On August 6th, the "2024 · 17th TIANS Technology Forum - Synthetic Biology Sub-Forum" (hereinafter referred to as the Forum) was grandly held at the Renaissance Shanghai Pudong Hotel. Co-hosted by TIANS Group and the Organizing Committee of the Shanghai International Bio-fermentation Products, Technology and Equipment Exhibition, and jointly guided by the China Bio-fermentation Industry Association and the Hebei Biomanufacturing Industry Alliance, the Forum, with the theme of "Explore the mysteries of synthetic biology and empower the industrialization of new technologies", focused on the entire industry-university-research process of synthetic biology. It attracted nearly 100 experts, scholars, researchers, and enterprise representatives from the industry to gather in Shanghai to jointly discuss industry trends and explore the future of science and technology.

Highlights of the Synthetic Biology Sub-forum at the 17th TIANS Technology Forum 2024

Gathering from All Sides to Welcome and Co-create the Frontiers
The forum was hosted by Professor Xia Jianye, a researcher at the Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences. Dr. Chen Ping, Chief Technology Officer of TIANS Group and Vice Chairman of the TIANS Science and Technology Committee, and Mr. Zhang Yuxiang, Chairman of the Hebei Industrial Alliance for Biomanufacturing, delivered welcome speeches at the forum.

Professor Xia Jianye chairs this forum

Dr. Chen Ping stated that synthetic biology is advancing human understanding and application of life sciences at an unprecedented speed and scale. As a crucial link in enabling the industrialization of new technologies, TIANS aims to reveal the key points of attention in the entire process of synthetic biology through this forum, inspire more innovative thinking, and promote technological breakthroughs and industrial upgrading in the field of synthetic biology.

Dr. Chen Ping delivered a welcome speech

Mr. Zhang Yuxiang stated that as a public welfare technology event, the TIANS Technology Forum has, since its establishment in 2008, been committed to sharing cutting-edge knowledge, applying advanced technologies to enterprise practices, and building a bridge from laboratories to industrialization. Faced with the rapid growth of China's bio-economy and many advantages of the synthetic biology industry, this forum is bound to bring you a technological feast.

Mr. Zhang Yuxiang delivered a welcome speech

Industry-University-Research-Application: Discussing and Sharing Wonderful Insights Together
At this forum, five experts and scholars from top research institutions and universities, as well as well-known technical experts in the industry, delivered keynote speeches focusing on the current development status of synthetic biology, bioreactors and intelligent bio-manufacturing, bottlenecks and breakthroughs in synthetic biology industrialization, the application of AI in synthetic biology, and the application of cutting-edge synthetic biology technologies.
Dr. Guo Xueping, Chief Scientist of Bloomage Biotechnology Corporation Limited, gave a keynote speech titled "The Current Situation and Development of Synthetic Biology in China". He stated that synthetic biology is a science that, on the basis of systems biology, integrates engineering, artificial intelligence, big data and other technologies, and rewrites or creates new life forms through high-throughput screening, gene synthesis and editing, etc., to produce healthy substances needed by humans. At the same time, he also explained to us the "Design-Build-Test-Learn" (DBTL) cycle, which is the core R&D model of synthetic biology. Later, Dr. Guo Xueping shared successful R&D cases of many leading synthetic biology enterprises such as Bloomage Biotechnology, Huaheng Biology, and Bluepha, starting from representative synthetic biology enterprises and their representative products. Finally, he indicated with data that the synthetic biology market will continue to maintain a relatively rapid development momentum in the future, and will grow into a global market with a volume of nearly 40 billion US dollars by 2028, injecting new vitality into the global economic development and triggering subversive innovative changes.

Dr. Guo Xueping delivered a keynote speech titled "Current Status and Development of Synthetic Biology in China"

Professor Zhuang Yingping, Executive Deputy Director of the State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering and Director of the National Engineering Research Center for Biotechnology (Shanghai) at East China University of Science and Technology, gave a thematic sharing titled "Bioreactors and Intelligent Biomanufacturing". Professor Zhuang first stated that the intelligent upgrading of biological processes through synthetic biotechnology is the key to future development. She emphasized the importance of optimization and scaling-up technologies based on the combination of cell physiology and reactor flow field characteristics, using examples such as the oxygen regulation phenomenon in the fermentation process of vitamin B12 and the integration of flow field characteristics with cellular physiological and metabolic properties in the fermentation process of cephalosporin C. Afterwards, she comprehensively explained the team's research achievements in intelligent biomanufacturing from multiple aspects, including the intelligent perception system of biomanufacturing processes, key technologies for intelligent analysis, and optimization and regulation strategies. Finally, Professor Zhuang emphasized the crucial role of intelligent biomanufacturing in promoting the development of the bioeconomy and achieving the goal of green manufacturing, as well as its potential in enhancing the competitiveness of China's fermentation industry.

