In order to implement the achievements of the third “Belt and Road” International Cooperation Forum, further strengthen practical exchanges and cooperation among Asian countries, and achieve mutual benefit and common development, the 2023 Asian Synthetic Biology Single-cell Life Synthesis and Infrastructure Seminar was held in Shenzhen Guangming Science City from October 22 to 24, 2023. National representatives and outstanding scholars of synthetic cells, automation infrastructure and synthetic biology from eight countries including China, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Australia, Thailand, Malaysia, and India were gathered. The representatives from each country introduced their national strategy layout and progress in terms of single-cell life synthesis, synthetic biology infrastructure, synthetic biology technology programs respectively and explored and discussed the development direction and common challenges of synthetic biology. Liu Chenli, Vice President of Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Akihiko Kondo, Vice President of Kobe University, Japan, Professor Norikazu Ichihashi from University of Tokyo, Japan, Seung-Goo Lee, director of the Korean Institute of Life Engineering, Professor Kwanwoo Shin from Nagasaki International University, Director Matthew Chang of Singapore National Centre for Engineering Biology, Professor Robert Speight from the Australian Institute of Bioengineering and Nanotechnology, Professor Sasimanas Unajak from Agricultural University of Thailand and other experts from the field of synthetic biology were gathered to attend the event. The event was also attended by Zhong Hai, deputy director of Shenzhen Science and Technology Innovation Committee and a member of the Party Leadership Group, Yao Gaoke, a member of the Standing Committee of Shenzhen Guangming District Committee and executive deputy governor of Guangming District, Huang Wei, Director of Social Development Department of Shenzhen Science and Technology Innovation Committee, and Qi Kaixuan, business director of Asian and African Affairs Department of International Cooperation Bureau of Chinese Academy of Sciences.

The event was hosted by the Asian Synthetic Biology Association (hereinafter referred to as ASBA), organized by Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, and co-organized by the Synthetic Biology Branch of  Chinese Society of Biology, the School of Synthetic Biology of SIAT University (preparatory), Shenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology, Guangming Science City Company, Shenzhen Synthetic Biology Association and Shenzhen Engineering Biological Industrial Innovation Center.

The Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology and synthetic biology research institutions of Asian countries involved in the event jointly launched the SynCell Asia Initiative, aiming to focus on the world’s scientific and technological problems and explore innovative systems and mechanisms of various countries in such aspects as talent exchange and research cooperation. Representatives from ten synthetic biology facilities in the Asia explored the great potential of automated platforms in driving single-cell synthesis. The alliance will be a booster for the rapid development of single-cell synthesis in Asia.

Under the witness of all parties, the ASBA Center of Shenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology was officially established. The establishment of the ASBA Center has further deepened the international layout of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Shenzhen in the field of synthetic biology, provided a favorable guarantee for the rapid development of synthetic biology in Asia, and made contributions to promoting the “Belt and Road” co-building into a new stage of high-quality development.

In an interview, Matthew Chang, director of the National Centre for Engineering Biology in Singapore, said that synthetic biology was an emerging discipline, and how to address and solve the major challenges faced by the society with science and technology was an urgent problem to be considered and addressed by the scientists. The conference brought together experts in the field of synthetic biology from various Asian countries and launched the SynCell Asia Alliance, a challenging and exciting scientific initiative. Relying on the infrastructure platform of synthetic organisms, these countries can truly work together to tackle key problems and cooperate in more potential areas.

This conference will be a strong boost to the international cooperation and development in terms of scientific research, industry and standards in the field of synthetic biology and biological manufacturing, and promote the establishment of an international cooperation roadmap for the standardization of synthetic cells and infrastructure platforms. Experts of the countries launched academic discussions and in-depth exchanges on such aspects as strategic planning, single cell synthesis, automation facilities, and bio-casting, especially in the direction of synthetic cells. They were willing to participate in the SynCell Asia Alliance, rely on the major infrastructure of synthetic biology of Shenzhen to co-establish the standards on the synthesis elements of single-cell lives and pursue the ambitious goal of single-cell life synthesis.

Single-cell synthesis is a scientific challenge in the world. This conference was aimed at the world’s frontiers of science and technology, which united Asian countries, aiming to promote international innovation and cooperation at the source and frontier, and accelerate the construction of a global synthetic biology highland.

 The attendees pose for a photo

Founding ceremony of the ASBA Center

The establishment of SynCell Asia Initiative