Team:Tokyo Tech/Policy and Practices

Beyond the bench, our project contains a major question: how to make iGEMers and other students majoring in biology understand economics (see Understanding Economics for more detail). Our approach to this question, which was obtained from interaction with the general public, was development of educational tool for economics using E. coli. We thank this interaction which strongly influenced our scientific-project planning. Evaluation of our educational tool from students majoring in biology clearly showed the usefulness of the tool (Fig 6-1-0-1). We think that our presentation supported with BioBrick parts and modeling can be easily adapted to not only iGEMers, but other students majoring in biology, who are great human resources of innovation.

Through activities beyond the bench, we also encountered other questions for safety, future, and image of synthetic biology. An example of such question is how we can solve the safety problem for distribution of our educational tool. We consulted the biosafety expert, Mr. Tomoya Saito, who is working for National Institute of Public Health. He gave us a lecture on dual-use technology. After that, we asked him some questions about biosafety (Our questions about biosafety is below).

We aimed at letting a broad range of people know synthetic biology. The people involved in our activities include elementary students to elderly, as well as people without any scientific background to people who majored in Computer Science. During these activities, we did a poster session and presentation using interactive visuals and understandable texts. We explained our projects, what genetic manipulation is, and what benefits synthetic biology can bring to us. The audience gave us many feedbacks about our projects, and opinions about how they think about synthetic biology. We appreciate all the people involved in our activities.

This year we participated in the following activities:

・Poster Session Open to the General Public

・Interview with the Science Magazine "Newton"

・MUSE TALK: Advice from Entrepreneurs

・Visit to Elementary School

・Genetics Society of Japan

> Jump to Poster Session Open to the General Public

Next, we introduced our Bank E. coli project to businessmen, executives, and technicians engaged in IT company for some professional opinions at MUSE TALK.

They pointed out that economic wave should be introduced into our system for more reality. According to their advice, we improved our system to show more authenticity.

Also, many people asked questions related to safety. It was because the safety problem must be cleared in order to commercialize our ideas. They all thought it would be a big business chance, if genetically engineered E. coli can be released safely in human and nature.

We encountered two questions here: reality and safety.

Finally, we sent out questionnaires to the students of Tokyo Institute of Technology to confirm whether our project would help the understanding of economic system. Most of them said that they almost understood the mechanism of how economy works.

Additionally, we consulted Mr. Tomoya Saito, an expert in biosafety working for National Institute of Public Health. He gave us a lecture about dual-use technologies and useful advice on biosafety.

To introduce our projects to the visitors, we made a poster for each project. Using figures, we tried our best to make it easy for people from any background to understand. Besides posters for our projects, we also made an introduction to iGEM to let more people know about it.

The five projects that we introduced at the poster session were: solar battery, treatment for pollen allergy, lie detector, Bank E. coli, and fertilizer.

In this project, we tried to make a lie detector by using E. coli. By putting Na+ channel in the flagellum motor, E. coli responds to the sodium ion contained in a liar′s sweat and starts running. If the E. coli moves, it comes in contact with lysozyme and the outer membrane dissolves. Then, ATP inside the E. coli is released to react with luciferase, producing a glow.

We thought of making E. coli act as a bank by taking things in and out. We had two scenarios for this theme:

• Exchanging things between Bank and Consumer

Other than these stories, recreating the bursting of the bubble economy with E. coli was also in the plan.

Micronutrient fertilizer is very important to the growth of crops. However, more than 70% of the fertilizer goes unused in soil. Phosphorus included in the fertilizer becomes insoluble by binding with metals, such as aluminum and calcium. Since plants cannot absorb these immobilized phosphorus, the phosphorus accumulates in the soil. To solve this problem, we decided to use E. coli to degrade the immobilized phosphorus into phosphoric acid, which plants can absorb. After producing phosphoric acid, E. coli stores it in its body in a polymeric form. By collecting these E. coli and extracting the polymer, we can retrieve the phosphorus left in the soil.

Many visitors, especially those lacking a scientific background, reacted negatively to E. coli at first. However, by introducing the properties of E. coli, we were able to change their mind. On the Post-it notes, there were many opinions saying that they were looking forward to new inventions using E. coli. We can say that our goal, which was to inform people know and change their negative thinking about synthetic biology, has been achieved.
Click here to see visitors' opinions

The rule of this game is like poker. When we gather a whole series of cards, we can get points. By gathering them together, the player can understand how the combination of different genetic parts can be used to create living organisms with new and desired function.

