国际基因工程机器大赛对本科生科研教育的启示

Bringing scientific research education closer to undergraduates through International Genetically Engineered Machine competition

摘要:

近年来，国际基因工程机器大赛 (International genetically engineered machine，iGEM，简称iGEM大赛)在全球迅猛发展。仅2017年iGEM大赛全球注册队伍就达到了史无前例的313支，中国地区有98支iGEM团队报名参赛并取得了优异成绩。与国内已有的诸多大学生创新项目、科研培养项目不同，iGEM的组织模式是以学生为主体的研究型学习。该模式取得了丰富的教育效果，体现了新的教育理念，对于我国高校组织本科生课外科研训练有较大的借鉴意义。文中以北京大学参加iGEM大赛为线索，介绍国际基因工程机械大赛 (iGEM) 的背景和基本情况并以一个参赛周期为序再现北京大学iGEM团队组织和参赛的主要过程。通过与其他本科生科研训练的组织模式进行比较，探讨iGEM对本科生科研训练意义，并总结iGEM的组织经验和对本科生科研能力培养以及组织本科生科研学术竞赛的启示，希望能为国内高校的iGEM活动组织以及本科教育改革提供借鉴。

Abstract:

In recent years, the International Genetically Engineered Machine (iGEM) competition has experienced rapid global development. In 2017 alone, the number of iGEM teams registered around the globe reached an unprecedented 313, with 98 iGEM teams from China having enrolled in the competition and obtained outstanding results. In contrast to the many college students’ innovation projects and scientific research training programs in China, iGEM’s organization mode is focused on student-centered research learning. Moreover, it achieved a rich educational effect, embodying a new educational idea, which gives it great significance for the extracurricular scientific research training of undergraduates in Chinese universities. In this article, we took Peking University’s participation in the iGEM competition as a starting point. The first part introduces the background and general situation of the iGEM competition. The second part reproduces the general procedure of one iGEM season and organization of Peking University’s team. The third part compares iGEM’s organization mode with those of other undergraduate research training courses and discusses them in detail. The fourth part sums up the experience with iGEM activities as well as explains its effect on developing the research capacity of undergraduate students as well as inspiring them to organize an undergraduate scientific research competition. This article aims to provide a reference for the organization of iGEM activities in domestic universities and for the reform of undergraduate education.