Introduction

We hope to contribute to social recognition of synthetic biology. However, once we tell that synthetic biology is one field of genetic engineering, they ask us “What can we do with genetic manipulation? Isn’t it disturbing nature law? What benefits does it bring to us? Doesn’t it harm us?”

It is a natural thing for amateurs to have these questions. Furthermore, it is understandable that a phenomenon, which looks natural for students majoring one field, doesn’t always look reasonable for ordinary people.

As for biotechnology, which handles life, medicine, and food, there are many gaps between what general people focus on and that of students studying biology like us. These gaps due to complex of several factors such as health problems, environmental problems, and ethical problems.

Let’s think of the word “Genetic Manipulation”. What image do general people and students studying biology have on this word. Many biology students use the skill of genetic manipulation for further developments in science after understanding the ethical problem and other weak points. This means they know that the value of the data and life which they can get from genetic manipulation is much bigger than the risk of it.

The other side, general people have few chances to learn about genetic engineering. In short, they have almost no opportunity to think of the value which can be got from genetic manipulation. Therefore, their image is filled only with doubts as we mentioned first.

Here we show two examples of biological problems in Japan.

The first example is GM food. GM food often gets into the news. In Japan, every food made from grains is required by law to print whether it includes transgenic grain or not. Therefore, consumers can buy food with relief. Many consumers including us learn about genetic manipulation only superficial. People began to focus on only the downside that many living things that has manipulated genes harm human or the environment. In the end, many people began to refuse GM food without thinking.

The second example is that general people don’t have good impression of E. Coli. E. Coli is famous for enteric bacteria, and it calls up of dirt. Therefore, most people think E. Coli is dirty. In addition, mass media reported food poisoning by O-157 strain a lot few years ago. This made general people have much more hatred.

As stated above, Japanese society tends to focus on only the bad side of biotechnology. It is true that GM foods give us a great benefit, but sadly, ordinary people don’t know this fact. Under this society, we set our purpose in stages to achieve our goal of spreading synthetic biology.

First, finding out that to what extent the usability of genetic manipulation and E. Coli are known in public. →Human Practice1 and 2 Second, insert the clues that we earned from HumanPractice1, 2 into our projects. →Back Ground Finally, brushing up our projects. →Human Practice4 Furthermore, we luckily got a chance to spread general people synthetic biology directly. →Human Practice3

Human Practice 1: Experiment Workshop

Some members (Shinya Suzuki, Ken Saito, Emma Hatanaka, Yuta Wakabayashi, Naoki Watarai, Tatsuhiro Isozaki) have participated in this experiment workshop as assistants. At the workshop, we tried to transform GFP gene into E. Coli with high school students for two days. Also one of our instructors, Prof. Ohta held a lecture about gene engineering and showed his lab to participants.

Participant students worked very hard on the experiment, and they were listening careful to Prof. Ohta’s lecture. Some students had studied about gene transformation in advance for this workshop. They have asked us a lot of questions and took notes.

Questionnaire after the workshop

We have provided a questionnaire to participant students. We got answers from 27 students (out of 41 participants).

Questions about this workshop

・Did you enjoy the workshop? ・Why do you think that the workshop was fun? ・Were you able to understand contents of the experiment we made on this workshop? ・Do you want to participate in workshops like this time again?

All students answered that they have had a good time at the workshop. Most participants answered that they were interested in biology from before. The second most was that experiment result was visible. They were fascinated seeing E.coli glow green. Other students answered that the lecture was interesting, or they could learn further than their high school classes.

Owing to teachers’ easy-to-understand lecture and many TA’s assist, most participants were able to understand what they were doing on the experiment, but sadly some said that they couldn’t. They said the lecture was too hard. However, all students answered that they want to try experiments like this again.

[experiment workshop questionnaire about workshop]

Questions about biotechnology

・Did this workshop caused you to have an interest in biotechnology or gene engineering? ・Do you feel the importance of biotechnological research? ・Do you feel the importance of studying biotechnology? ・Do you want to study biotechnology at your school?

Answers showed that participants have strong interest in biotechnology. We are happy that students have got more interest in biotechnology through this event.

[experiment workshop questionnaire about Biotechnology]

Questions about GM food

・Did you learn more about GM food’s safety through this workshop? ・Do you still have difficulty buying GM food?

In Japan, it is thought unpleasant to eat GM food. Most participants have had some difficulty to GM food at least too. However, answers showed that many students have thought deeply about GM food and they were able to swept the bad image away by this workshop.

In the first place before they know synthetic biology, we think that it was a first step to dissolve the misunderstanding about biotechnology between public and like us who study biology. The workshop was successful.

[experiment workshop questionnaire about GM food]

Human Practice 2: Poster session at the University of Tokyo

Back Ground

Human Practice 3: An Interviewed by Takeda-keisoku-sentan-chi foundation.

>Human Practice 4: Young Takeda Awards

Acknowledgment