TIBCAS Hosts the Fourth International Training Course on Industrial Synthetic Biotechnology----Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology Chinese Academy of Sciences

Under the support of the related training program of Chinese Academy of Sciences, hosted by Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences (TIBCAS) and organized by the COMSATS Joint Center for Industrial Biotechnology (CCIB), the Fourth International Training Course on Industrial Synthetic Biotechnology (ITC-ISB) was held in Tianjin from November 1 to 16, 2023. Over twenty scientific and technological personnel in the field of biotechnology from eleven developing countries along the Belt and Road, such as Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Egypt, Belarus, Ecuador and Zimbabwe, participated in the training course.

Prof. WANG Qinhong, the Deputy Director-General of TIBCAS hosted the opening ceremony. He extended a warm welcome to all the participants and hoped this training course will be instrumental for the trainees to thrive in the field of synthetic biotechnology for the prosperity and development of their countries. Mr. ZHANG Jiao, the Deputy Director of Division of International Cooperation and Exchange of Tianjin Municipal Science and Technology Bureau, stated thatTianjin Municipal Government is actively facilitating scientific and technological innovation and cooperation for the countries along Belt and Road through a series of supporting policies and programs, and recognized the efforts made by TIBCAS on cultivating talents in the field of industrial biotechnology for the countries along the Belt and Road through holding training courses. Dr. Muhammad Ali from COMSATS University Islamabad, Abbottabad Campus and Prof. Zhiyong Huang from TIBCAS spoke on behalf of the trainees and the trainers, respectively.

The Fourth ITC-ISB is focused on the theory, practice and application of the Industrial Synthetic Biotechnology. During the keynote lecture, Prof. SUN Jibin, the Deputy Director-General of TIBCAS and founding Director of CCIB, introduced the connotations and application of the industrial biotechnology and synthetic biology, illustrating its supporting role in the United Nations 2030 Sustainable Development Goals. Twelve scholars, namely, Prof. CHEN Guoqiang from Tsinghua University, Prof. XIN Fengxue from Nanjing Tech University, Prof. YU Bo and Prof. ZHENG Yanning from Institute of Microbiology, CAS, and Prof. LIU Tao, Prof. ZHU Zhiguang, Prof. LIU Kuanqing, Assco. Prof. ZHU Xinna, Assco. Prof. CHEN Xi, Assco. Prof. WANG Jingjing from TIBCAS introduced the frontier technology on biomedicine, bio-agriculture, bio-chemicals, bio-based materials, bioenergy and future food, respectively. More than ten scholars including Prof. MA Hongwu and Prof. XIA Jianye from TIB demonstrated the enabling technologies on automated genome engineering, systems biology, design of metabolic pathways, protein crystal structure determination and intelligent fermentation, etc. Moreover, Prof. JIANG Zhida was invited to delivered a cultural lecture on traditional Chinese culture, the achievements of the Belt and Road Initiative in the past 10 years, and the building of the community of shared future for mankind. In addition, the site visits to enterprises including Bloomage Biotechnology Co., Ltd and Qinhuangdao Huaheng Biotechnology Co., Ltd were arranged to make trainees further understand the industrialization and the promising market of industrial synthetic biotechnology. During the training course, self-introduction and panel discussions were also arranged to enhance mutual understanding and deepened friendship between the trainees and the researchers in TIBCAS.

Prof. SUN Jibin hosted the closing ceremony. He expressed appreciation for the trainees, trainers and staff for making the training course a success, and noted that TIBCAS would actively promote talent training in industrial biotechnology in developing countries by holding regular training courses. Prof. MA Yanhe, the Director-General of TIBCAS, attended the closing ceremony and took group photos with the trainees. Prof. ZHANG Xuecheng, the Deputy Director-General of TIBCAS, awarded graduation certificates for the trainees.

From 2019 to 2022, TIBCAS has successfully hosted three editions’ ITC-ISB. This course exerted positive effects on innovative capacity enhancement of the scientists and engineers along the Belt and Road countries, and contributed to building a collaborative innovation network for industrial biotechnology and promoting the development of biotechnology and bio-industry among those countries.