Changzhou took center stage in scientific discourse as it hosted this year’s inaugural event of the Gathering of Top Scientists in Jiangsu alongside the commencement of the Yangtze River Delta Synthetic Biology Innovation and Entrepreneurship Competition on May 18. The gathering drew a Nobel laureate, academicians of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) and the Chinese Academy of Engineering (CAE), experts and scholars in the field of synthetic biology (SynBio), and representatives of technology entrepreneurs, sparking discussions on cutting-edge science and fostering innovation.

Roger Kornberg, chairman of the World Laureates Association (WLA) and the 2006 Nobel Laureate in Chemistry, delivered a keynote address, underscoring the significance of scientific collaboration and breakthroughs. Mayor Sheng Lei, in collaboration with Huang He, CAE academician and vice president of Nanjing Normal University, inaugurated the Jiangsu J-TOP Innovation Challenge 2024, focusing on SynBio advancements.

Simultaneously, the 2024 "Hua Luogeng Cup" Changzhou Innovation and Entrepreneurship Competition launched its SynBio challenge, amplifying the platform for innovative ventures.

Organized by the Jiangsu Provincial Center for Synthetic Biology Research, the "Gathering of Top Scientists in Jiangsu" series encompasses a spectrum of events, including the Forum for Young Scientists, project signings, and round-table dialogues, spanning across Nanjing and Changzhou.

In a bid to foster synergy between scientific endeavors and economic progress, the Jiangsu Science and Technology Department, in partnership with the Talent Office of the CPC Jiangsu Provincial Committee, the Provincial Department of Education, and the Provincial Intellectual Property Administration, spearheaded the J-TOP Innovation Challenge. This initiative, adopting a dynamic approach of open competition, accelerates the translation of scientific achievements into tangible outcomes. The focus this year on the SynBio sector in Changzhou aims to tackle pivotal technical challenges, bolster enterprise innovation, and drive industrial growth.

The event witnessed a series of pivotal agreements. Noteworthy among them was the signing between the Administration Committee of Changzhou National High-Tech District (CND) and the WLA, paving the way for the establishment of the Jiangsu Changzhou Center. Additionally, the CND forged strategic collaborations with the China National Center for Biotechnology Development in the domain of SynBio. Moreover, the district signed agreements with Shanghai E-Space Medical Technology and Shanghai Serogen Biomedical Technology on a promising integration of synthetic biology and innovative immunotherapy projects. Additionally, a group of investment institutions signed contracts with relevant enterprises, and a batch of SynBio projects were signed to locate in Changzhou.

In recent years, Changzhou has strategically positioned itself at the forefront of the SynBio industry, capitalizing on the burgeoning opportunities to emerge as a beacon of innovation within the Yangtze River Delta. With 72 major enterprises in this field, the inception of three pioneering parks including the Yangtze River Delta Synthetic Biology Industry Innovation Park, Jintan Synthetic Biology Industry Park, and West Taihu Lake Synthetic Biology Innovation Industrial Park, and six innovation platforms such as the Changzhou Synthetic Biology Industry Research Institute of Nanjing Normal University and the BGI Biology Changdang Lake Research Center, Changzhou's SynBio landscape continues to burgeon, bolstered by 21 projects under construction and substantial investments surpassing 10 billion yuan.

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