Team:elan vital korea/Korea Youth Expo

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• iGEM Resource
  • Medal Requirement

HUMAN PRACTICE
-Education & Public Awareness-

Education & Public Awareness: Korea Youth Expo

Elan Vital Korea’s education and public awareness-related human practice efforts – that is, our human practice efforts that are not directly related to
our project at hand: using quorum sensing technology for early, efficient detection of MRSA or other
antibiotics-resistant bacteria – focus primarily on our outreach at the Korea Youth Expo(http://www.youthexpo.kr/) this May.

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Threats of Antibiotics-Resistant Bacteria

For this purpose, Elan Vital Korea has set up a synthetic biology research club jointly with YMCA, which participated in the Korea Youth Expo
as a program provider. The selection criteria for the provider was very high, and competition fierce. Ultimately, however, the hard work
and preparation has been amply rewarded when the club was selected as one of 100 teams from more than 2,500 schools
and community organizations. Korea Youth Expo is as the largest, most significant annual event for the young
generation since its inception in 2001. The annual event is organized by the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family of Korea, and run by
Korea Youth Work Agency. This year, Korea Youth Expo was held in Gumi, Korea from 21st to 23rd, May. For the three days, about 159,600 people visited the event.
We did our best to fully exploit the opportunity and promote the ideas of synthetic biology, bio-safety and bio-ethics.
Our activities at the Expo are: (1) preparation meetings, (2) on-booth experiment sessions and DNA-related activities,
(3) information seminar on synthetic biology, (4) on-booth discussions and talks on synthetic biology, and (5) survey.

1. Preparation Meetings

We held more than a dozen preparation meetings.

2. On-booth Experiment Sessions and DNA-Related Activities
Sensing for Early Detection

For 3 days, we taught more than 500 visitors about conducting DNA extraction experiments and assembling DNA models.
(1) Broccoli DNA Extraction Experiment
We have explained the DNA structure while students were conducting the experiments. Following pictures had been used to make visitors understand better.

1. Grind broccoli using the blender.

2. For 25g of broccoli, put 2g of salt and 7g of surfactant (liquid detergent) into 150ml of distilled water, then stir until it is completed melted, and wait for 5-10 minutes. The detergent captures the proteins and liquids of the cell membranes.
3. Pour the grinded broccoli through a strainer into another container.
4. Pour the mixture into test tubes (or small glass containers).

5. Tilt the test tube and slowly pour rubbing alcohol (70-95% isopropyl or ethyl
alcohol) into the tube down the side so that it forms a layer of the broccoli mixture.
6. DNA will rise into the alcohol layer from the broccoli layer. Use a glass stirring rod (or wooden stick) to draw the DNA into the alcohol.

3. Information Seminar on Synthetic Biology

Elan Vital Korea has organized an information seminar on synthetic biology during the Korea Youth Expo. For the seminar,
we have invited Mr. Damon Tighe as our lecturer, who conducted the lecture in the English language, which was
simultaneously translated into the Korean language. We have invited college students and professors as well as high school students visiting the expo.
We also held an introduction session on iGEM. The entire session was video recorded, and offered to various institutions.

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4. On-Booth Discussions and Talks on Synthetic Biology

We explained to the visitors of our booth what is the synthetic biology, and what benefits and risks are inherent in the new field
full of great potential and possibility. We began our discussions with visitors of our booth by asking them to express their opinions on
the synthetic biology. This way, we were able to customize the level of information we share based on their answers and feedbacks.
In the process of the discussions, we showed them various displays, including various pictures, videos,
information brochures and the glow fish on display in our booth to explain the synthetic biology.

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To The Top

5. Survey

We have conducted surveys by designing questionnaires, distributing them to the visitors to our booth, then gathering
their responses. The questionnaire is designed to solicit information on the level of public awareness of the topics and issues
related to the synthetic biology. The survey results, which are summarized below, will give us better understanding of the
public awareness of the synthetic biology and tools to better plan our promotional, human practice activities in the future.

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Reference

Antibiotic Resistance Threat in the United States 2013, US Department of Health and Human Services,
Center for Disease Control and Prevention About Quorum Sensing

Annual Review of Microbiology, Volume 55:pp 165-199 (volume publication date, October 2001) Melissa B.Miller and Bonnie L.
Bassler Department of Molecular Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey

Bacterial Quorum Sensing: Its Role in Virulence and Possibilities for Its Control Steven T. Rutherfold and Bonnie L.Bassler.
Cold Spring Harb Perspect Med. 2012.2, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press

Quorum Sensing: Bacteria Talk Sense Costi D. Sifri, Oxford Journals, Volume 47, Issue 8 Pp 1070-1076, 2015
Infectious Diseases Society of America

Bacterial Quorum Sensing in Pathogenic Relationships Teresa R. de Kievit, Barbara H.Iglewski, Infection and Immunity,
Volume 68, September 2000, 2000 American Society for Microbiology