Core Viewpoint - The article highlights the commencement of the Zhejiang Bojiao Biotechnology industrialization project, which represents a significant step for the company in scaling up production and enhancing the local biopharmaceutical industry [2][3]. Group 1: Project Progress - The Bojiao Biotechnology project, with a total investment of 1.275 billion yuan, officially broke ground on January 22, marking a key transition from laboratory to large-scale production [2]. - The project aims to integrate synthetic biology with AI and green manufacturing, establishing a comprehensive technology system from strain construction to structural modification [2]. - Upon completion, the project is expected to produce 156.2 tons of active pharmaceutical ingredients, 300 million dosage forms, and 15 million bottles annually, generating over 5 billion yuan in annual sales and tax revenue [2]. Group 2: Company Overview - Founded in August 2020, Bojiao Biotechnology focuses on the R&D, production, sales, and service of high-end pharmaceutical products based on synthetic biology technology [3]. - The company has developed four major technology platforms: molecular biology, enzyme engineering, green chemistry, and drug delivery, creating a full industry chain technology system [3]. - The opening of the industrialization base is seen as a milestone for the industrial upgrade of Xukou Town, potentially enhancing the competitiveness of Bojiao Biotechnology and the overall biopharmaceutical industry in the region [3].

Core Viewpoint - The Chinese synthetic biology manufacturing industry is experiencing rapid growth, with projections indicating a market size approaching 800 billion yuan in 2024 and nearly 1 trillion yuan in 2025, reflecting a growth rate of 26.2% from 2024. The industry is expected to exceed 1 trillion yuan by 2026 and reach 1,703.7 billion yuan by 2027, driven by policy incentives and technological breakthroughs [2]. Industry Overview - The primary focus of the Chinese synthetic biology manufacturing sector is on biopharmaceutical products, which are projected to reach a market size of 334.3 billion yuan in 2024, accounting for 42.9% of the total industry. The demand for biopharmaceuticals is expected to increase due to the ongoing development of new therapies such as cell and gene therapies [3]. Regional Distribution - The synthetic biology manufacturing industry in China exhibits a "three-legged" structure, with significant contributions from East China, North China, and Central South China. By the first half of 2025, these three regions are expected to collectively exceed 700 billion yuan, with East China leading at 311.5 billion yuan, supported by favorable policies and industrial collaboration [4]. Industry Chain Structure - The synthetic biology manufacturing industry chain consists of upstream raw material supply, midstream product processing, and downstream terminal sales applications. Upstream includes various biomass raw materials and biomanufacturing equipment. Midstream encompasses biopharmaceuticals, bio-foods, agricultural bio-products, bio-based materials, and biofuels. Downstream involves terminal sales and applications in healthcare, agriculture, environmental protection, and daily chemicals [7].

Group 1 - The "2026 DT New Leaf Award" is a global and comprehensive award focused on innovation in the bio-based sector, aimed at discovering, showcasing, and recognizing outstanding products and companies in the bio-based industry [2] - The term "New Leaf" symbolizes vibrant life and sustainable innovation, with the award intended to highlight pioneering forces in the bio-based industry that utilize renewable biomass and green technologies to drive low-carbon development [2] - Over 30 representative companies from the bio-based industry are participating in the "2026 DT New Leaf Award" selection, with the second batch of participating companies being announced [2] Group 2 - Zhongke Guosheng (Hangzhou) Technology Co., Ltd. is a representative enterprise in the HMF-FDCA-PEF full industry chain, achieving industrial-grade production of HMF and FDCA through its self-developed "SMART" catalytic system and "short process" production scheme, significantly reducing product costs [3] - The company has established HMF full industry chain technology and provides stable quality products and technical support for clients in high-barrier packaging, special flame-retardant fibers, bio-based fibers, and adhesives [3] - Guangdong Hengcarbon Technology Co., Ltd. focuses on "carbon science and carbon balance," producing high-value-added chemicals and high-performance materials, with its innovative "three non" bio-based technology for producing 1,3-propanediol [5] Group 3 - Jun'an Green New Materials Technology (Guangzhou) Co., Ltd. specializes in the research and production of non-grain bio-based new materials, utilizing proprietary technologies for the targeted separation of biomass components [8] - The company is the only one globally capable of commercial-scale production of high-activity lignin, with a 10,000-ton production line under construction, expected to be operational in the first half of 2027 [9] - Hainan Baikori Biological Technology Co., Ltd. is dedicated to non-grain bio-manufacturing and the production of biodegradable new materials, with a focus on creating biodegradable cushioning packaging materials [11] Group 4 - Jiangsu Huacheng Biotechnology Co., Ltd. aims to develop a synthetic biology research platform and product commercialization, producing high-purity bio-based pigments through fermentation [13] - The bio-based pigments are certified by USDA as 100% bio-based, providing a low-carbon dyeing solution for the textile industry with excellent material compatibility [13] - Bipu Instruments (Zhejiang) Co., Ltd. specializes in intelligent testing for biodegradability, offering an automatic biodegradation testing system that meets various international standards [15][16]

