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

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<div class="project_row"><br>
 
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<h1>Introduction</h1>
 
<h1>Introduction</h1>
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<p>Whilst risk assessment is a possible way to determine potential hazards, public communication
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<p>This year human practices project focuses on public perception. Although the technical aspects of synthetic biology are important, spanning controversies on sociotechnical implications, biosecurity & biosafety concerns, ethics and fundamental questions about what applications of synthetic biology would advance societal goals and be considered sustainable are ignored. There are three impressions on synthetic biology, which bring us much concerns. People think synthetic biology is complex, risky and uncertain. We adopt a problem-solving approach in dealing with complexity i.e. debating; and an issue-based approach in dealing with risk and uncertainty.</p>
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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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the bench and inquire about the stakeholders’ opinions about microbial biosensor. The
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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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<hr class="para">
 
<hr class="para">
 
<h1>iGEM Biosensors</h1>
 
<h1>iGEM Biosensors</h1>
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<p>Whilst risk assessment is a possible way to determine potential hazards, public communication
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<p>In the past few years, plentiful participants in iGEM competition were constructing biosensors by genetic engineering. These biosensors are targeting on a huge range of analytes with the use of various biocatalysts.</p>
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is another good practice in knowing how people think of our ideas. This year, we work beyond
+
−
 
+
−
the bench and inquire about the stakeholders’ opinions about microbial biosensor. The
+
−
 
+
−
collaboration of two universities expanded our focus group in the study of stakeholders’
+
−
 
+
−
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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                                 <div id="bannerContainer">
 
                                         <image src="https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2015/f/fe/HKUST-Rice15_Statistics.jpg" style="width: 100%; height: auto; position: left;">
 
                                         <image src="https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2015/f/fe/HKUST-Rice15_Statistics.jpg" style="width: 100%; height: auto; position: left;">
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                                        <p style=" text-align: center" ><strong>Graph 1. Statistics on iGEM projects working on biosensor, 2012-14</strong></p>
  
 
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<hr class="para">
 
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<table>
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<tr>
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<td style=" padding-right: 20px;">
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<h1>Exploratory Research</h1>
 
<h1>Exploratory Research</h1>
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<p>Future iGEMers may consider how a biosensor is designed for a safe use. In government and
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<p>The primary focus of HKUST-Rice 2015 iGEM Team is to develop an NPK microbial biosensor to detect bioavailable NPK concentrations in soil, thus monitoring soil quality. It is believed that the application can be far beyond agricultural purposes, such as in water quality surveillance or sewage management. The team has no plan to reverse the preliminary design of the NPK microbial biosensor; this notwithstanding, the human practices team explores further including opinions from stakeholders who require soil or water management.
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<br><br>
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international organisations’ shoes, they may consider how these applications should be  
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More information on Exploratory Research.
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</p></div>
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regulated to reassure the public that the use of microbial biosensor is safe.</p>
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</td>
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<td style=" padding-left: 20px;">
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<div class="project_row">
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<hr class="para">
 
<h1>Result</h1>
 
<h1>Result</h1>
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<p>Future iGEMers may consider how a biosensor is designed for a safe use. In government and
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                                        <image src="https://static.igem.org/mediawiki/2015/3/3f/HKUST-Rice15_MediatingProcess.jpg.png" style="width: 100%; height: auto; position: left;">
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<p style=" text-align: center" ><strong>Graph 2.The paradigm of the interviewees’ perceptions on the in-field application of 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 (Graph 2).
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<br><br>
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More information on Exploratory Research – Result.
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</p>
  
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international organisations’ shoes, they may consider how these applications should be
 
  
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regulated to reassure the public that the use of microbial biosensor is safe.</p>
 
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</td>
 
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</tr>
 
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</table>
 
  
 
</div>
 
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<hr class="para">
 
<hr class="para">
 
<h1>Bioethical Debate</h1>
 
<h1>Bioethical Debate</h1>
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<p>Now, human proceed to another watershed in which we are manipulating microorganisms to
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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 program, a weeklong summer camp held each year for economically disadvantaged girls at César Chávez High School in Houston, Texas. These students were presented following the question for the debate: “Is it ethical to treat micro-organisms as a machine for the betterment of agriculture?”
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<br><br>
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offset the harms we brought about along the history. Ethical issue on treating microorganism as  
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More information on Bioethical Debate.
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</p>
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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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meaningless cliché.</p>
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</div>
 
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Revision as of 10:05, 29 August 2015

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Human Practices


Introduction

This year human practices project focuses on public perception. Although the technical aspects of synthetic biology are important, spanning controversies on sociotechnical implications, biosecurity & biosafety concerns, ethics and fundamental questions about what applications of synthetic biology would advance societal goals and be considered sustainable are ignored. There are three impressions on synthetic biology, which bring us much concerns. People think synthetic biology is complex, risky and uncertain. We adopt a problem-solving approach in dealing with complexity i.e. debating; and an issue-based approach in dealing with risk and uncertainty.

iGEM Biosensors

In the past few years, plentiful participants in iGEM competition were constructing biosensors by genetic engineering. These biosensors are targeting on a huge range of analytes with the use of various biocatalysts.

Graph 1. Statistics on iGEM projects working on biosensor, 2012-14

Exploratory Research

The primary focus of HKUST-Rice 2015 iGEM Team is to develop an NPK microbial biosensor to detect bioavailable NPK concentrations in soil, thus monitoring soil quality. It is believed that the application can be far beyond agricultural purposes, such as in water quality surveillance or sewage management. The team has no plan to reverse the preliminary design of the NPK microbial biosensor; this notwithstanding, the human practices team explores further including opinions from stakeholders who require soil or water management.

More information on Exploratory Research.

Result

Graph 2.The paradigm of the interviewees’ perceptions on the in-field application of NPK microbial sensor

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

More information on Exploratory Research – Result.

Bioethical Debate

The HKUST-Rice iGEM team collaborated with the Rice University Institute of Biosciences and Bioengineering (IBB) Girls’ BioScience STEM initiative program, a weeklong summer camp held each year for economically disadvantaged girls at César Chávez High School in Houston, Texas. These students were presented following the question for the debate: “Is it ethical to treat micro-organisms as a machine for the betterment of agriculture?”

More information on Bioethical Debate.