Biotechnology Survey

Our project relies heavily on education for effective implementation. However, before one is able to educate, it is useful to gauge prior knowledge on the subject one wishes to educate about. The WLC iGEM Team worked to develop a survey to gauge knowledge as well as feelings towards biotechnology since using our probiotic effectively depends on understanding of this topic. Our team faced challenges developing this survey. Biotechnology is a polarized topic and therefore there are a limited amount of unbiased and reliable sources involving biotechnology, and specifically, genetically modified organisms (GMOs). As an iGEM team, we wish to use biotechnology to solve problems in order to help others. To reach a middle ground of understanding between those who have positive feelings towards GMOs and those who feel negatively, it will be useful to assess their feelings quantitatively.

To begin our research on this topic, we surveyed 18 current iGEM members (faculty and student population). The following questions were posed to the participants. The participants then rated each question on a scale of 1 to 5, with 1 being "strongly disagree" and 5 being "strongly agree." The participants were also given the option of "I do not know."

Knowledge Questions

1. Scientists are able to extract genes from a glowing jellyfish and add the genes to a bacterium to make the bacterium glow.
2. Genetic engineering is not important for medical research testing.
3. DNA is genetic information.
4. Humans have genetic code for their entire body in most cells.
5. When you eat lettuce, you are eating DNA or genes.

Opinion Questions

Science
6. Genetically modified organisms are dangerous to human health.
7. Monsanto is a company with a main goal of ending world hunger through acceptable means.
8. Genetically engineering results are predictable.
9. Genetically modified organisms do not help the environment (unless they were intended to).
10. All biotech companies are only interested in gaining larger profits.
11. Genetically modified animal feed harms animals being fed.
12. Genetic engineering is safe.
13. Genetically engineering plants can be a faster way of crossbreeding.

Regulation
14. Genetically modified foods are acceptably regulated by the government.
15. Genetically modified foods are acceptably regulated by researchers.
16. Genetically modified foods are acceptably regulated by the companies that sell them.
17. Products that are genetically modified should be labeled for consumers.
18. Genetically modified foods should be regulated by the government.
19. Genetically modified foods should be regulated by researchers.
20. Genetically modified foods should be regulated by the companies that sell them.
21. Genetically modified products should not be used in animal feed.
22. Genetically modified products are properly labeled.
23. All genetically modified products should be labeled.

Farming
24. Genetically modified organisms reduce the need for herbicides/pesticides.
25. Genetically modified plants produce a greater amount of crops than not genetically modified plants.
26. Farmers who use genetically modified seed tend to make more profit from crops than those who do not, if the genetically modified crop is used correctly.
27. Prohibiting genetically modified organisms would stop the emergence of herbicide resistant weeds.

Use
28. We currently must use genetically modified food to feed the world.
29. In the future, genetically modified foods will be needed to support the world's growing population.
30. Genetically modified organisms have helped the survival of the human race.
31. Genetically engineered food should not be consumed.
32. Genetically modified organisms, in and of themselves, are morally wrong.
33. Biotechnology has helped the survival of the human race.
34. Genetically modifying organisms is against God's Word.

Figure 1:

This is a representation of the average response (on a scale of 1-5, explained above). The black thin bars represent a standard deviation. Blue represents the response of those who identified themselves as "neutral" feeling towards GMOs prior to the survey. Green represents those who identified themselves as "Pro-GMO" before the survey.

Figure 1 Discussion

At first glance, Neutral and Pro-GMO responders had similar answers. There was not a dramatic difference between any questions. As this population was involved in iGEM, we assume at least a small base knowledge about GMOs. We were curious to see if more education would cause answers to be polar.