Professor Zhuang Yingping gave a thematic sharing titled "Bioreactors and Intelligent Biomanufacturing"

Ms. Zhou Lanxia, Dean of the Chemical and Pharmaceutical Design Institute of TIANS Group and expert of the Expert Committee of China Pharmaceutical Engineering Design Association, delivered a keynote speech titled "Bottlenecks and Breakthroughs in Synthetic Biology Industrialization". She first revealed the entire process of synthetic biology industrialization to the participating guests from the perspectives of upstream underlying technologies, midstream platform-based companies, and downstream product-based companies. Afterwards, Zhou Lanxia gave a detailed explanation from two aspects: the laboratory process research and development and pilot-scale-up stage, which is known as the "Valley of Death" in industrialization, and the engineering design and construction that determine the success or failure of industrialization. She stated that, in terms of industrialization technology logic, crossing the "Valley of Death" requires sufficient feasibility assessment and forward-looking cost analysis, as well as the construction of flexible and open pilot platforms; from the perspective of commercial development logic, it is necessary to rely on policy guidance, find products starting from industry pain points, and take good measures to deal with crises. Finally, Zhou Lanxia depicted a guiding industrialization panorama by combining the unique T-EPC model of TIANS Group, mature engineering design concepts, and many characteristics of intelligence and greenization.

Ms. Zhou Lanxia delivered a keynote speech titled "Bottlenecks and Breakthroughs in the Industrialization of Synthetic Biology"

Professor Hu Qi'nan, a researcher at the Shanghai Institute of Nutrition and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, gave a keynote speech entitled "Synthetic Biology Manufacturing Model Driven by Big Data + AI Dual-Source Innovation Technology", putting forward practical measures for the transformation, upgrading and intelligent construction of traditional chemical industry. Faced with many pain points of the traditional chemical industry caused by homogenization, environmental protection pressure, weak technological innovation and other reasons, Professor Hu pointed out that it is very necessary and important to use big data and artificial intelligence to empower industrial upgrading. Then he introduced several knowledge bases and databases to the guests present, stating that these resources provide strong support for the selection of chassis cells, search for synthetic pathways, search for synthetic reactions and enzyme component databases for synthetic biology manufacturing products. In terms of the artificial intelligence system, Professor Hu Qi'nan took the biosynthetic pathway of paclitaxel as an example to comprehensively demonstrate how AI can assist enterprises in de novo synthetic pathway design. Finally, Professor Hu proposed SynBioManufactor, an accelerator for flexible and customized R&D projects in synthetic biology manufacturing, and AI platforms such as Raw Material Encyclopedia, aiming to promote the organic integration of AI and the synthetic biology industry and facilitate the efficient industrialization of related technologies.

Professor Hu Qiannan delivered a keynote speech titled "Synthetic Biology Manufacturing Model Driven by Big Data + AI Dual-Source Innovation Technologies"

Professor Nie Yao, Vice Dean of the School of Biological Engineering at Jiangnan University and Deputy Director of the Key Laboratory of Industrial Biotechnology of the Ministry of Education, gave a course sharing on "Creation and Application of Oxidoreductases for Biosynthesis of Chiral Alcohol Intermediates". Professor Nie first stated that chiral alcohol intermediates, as key components of active pharmaceutical ingredients, account for more than 20% of pharmaceutical manufacturing. Therefore, the optimization of their biosynthetic pathways and innovations in enzyme engineering are crucial. He then demonstrated how to use site-directed mutagenesis and computational analysis to improve the substrate specificity and stereoselectivity of these enzymes. The engineering modification of L-isoleucine dioxygenase (IDO) was specifically mentioned, which successfully achieved a significant improvement in enantiomeric purity. In addition, Professor Nie emphasized the importance of using the Evolutionary Coupling Saturation Mutagenesis (ECSM) method for protein engineering modification of distant sites. The audience not only felt the great potential of synthetic biology technology in the manufacturing of pharmaceutical intermediates through Professor Nie Yao's speech, but also deeply realized the prominent role of structural biology and computational biology in guiding enzyme engineering and improving the efficiency and selectivity of synthetic pathways.

Professor Nie Yao gave a keynote speech titled "Creation and Application of Oxidoreductases for Biosynthesis of Chiral Alcohol Intermediates"

Collision of wisdom promotes and facilitates progress
In the industry-university-research dialogue session of this forum, four speakers—Guo Xueping, Zhuang Yingping, Hu Qi'nan, and Nie Yao—engaged in in-depth discussions and exchanges with Professor Lyu Zhongyuan, Executive Vice President of Qizhen Synthetic Biotechnology Research Institute, and Dr. Chen Ping, Chief Technology Officer of TIANS Group, focusing on the theme "Exploring the Mysteries of Synthetic Biology and Empowering the Industrialization of New Technologies". The six experts and scholars conducted in-depth and forward-looking discussions on aspects such as future development breakthroughs in synthetic biology, characteristics of the industrialization of synthetic biotechnology, discussions on "bottleneck" bioengineering technologies, the impact of AI technology on data security, and the cultivation of synthetic biology talents. Through face-to-face communication with experts, the audience gained insights into the development prospects of the industry and benefited a lot.

Born Anew, Moving Forward Better and Faster
At the closing ceremony of the forum, Zhang Lizhi, Vice Chairman of TIANS Group, delivered a closing speech. He stated that synthetic biotechnology has already driven a brand-new biotechnology revolution. Faced with such a trend, as practitioners in the industry, how to promote technological innovation and industrialize the cutting-edge technologies of synthetic biology is the common direction and mission we are pursuing. Finally, he expressed the hope that with this forum as a starting point, we can join hands with all of you to move forward side by side in the development of synthetic biology.

Mr. Zhang Lizhi delivered the closing speech

As innovative technologies continue to impact modern industry, and as the flames of ideals gradually transform into visible realities, we have witnessed the transformation and breakthroughs in synthetic biotechnology, and also felt the collision of ideas and the burst of inspiration in this forum. Facing the future of synthesizing all things, let us take technology as the foundation and green development as the guide to build a smarter and low-carbon biological future.