Difference between revisions of "Team:HKUST-Rice/Practices"

 
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<h1 style="font-family: Myanmar Text; font-size: 250%; color: #3D3D29;">Introduction</h1>
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<div id= "page_title"><h1 id="scroll">Human Practices</h1>
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<h1>Introduction</h1>
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<p>This human practices project focuses on public perceptions of synthetic biology applications and their ethical implications. Several significant concerns arise regarding ethics and biosafety, especially the biohazard potential of the applications of synthetic biology.  These can be addressed through discussion with the general public.  Our research uncovered three distinct viewpoints:  The general public perceives synthetic biology to be complex, risky and uncertain.  We attempt to elucidate negative perceptions through exploratory research, and dissuade uncertainty through interactive debate.</p>
  
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<p style="font-size: 150%">Whilst risk assessment is a possible way to determine potential hazards, public communication
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is another good practice in knowing how people think of our ideas. This year, we work beyond
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<h1>iGEM Biosensors</h1>
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<p>In the past few years, many iGEM teams have constructed biosensors.  These biosensors were targeted at a huge range of analytes with the use of various enzymes.</p>
  
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the bench and inquire about the stakeholders’ opinions about microbial biosensor. The
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                                        <p style=" text-align: center" ><strong>Figure 1. Statistics on iGEM projects working on biosensor, 2012-2014.</strong></p>
  
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collaboration of two universities expanded our focus group in the study of stakeholders’
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perceptions on the use of microbial biosensor. We are curious if they feel discomfort with synbio
 
  
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applications and if they will perceive an in-field microbial biosensor as a Pandora’s box.</p>
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<h1>Exploratory Research</h1>
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<p>The primary focus of the HKUST-Rice 2015 iGEM team project is to develop a microbial biosensor to detect available nitrogen, phosphate, and potassium (NPK) concentrations in soil.  This idea could be extended beyond agriculture, such as in water quality surveillance or sewage management.  The human practices team explores the opinions of stakeholders invested in soil sensing technologies.</p>
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<p style=" text-align: center" ><strong>Figure 2. Interviewees’ perceptions on the field applications of an NPK microbial sensor. </strong></p>
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<p>The paradigm above illustrates interviewees’ perceptions on the in-field use of NPK microbial biosensors in their field (Figure 2).</p>
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<h3 style="font-family: Myanmar Text; font-size: 200%; color: #565656;">Exploratory Research</h3>
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<p style="font-size: 150%">Future iGEMers may consider how a biosensor is designed for a safe use. In government and
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international organisations’ shoes, they may consider how these applications should be
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      <p style=" text-align: right"><a href="https://2015.igem.org/Team:HKUST-Rice/Practices_ExploratoryResearch"> Learn more ... </a></p>
  
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regulated to reassure the public that the use of microbial biosensor is safe.</p>
 
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<h3 style="font-family: Myanmar Text; font-size: 200%; color: #565656;">Bioethical Debate</h3>
 
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<p style="font-size: 150%">Now, human proceed to another watershed in which we are manipulating microorganisms to
 
  
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offset the harms we brought about along the history. Ethical issue on treating microorganism as
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a machine for the betterment of our lives popped out in recent years. It is time to consider
 
  
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whether we are the creatures specially fashioned by God or playing God is simply a  
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<h1>Bioethical Debate</h1>
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<img src="https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2015/3/31/HKUST-Rice15_debatephoto.png" style="width: 443px; height: 255px; float: right; padding-left:20px;">
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<p>The HKUST-Rice iGEM team collaborated with the Rice University Institute of Biosciences and Bioengineering (IBB) Girls’ BioScience STEM Initiative, a weeklong summer camp held each year for economically disadvantaged high school students.  These young ladies were asked to debate the following question: “Is it ethical to treat microorganisms as a machine for the betterment of agriculture?” </p>
  
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meaningless cliché.</p>
 
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      <p style=" text-align: right"><a href="https://2015.igem.org/Team:HKUST-Rice/Practices_Debate" > Learn more ... </a></p>
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{{HKUST-Rice Directory}}
  
  

Latest revision as of 20:37, 15 September 2015

Human Practices


Introduction

This human practices project focuses on public perceptions of synthetic biology applications and their ethical implications. Several significant concerns arise regarding ethics and biosafety, especially the biohazard potential of the applications of synthetic biology. These can be addressed through discussion with the general public. Our research uncovered three distinct viewpoints: The general public perceives synthetic biology to be complex, risky and uncertain. We attempt to elucidate negative perceptions through exploratory research, and dissuade uncertainty through interactive debate.

iGEM Biosensors

In the past few years, many iGEM teams have constructed biosensors. These biosensors were targeted at a huge range of analytes with the use of various enzymes.

Figure 1. Statistics on iGEM projects working on biosensor, 2012-2014.

Exploratory Research

The primary focus of the HKUST-Rice 2015 iGEM team project is to develop a microbial biosensor to detect available nitrogen, phosphate, and potassium (NPK) concentrations in soil. This idea could be extended beyond agriculture, such as in water quality surveillance or sewage management. The human practices team explores the opinions of stakeholders invested in soil sensing technologies.

Figure 2. Interviewees’ perceptions on the field applications of an NPK microbial sensor.

The paradigm above illustrates interviewees’ perceptions on the in-field use of NPK microbial biosensors in their field (Figure 2).

Learn more ...

Bioethical Debate

The HKUST-Rice iGEM team collaborated with the Rice University Institute of Biosciences and Bioengineering (IBB) Girls’ BioScience STEM Initiative, a weeklong summer camp held each year for economically disadvantaged high school students. These young ladies were asked to debate the following question: “Is it ethical to treat microorganisms as a machine for the betterment of agriculture?”

Learn more ...