To make sure the students understood the essence of the card game, we also explained the team’s project by using slides (Fig. 6-1-6-3.).

6-2 Questionnaire

After the game, we asked the students to answer a questionnaire. Our survey consisted of the following questions:
Q1. Was the game rule easy to understand? : Easy / Cannot Say / Difficult
Q2. Was the explanation on the card easy to understand? : Easy / Cannot Say / Difficult
Q3. Have you heard of genes and proteins before? : Yes / No
Q4. What kind of image did you have about genes?
Q5. Did you know the word “synthetic biology” before? : Knew very well / A little / Not at all
Q6. Did you become interested in synthetic biology after playing the game? : Yes / No
Q7. What do you want to make by using synthetic biology?
Q8. Free comments about the game

6-3 Result of Analysis

Click here too see the result

6-4 Consideration of Safety

After playing cards with the students, we were able to have a talk with the school principal and vice principal. They appreciated us for creating cards and teaching the students about synthetic biology in a simple and approachable way.

It was their first time to learn about synthetic biology in detail, so the principals were impressed of the possibility of this field. However, they had doubts about the safety using genetically engineered creatures. Since those creatures do not exist in nature, we do not know what will happen when they are released into the wild. If something happens, it might take a long time to get the previous nature back. Many people have this fear of genetic engineering, and this leads to the bad image of synthetic biology. Based on these doubts, we explained to them the scientists’ measurements for safety. When we make a discovery, for example “iPS cells”, we consider if it is okay to use them for human or nature on a long-term basis. Just like inventing a new medicine, we have to test them on animals for more than ten years, and when the safety is secured, we decide to use them on human.

By discussing with the principals, we were able to know the public mind toward synthetic biology. We feel this image is due to the ignorance of this field. If we can get more people informed of the reality of synthetic biology, maybe we can change the general opinion. We will continue interacting with a variety of people so that more and more people can learn about synthetic biology.

7-1 Discussion about Team Project

7-2 Discussion about iGEM JAPAN

We discussed about iGEM JAPAN’s future initiative at this meeting. Setting up iGEM JAPAN was committed to making it easier for iGEM teams to communicate with each other. However, the interactions between the iGEM teams have been decreasing recently, and the only event that iGEM teams gather together this year is the meetup held at Tokyo Metropolitan University in August.

We had to seek a solution for this problem. At this meeting in Nagahama, iGEM JAPAN created a Facebook page. Our future plan is to make a website directed toward the outside.

Through the activities mentioned above, we found one question about our project : how can we can solve the safety problem (related to the commercialization. )

Our approaches to this problem were interview to a biosafety specialist.

We consulted the biosafety expert, Mr. Tomoya Saito, who is working for National Institute of Public Health. He gave us a lecture on dual-use technology. After that, we asked him some questions about biosafety.

Q1. When we use bacteria that produces harmless substances, does a biosafety or biosecurity problem arise? (Naoto)

A1. In that circumstance, it is necessary to find out whether the problem comes from the bacteria or the substances. In other words, the measurement against the problem differs depending on whether the problem is biohazard or chemical hazard.

Q2. No matter how hard we try to keep biosafety, there remains a probability that researchers themselves might abuse the technology. How can we prevent that? (Riku)

A2. The most important thing is to not provide  funding or facility to those people. For example, the researcher who has dubious funding sources or who ordered dangerous series of reagents might be surveyed. Also, the achievements and status as a researcher will be checked if they ordered synthesis of genes. In the U.S, when they have debts or criminal records, their applications will be rejected.

The lecture of an expert in biosafety taught us many things we have to pay attention to as a scientist. When we thought about the comment for the first question “it is necessary to find out whether the problem comes from the bacteria or the substances”, we came to the answer that the problem came from the bacteria we use. After this lecture, we gave close attention to the waste liquid treatment. When the waste included E. coli, we made sure it was thrown in the Biohazard waste bag. All the experiments were carried out with more than one person, so that we can check each other’s mistakes.
From this approach , we were able to learn about the points scientists need to be aware of. We can say that this feedback gave many good effects for us.