From August 8 to 9, the 3rd SynBio Challenges — an international synthetic biology innovation competition — was successfully held at the International Conference Center in Shenzhen Guangming Cloud Park. The event was hosted by the Synthetic Biology Division of the Chinese Society of Biotechnology and co-organized by the Faculty of Synthetic Biology at Shenzhen University of Advanced Technology, the Institute of Synthetic Biology at Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology (Chinese Academy of Sciences), Shenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Synthetic Biology Association, and Industrial Innovation Center for Engineering Biology.

Focusing on the frontier field of synthetic biology, the competition aims to provide a platform for young students in higher education to exchange ideas and demonstrate their talents. This year’s event attracted 147 teams from over 60 universities worldwide, with more than 450 students participating onsite. Since its inception, the competition has seen exponential growth in participation and influence.

At the opening ceremony, Prof. Xian’en Zhang — Chair of the Organizing Committee, Dean of the Faculty of Synthetic Biology at Shenzhen University of Advanced Technology, Vice President of the Chinese Society of Biotechnology, and Director of the Synthetic Biology Division — delivered a keynote speech. He stated: “Synthetic biology, biotechnology, biomanufacturing, and the bioeconomy have become the driving forces of this new era of innovation. The SynBio Challenges serve as a unique learning and exchange platform for young students, inspiring their curiosity, creativity, and teamwork. Our goal is to develop it into the world’s second-largest synthetic biology competition, following the International Genetically Engineered Machine Competition (iGEM).”

This year’s competition featured several major upgrades in format:

TheGeneralTrackintroduced three themed sub-tracks, each targeting key challenges in synthetic biology. These included the Green Track (focused on agriculture and environmental sustainability), the Red Track (focused on health and medicine), and the White Track (centered on industrial biotechnology). Each encouraged teams to generate original, innovation-driven solutions to real-world societal needs.

TheBacterial Strategy Game and Protein Design Competition, following an Olympiad-style competitive model, challenged participants not only on problem-solving depth and accuracy but also on strategic thinking and experimental execution.

Prof. Ying Lin from the School of Biomedical Sciences and Engineering at South China University of Technology, who served on the judging panel, noted:

“The evaluation process focuses on scientific merit, design creativity, and market potential. The competition tests students’ foundational knowledge and problem-solving abilities while encouraging forward-thinking regarding practical application and commercialization.”

In addition to academic experts,the event also featured a bio-art exhibition and lecture series by artists from the Central Academy of Fine Arts, creatively integrating synthetic biology with aesthetics and offering a multidimensional perspective to the competition.

After three days of intense competition among 60 teams,

the NEFU_China team from Northeast Forestry University emerged as the Grand Prize winner at the 3rd SynBio Challenges. Competing in the White Track (Industrial Biotechnology), their project focused on the de novo biosynthesis of para-hydroxyphenylacetic acid (pHPA). By integrating metabolic engineering and directed evolution strategies, the team effectively tackled two major bottlenecks in the biosynthetic pathway: inadequate precursor supply and low catalytic activity of key enzymes.

HELLO-ZJU from Zhejiang University, awarded Best Project in the Red Track (Biomedicine).Shanghaitech-China from ShanghaiTech University, awarded Best Project in the Green Track (Environment & Agriculture).NEFU_China from Northeast Forestry University, awarded Best Project in the White Track (Industrial Biotechnology).

In the special track competitions, the“Wild Growth” team from Jilin Agricultural Universitywon Best Bacterial Strategy Game Award, whileNankai University’s “NK Squad” and Shanghai Jiao Tong University’s “Helix Heroes”both received the Best Protein Design Award.

During an interview session,Meijian from Waseda University (Japan)shared his impressions:

“Visiting the major scientific facilities and laboratories in Shenzhen opened my eyes to China’s advancements in automation and cutting-edge technologies. As a member of the competition’s first overseas team, I hope to see SynBio Challenges expand its influence globally.”

Wang Li, Vice Secretary of the Party Committee, Vice Chairman, and General Manager of Kweichow Moutai Group, a competition partner, stated:

“The science behind Moutai brewing represents the first generation of biotechnology. Synthetic biology is the driving force behind the upcoming fifth-generation biomanufacturing revolution and a strategic engine for future industries. Moutai’s support of this event symbolizes a dialogue across time between the first and fifth generations of biotechnology.”

Yi Xiao, Secretary-General of the Organizing Committee and Researcher at the Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology (SIAT), Chinese Academy of Sciences, noted:

“The competition is not only a stage for students to showcase their talents and innovation, but also a valuable opportunity to cultivate interdisciplinary synthetic biology talents with a global tech vision. We hope SynBio Challenges continues to promote educational innovation and industrial application worldwide.”

In his closing remarks,Dr. Liu Chenli, Vice President of SIAT, Director of the National Biomanufacturing Innovation Center, and President of the Shenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology, emphasized:

“The original intention behind launching the SynBio Challenges in China was to provide a platform for innovation, intellect, and creativity — to ignite students’ passion for synthetic biology. Although the experimental journey can be repetitive and challenging, it is through such exploration that we uncover scientific principles and real-world applications.”

At the closing ceremony,Zeng Wufei, Standing Committee Member and Head of the Organization Department of the CPC Guangming District Committee, highlightedthat Guangming Science City is now transitioning from infrastructure development to scientific empowerment. He called upon young scientists to actively contribute, encouraging them to uphold the spirit of innovation, perseverance, and excellence.

This year’s SynBio Challenges remained true to the core philosophy of synthetic biology —“build to learn, build to use”. It showcased the power of interdisciplinary innovation, with teams presenting a wide range of research directions and diverse creative approaches.

The event received strong support from the CPC Guangming District Committee’s Organization and Publicity Departments, the Shenzhen University of Advanced Technology Foundation, and the Guangming District Mass Organizations Work Department. Special thanks go to Kweichow Moutai Group, the exclusive partner of this edition, for their strong support during the preparation phase, and to the Guangming Science City’s Youth Talent “Science+” 72-hour Challenge, which added vibrant highlights to the event.