From August 8 to 9, the Third SynBio Challenges, hosted by the Chinese Society of Biotechnology and organized by the Faculty of Synthetic Biology at Shenzhen University of Advanced Technology (SUAT), the Institute of Synthetic Biology (iSynBio) at the Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, the Shenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology, the Shenzhen Synthetic Biology Association, and the Industrial Innovation Center for Engineering Biology, was held at the Cloud Park International Conference Center in Guangming, Shenzhen.

The SynBio Challenges focuses on synthetic biology, aiming to cultivate original innovation capabilities through the three challenges of "knowledge accumulation, problem analysis, and continuous refinement" and provide young students with a platform for intellectual exchange and creation, allowing them to interact face-to-face with leading scholars in the field and showcase their innovative abilities.

The competition attracted 147 teams from over 60 universities worldwide, with more than 450 students participating in person. Since its inception, the number of participating teams in the SynBio Challenges has nearly doubled each year, rapidly expanding its influence.

At the opening ceremony, Xian-En Zhang, Chair of the Challenges, Dean of the Faculty of Synthetic Biology at Shenzhen University of Advanced Technology (SUAT), Vice Chairman of the Chinese Society of Biotechnology, and Director of the Synthetic Biology Division, stated in his address, "Synthetic biology, biotechnology, biomanufacturing, and the bioeconomy" are becoming the dominant themes of innovative development. The SynBio Challenges provides a unique platform for young students to learn and exchange ideas, encouraging their spirit of exploration, creation, and teamwork, so they can grow into high-quality future talent. We also hope to establish the Challenges as the world's second-largest international event in synthetic biology, following the International Genetically Engineered Machine Competition (iGEM).

This edition of the SynBio Challenges featured a comprehensive upgrade in its format compared to the previous two: The Regular introduced three new themed categories, covering multiple frontiers in synthetic biology, including the Green focused on agriculture and Environment, the Red centered on Health and Medical treatment, and the White track targeted at Industry, encouraging teams to leverage original innovation to propose solutions for specific societal needs; meanwhile, the Bacterial Gladiator and Protein Design continued the Olympic-style competition mechanism, testing participants' precision and depth in understanding specific challenges, as well as their expertise in strategy development and experimental operations.

Lin Ying, a professor at the College of Biological Science and Engineering, South China and a judge for the competition, pointed out that the competition evaluates students based on factors such as the scientific merit of their projects, design innovation, and market potential, testing their knowledge accumulation and problem-solving skills while emphasizing forward-thinking in industrial applications.

In addition to featuring numerous academic experts, this SynBio Challenges specially invited artists from the Central Academy of Fine Arts to present a bio-art exhibition and lectures, combining synthetic biology with artistic aesthetics to add a unique perspective to the event.

At the closing ceremony, Wufei Zeng , Member of the Standing Committee of the Guangming District Committee and Minister of the Organization Department, stated that Guangming Science City is at a critical stage of transitioning from establishment to science-driven development, urgently needing active participation from young science talents. He hoped that participants would maintain the pioneering spirit of entrepreneurs, the passion of strivers, and the resilience of frontrunners in this SynBio Challenges of science and dreams.

The competition received support from multiple organizations, including the Organization Department of the CPC Guangming District Committee, the Publicity Department of the CPC Guangming District Committee, the Shenzhen University of Advanced Technology (SUAT) Foundation, and the Public Organizations Affairs Department, Guangming District, Shenzhen. Special thanks to Kweichow Moutai Group as the exclusive partner for their strong support during the event preparation,as well as the Guangming Science City Youth Talent 72-Hour 'Science+' Innovation Challenge for the memorable moments it provided for the competition.