Exhibition

We hold a one-month long display about employing synthetic biology to combat antimicrobial resistance, which is cooperated with the Guangdong Science Center which is the biggest science center around the Asia and helped with SCAU (you can have a look at their wiki). We have prepared for the exhibition for half a year and tried to connect with many companies or schools like SCAU. Finally, our exhibition opened to the public at 1st Oct. 2014. At the first day, we can feel the enthusiasm obviously.

The volunteers selected from our freshmen of our school tried their best to explain the knowledge of the synthetic biology and let them know about the antimicrobial resistance better. All the volunteers were trained strictly by us with our whole heart devoted. Meanwhile, the freshmen who did this work also learned a lot about the synthetic biology and iGEM.

Our exhibition is divided into five parts:

1.exhibition board

The main part is the 10 exhibition boards filled with concepts of synthetic biology and antimicrobial resistance which were made by us with many days forgetting sleep and diet. As this picture shows, our team member was trying his best to explain the safety of synthetic biology. These boards contain the introduction, safety and application in antimicrobial resistance. During these days, many people came to look at these boards and learned a lot.

2.microscope area

The second part is the exhibition of some microbes which can arouse many diseases using the microscopes brought from our laboratory. The public were very interested in them and learned about the bacteria which can arouse the antimicrobial resistance. For example, we displayed some common antimicrobials, like Vancomycin resistant S.aureus (VRSA).

3.photo model

We also designed and made some models of cute characteristics which present different fields where synthetic biology can be used, which were prepared for people to take pictures. They attracted many children here to get some knowledge.

In the meantime, we made 2,000 brochures about Employing Synthetic Biology, To Combat Antimicrobial Resistance to showcase how synthetic biology influence and make our life better in its safety way. During the exhibition, the audiences were so enthusiastic that we were frequently asked about synthetic biology and our project.

In addition, we made a "signature wall" to let the public express their supporting for the application of synthetic biology in our daily life. We are surprised that audiences have already signed the whole wall after the first day of the exhibition.

For the first a-week holiday, we totally receive approximately 20,000 people from different places at different ages. According to the number of people (the number in weekday is about 10,000 per day, and in weekends is about 20,000 per day), We predict there can be approximately 400,000 people who can learn something from our exhibition more or less. In a conclusion, we can say that we make a great success on outreaching synthetic biology by combined our project.

Survey

How Much Do You Know about Antibacterial Resistance

Before our report, let me show you some information from World Health Organization. (http://www.who.int/topics/drug_resistance/en/)

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) occurs when microorganisms such as bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites change in ways that render the medications used to cure the infections they cause ineffective. When the microorganisms become resistant to most antimicrobials they are often referred to as "superbugs". This is a major concern because a resistant infection may kill, can spread to others, and imposes huge costs to individuals and society.

April 30th, 2014, WHO releases a latest report ANTIMICROBIAL RESISTANCE Global Report on Surveillance (http://www.who.int/drugresistance/publications/infographic-antimicrobial-resistance-20140430.pdf?ua=1),which introduces the situation of antimicrobial resistance around the world. Based on the data provided by 114 countries, the report indicates that Antimicrobial Resistance in particular antibacterial resistance (ABR) becomes a global problem and every have to pay attention to it. No matter Who you are or Where you are.

On the basis of knowledge we mastered, the most effective way to cope with antibacterial resistance is to exploit new antibiotics, which is the inspiration of our project Programmed Polyketide Synthesis.

Therefore, we make the survey How Much Do You Know about Antibacterial Resistance, in order to have a general overview about how the public uses antibiotics and judge is it necessary to exploit new antibiotics. Besides, we also broadcast the concepts of Antibacterial Resistance and Synthetic Biology and teach the ordinary citizens how to use antibiotics exactly.

Utilizing the National Day Golden Week holiday, we conduct the survey around Guangzhou Higher Education Mega Center through two main ways: Distributing on the street and Filling out online.

Through the efforts, we acquire 153 effective questionnaires.

These are some essential information of the interviewee.

Figure1 The gender composition of respondents

From the pie chart, the percentage of male and female is so closed that we might get information more accurately.

Figure 2 Age Pattern of Responders

Figure 3 Occupation Scatter of Responders

Figure 4 Education Background of Responders

Comparing with the three pie charts above, it is obviously that the majority of our responders are students who held a bachelor degree. This is followed by the high school degree. Only a minority held a master degree or a PhD (both 5% nearly).