Core Viewpoint - The article highlights significant progress in the "2030 Pioneer Project" in Jiangxi Province, focusing on the biosynthesis and industrialization of functional nutritional products, including microbial proteins and vitamin B3 derivatives [1][3]. Group 1: Project Achievements - The project has developed efficient cell factories for microbial proteins, vitamin B3 derivatives, β-glucans, 2'-fucosyllactose, and L-valine, with some strains achieving internationally leading fermentation yields [3]. - The "Venetian Fusarium Protein" has been approved as a new food ingredient, marking China's first approval of filamentous fungal microbial protein, thus opening a new avenue for the microbial protein manufacturing industry [3]. - The pilot fermentation yield for vitamin B3 derivatives has reached over 40g/L, surpassing domestic and international reported levels, with a product purity of ≥99.5% [3]. Group 2: Industrialization and Economic Impact - The construction of production lines for tens of thousands of tons of microbial proteins and hundreds of tons of vitamin B3 derivatives is underway, expected to create a new food industry worth billions [3][4]. - The project aims to establish a high-level microbial protein manufacturing system to achieve large-scale, low-cost production, effectively replacing imported soybean protein [4]. Group 3: Collaborative Efforts - The project integrates efforts from enterprises, universities, and government, with Jiangxi Haiwen Biological Technology Co., Ltd. focusing on the entire vitamin B3 industry chain and addressing common industry challenges [5]. - The collaboration involves Jiangxi University and Jiangnan University leading the foundational technology development, while Haiwen Biological drives the industrialization of the technology [5].

Core Insights - L'Oréal has launched a €100 million (approximately 811 million RMB) sustainable innovation accelerator project called "L'AcceleratOR," aimed at supporting startups focused on bio-based and biomanufacturing solutions [2][7][10] - The first cohort includes 13 companies selected from nearly 1,000 applications across 101 countries, focusing on sustainable packaging, natural raw materials, and data intelligence [4][6][14] Group 1: Selected Companies - The 13 selected companies include six focused on next-generation packaging and materials, such as Kelpi (UK) which uses seaweed for recyclable, low-carbon packaging, and Bioworks (Japan) which produces bio-plastics from sugarcane [4][5] - Three companies are dedicated to natural raw materials, including Biosynthis (France) which produces renewable and biodegradable raw materials [11] - One company, Neutreeno (UK), offers a digital system to help businesses calculate and reduce emissions in their supply chains [6] Group 2: Project Goals and Market Impact - The project aims to achieve L'Oréal's "L'Oréal for the Future" goal of sourcing at least 90% of bio-based materials for formulations and packaging by 2030, with 50% of all packaging materials coming from recycled or bio-based sources [7][19] - If successful, these innovations could be applied across L'Oréal's 37 global brands in over 150 countries, creating a system effect where one innovation can serve multiple market segments [14][16] Group 3: Broader Investment Strategy - L'Oréal's investment strategy extends beyond the L'AcceleratOR project, with over ten investments in sustainable innovation in the past three years, covering various regions and technologies [10][12] - The company is actively seeking partnerships and investments in China, indicating a growing interest in the bio-based materials sector within the Chinese market [18][23]

Core Viewpoint - AiBio (Hangzhou) Biotechnology Co., Ltd. has completed a Pre-A round financing of several tens of millions, positioning itself as a leading provider of bio-manufacturing technology services and products, integrating biological engineering and artificial intelligence [2]. Group 1: Core Technology Platform - The AIxBio intelligent fermentation platform integrates cutting-edge technologies such as enzyme engineering, gene editing, and metabolic network modification, allowing for the simulation of complex fermentation environments and prediction of bioreactor fluid behavior, addressing the common "scale-up effect" issue in synthetic biology [3]. Group 2: Product Pipeline - The product pipeline focuses on the beauty and health sector, particularly the development of high-activity peptide raw materials: - The "001 series" peptide products are developed in collaboration with Huisi Le, utilizing AI technology for sequence optimization and expression system construction to achieve efficient and low-cost production [4]. - The company is developing a series of bioactive peptide molecules for high-end skincare products and functional foods based on its gene editing and metabolic network modification platform [4]. - AiBio also offers customized bio-manufacturing services, providing comprehensive technical solutions from strain modification to process scaling for partners [4].

