Team:CityU HK/Survey

Results - iGEM2015 wiki

CityU's Outreach Survey

We are aware of the controversial nature of constructing probiotic E.coli and the concerns people may have with the use of genetically-modified organisms (GMOs). The team conducted a survey to gather opinions from the general public with regards to issues on bioethics and bio-safety of synthetic biology.
          
Our aim was to learn the extent of the public's understanding and acceptance of synthetic biology and lactose intolerance. The results of the survey would help us devise a comprehensive module for general education on synthetic biology.

Results
Does synthetic biology have a significant impact on welfare of the human society?

60% of the interviewees think that synthetic biology will have a significant impact on humans in the coming years. This shows that they understand the importance of the applications of synthetic biology in our daily life.

27% of the interviewees were neutral about the significance of synthetic biology, while only 9% think there is nothing significant about the application of this new area of science.
What is/are your main concern(s) about bioengineered products?

While majority of the interviewees think the impact of synthetic biology is significant, they nonetheless expressed biosafety concerns over the use of bio-engineered products. 

More than 100 interviewees think that biosafety is an important concern that should be addressed with the development of synthetic biology. Although hygiene was also selected as an important consideration, it ranked second to bio-safety. 

Fewer than 50 interviewees believed that ethics is not as important a concern compared to other aspects with regards to products made through synthetic biology.
In which of the following areas are synthetic biology useful?

There are countless possibilities in this developing field of science and indeed, our interviewees recognized its potential usefulness in a wide range of applications. The general public thinks that the application of synthetic biology has the potential for positive impact on the health industry through therapeutic applications. The application on pharmaceutical and food industry are equally as important since they affect the well-being of individuals and the standard of living of the whole community.