Utrecht University, founded in 1636, is a globally leading Dutch university with 7 faculties, about 30.000 students, 7500 staff members and a budget of 750 million euro. The Freudenthal Institute for science and mathematics education (FIsme) is a research institute of the Utrecht University in the Faculty of Science. It aims at the improvement of secondary science and mathematics education, both formal and informal. FIsme also engages in science teacher education, the continuous professional development of teachers, curriculum development and outreach activities. An important research focus of the biology education section in FIsme is socio-scientific issues-based learning and teaching (biology education for citizenship). In the last decade several design research projects were funded by the Netherlands Genomics Initiative aimed at embedding the ‘DNA labs on the road’ and genomics literacy in science education. FIsme makes major contributions to Platform “Public Science & Participation” in close cooperation with the Rathenau Institute and Athena Institute.

FIsme contributes to the Synenergene project in three ways:

1. Lesson modules on synthetic biology for high school students are developed.

2. An online learning platform on synthetic biology is created which contains materials that will empower people for dialogue about synthetic biology.

3. Expertise in and knowledge about science education will be shared with project partners.