcast of SynBio Challenges 2025 online and learned about achievements such as the water environment monitoring system of Zhejiang University and the medical track of Beihang University Team members Experienced the vitality of industrial applications of synthetic biology and strengthened the concept of "technology for good"
Cross-Team Exchanges Conducted online exchanges with the iGEM team of Shanghai High School International Division, and the Gout Buster and "Sun Wukong" teams of East China University of Science and Technology Team members Obtained suggestions for technical optimization (such as the coordination of T7 promoter and RBS, and soil attenuation experiments of engineered bacteria)
IV. Summary and Value
(I) Project Achievements
Under the guidance of the "5I Cycle", the team completed the whole-process practice from problem identification to plan optimization, and developed a low-cost and environmentally friendly "rhizosphere-colonizing engineered bacterial agent" plan to address the pain points in the prevention and control of tomato bacterial wilt. At the same time, through popular science activities, the public's understanding of synthetic biology was enhanced, providing a reference direction for technology and standards in the industry.
(II) Core Value
1.For Farmers: Reduce losses caused by bacterial wilt, lower the cost and operational difficulty of prevention and control, and alleviate financial pressure through the "green prevention and control loan".
2.For Consumers: Provide pesticide-free, safe, and high-quality tomatoes to meet the demand for healthy diets.
3.For the Industry: Provide a reference technical path for the research and development of engineered microbial pesticides, promote the formulation of industry norms, and conform to the policies of "green agriculture" and chemical pesticide reduction.
4.For Society: Disseminate knowledge of synthetic biology, cultivate the scientific thinking of young people, and contribute to the sustainable development of agriculture.
(III) Future Directions
Continuing to be guided by the "5I Cycle", the team will promote the implementation of tomato field trials, expand the application to solanaceous crops, improve industry standards, and deepen the "government-enterprise-farmer" cooperation model, so that the technology can truly take root in the fields and benefit more producers and consumers.