In the local hospital, we conversed with patients suffering from tumors and introduced them to new approaches in tumor immunotherapy. We explained various cytokines used in cancer treatment in plain language, complementing the explanation with hand-drawn cartoon illustrations to aid patients’ understanding. For patients and their families who showed interest or had a background in medical knowledge, we provided detailed information about the application of protein design in cancer therapy and our research on modifying IL-2/15.

We visited the local Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), where we learned about the local tumor epidemiology from the staff and jointly analyzed how to improve the survival status of patients. Significantly, we engaged in academic exchanges with researchers from the CDC through science popularization lectures and posting promotional posters/boards. From this collaboration, we gained a lot: their research, which uses directed evolution technology, shows promise in enhancing the effectiveness of drug interventions, and it inspired us to expand our therapeutic strategy system. By leveraging directed evolution, we stand at the threshold of creating more targeted and safer treatment modalities.