It seems that the majority of responders have a higher education background, which makes it more easily to finish our questionnaire as they might have a learnt about ABR from the courses.

The most responders are the young and the middle-aged. They are more frequently use antibiotic and will pay attention to the drug's mechanism of action.

Before questions, we give a common basic knowledge on Antibacterial Resistance (ABR) & Synthetic Biology.

Later, interviewees are asked to choose the behavior when they contact the antibiotics.

Questions are divided into three classes, including how well you know about ABR, the way you use antibiotics and how many do you know to decrease ABR.

These are the data analysis from the questionnaires.

Question 1, Do you know something about antibacterial resistance?

A. Yes, I know. (85.99%)
B. No, I have not heard anything about it. (14.01%)

Figure 5 Do you know something about antibacterial resistance

Question 2, Do you know the relationship between antibiotic misuse and antibacterial resistance?

A. Yes. I know how the antibiotic misuse makes ABR. (64.97%)
B. Yes. However I do not know the mechanism. (23.57%)
C. No. I do not know anything about it while I am interest to learn more. (8.28%)
D. No. I do not know anything about it and I think it is not necessary to do that. (3.18)

Figure 6 Do you know the relationship between ABR and antibiotics misuse

From the two questions mentioned above, the public have a general knowledge of ABR, and more than 95% know or want to know the relationship between antibiotic misuse and ABR.

From the data in the past years of China, the phenomenon of antibiotic misuse is so serious. One of the primary causes is that people do not realize what will occur if they use antibiotic wrongly. As the time went by, the public awareness is improved. This makes people reduce the use of antibiotic consciously when it is unnecessary.

Question 3, The antibiotics that you contact in daily life including?

A. Floxacin (42.68%)
B. Penicillins (81.53%)
C. Cephalosporins (64.33%)
D. Tetracyclines Antibiotics (26.11%)
E. Macrolide Antibiotics (23.57%)

Figure 7 The common antibiotics in daily life

This shows that Penicillins and Cephalosporins are still the mainstream antibiotics on the market. It is not difficult to find that Macrolide Antibiotics becomes more and more popular at the same time. Especially, the most bacterium resistance works for Penicillins, which makes macrolid antibiotics expect to take place of penicillins. In other words, it is necessary and hopeful for us to produce a new macrolide antibiotic, using Synthetic Biology.

Question 4 to 6, Investigate the public attitude toward antibiotics.

Figure 8 Will you ask doctor to add antibiotics if you catch a cold?

A. Yes. I will if the drug is not effective.
B. I will be sure to follow doctor's orders.
C. I prefer to buy cold medicine by myself.
D. I will buy antibiotics by myself.

Figure 9 What will you do if you have to take antibiotics?

A. If the drug doesn't take effect, I will increase dosage with the permission.
B. I won't take medicine any more.
C. I will take medicine when I remember.
D. I will be sure to follow doctor's orders.

Figure 10 What will you do if the doctor give you some antibiotics used for long time?

A. Ask doctor to give me other antibiotic of new generation.
B. I will be sure to follow doctor's orders.
C. Have no sense in it.

As people have a deeper understanding of ABR, the usage of antibiotics becomes more the norm.

The rest of questions mainly investigates that how many solutions do public know to decrease antibacterial resistance and will they be willing to accept a now antibiotic.

Different from above, many people do not know how to decrease antibacterial resistance effectively.

Figure 11 What do you think about exploiting a new antibiotic using Synthetic Biology?

A. The first time must take the sufficient quantity of antibiotic.
B. Avoid using a same antibiotic for a period of time or using the same antibiotic for many times.
C. Mix different antibiotics for one time.
D. Transform the existing antibiotics.
E. Screen the new and effective antibiotics.

What really got everybody aflutter is that the design of our project gets the majority of responders' approval.

Figure 12 What do you think about exploiting a new antibiotic using Synthetic Biology?

A. That sounds great!
B. Have no sense in it.
C. It is not necessary to consume resources to do that.

In a word, we can draw conclusions from the information mentioned above.

1.As the time went by, people get a deeper education so that they know more about antibacterial resistance and begin to use antibiotics more careful.

2.Even though the public awareness has improved, ABR is still a serious problem around the world and we need to try our best to inhibit its wide spread. The most effective way to achieve this goal is to exploit the new and effective antibiotics.

This survey is a general analysis of the public's attitude on Antibiotics Misuse and how the public know about Antibacterial Resistance. There is much more problems and we are welcome for your guides.