Group 1 - The article discusses the recruitment of 7 postdoctoral researchers for projects related to "Basic and Interdisciplinary Breakthroughs (Synthetic Multi-cell Genomes)" and "National Major Instrument Development Projects (High-Precision Synthesis Systems for Long Fragments of DNA)" [3] - Candidates with backgrounds in epigenomics, strain construction, and enzyme catalysis are particularly encouraged to apply, especially those who have recently completed or are about to complete their PhD [3] - The age limit for applicants is generally set at 35 years, and candidates should possess strong academic qualifications and research capabilities [3] Group 2 - The hiring package includes competitive salary and performance rewards, support for applying to national postdoctoral programs, and benefits such as children's education and social insurance [4] - The institution offers assistance in applying for various research projects, including the National Natural Science Foundation and postdoctoral programs [4] - A good research platform and opportunities for international collaboration and exchange are provided [4] Group 3 - Application materials must be combined into a single PDF and sent to the specified email address, with a clear subject line indicating the position and applicant's name [5] - Required documents include a personal resume, a personal statement outlining research interests and development plans, and contact information for three referees along with recommendation letters [5] - The recruitment is ongoing until positions are filled, and self-recommendations are welcomed [5]

Core Viewpoint - The research team from East China University of Science and Technology has developed a non-natural oxidase toolbox for the selective oxidation of taxanes, which lays a solid foundation for the efficient synthesis of paclitaxel and its analogs [2][4]. Summary by Sections Research Development - The study published in Nature Communications focuses on designing an oxidase toolbox that enables site-directed oxidation at multiple positions (C-4, C-6, C-10, C-11, C-12, and C-13) of the taxane skeleton, resulting in the efficient synthesis of 11 new taxane structures [2][4]. - The research addresses the bottleneck in the biosynthesis of paclitaxel, which has been hindered by the low catalytic efficiency and poor expression of natural P450 enzymes responsible for multi-site oxidation [4][5]. Methodology - The team screened 29 types of fungal peroxidases and found that the non-specific peroxygenase TteUPO from Thielavia terrestris exhibited the highest oxidation activity towards taxadiene [4][5]. - The crystal structure of TteUPO was analyzed, leading to the redesign of the enzyme's substrate channel, which improved catalytic efficiency and expanded oxidation sites [5]. Outcomes - A toolbox containing seven key mutants was constructed, allowing for high regio- and stereoselective oxidation at six different sites on the taxane skeleton [5]. - This toolbox not only shows excellent catalytic performance for taxadiene but also for various higher oxidation state taxane derivatives, providing a rich set of enzymatic tools for the green biosynthesis of complex natural products like paclitaxel [5].

Core Viewpoint - The article discusses the upcoming 2026 Bio-based Conference and Exhibition in Shanghai, focusing on the collaboration between Huaheng Biological and academic institutions to advance amino acid applications in animal nutrition, emphasizing the importance of non-essential amino acids in sustainable livestock production [2][4][8]. Group 1: Event Overview - The 2026 Bio-based Conference will take place from May 20-22 in Shanghai, featuring 11 thematic forums, 7 concurrent activities, over 1000 new product displays, and an industry award ceremony [2][11]. - The conference aims to create an efficient platform for upstream and downstream industry connections, promoting low-carbon and green transformation in the sector [2]. Group 2: Collaboration and Research - Huaheng Biological has signed a strategic cooperation agreement with academician Yin Yulong and his team to focus on innovative research and industrial application of amino acids in animal nutrition [4][5]. - The collaboration aims to convert research outcomes into efficient and environmentally friendly feed additives, enhancing animal health and production performance [4]. Group 3: Importance of Non-Essential Amino Acids - Non-essential amino acids (NEAAs) play a crucial role in enhancing gut immunity, maintaining gut health, and improving animal growth performance while reducing antibiotic use and heavy metal emissions [4][6]. - The demand for NEAAs increases significantly during immune stress conditions, with specific amino acids like glutamine and arginine showing a 2-3 times higher requirement during peak immune responses [6][7]. Group 4: Advances in Amino Acid Production - Synthetic biology is revolutionizing the production of amino acids, with Huaheng Biological collaborating with academician Zheng Yuguo's team to establish a 3000-ton/year bio-based L-methionine production line [8][10]. - The team has developed key technologies for the efficient synthesis of L-methionine precursors, achieving the highest domestic and international production rates [10].

Core Viewpoint - The 11th Bio-based Industry Conference & Exhibition (Bio-based 2026) will take place from May 20-22, 2026, in Shanghai, China, focusing on the latest advancements in the bio-based sector and fostering connections between supply and demand sides of the industry [2][20]. Group 1: Event Overview - The event will feature 11 thematic forums, 7 concurrent activities, 1000 new product displays, and an innovation award ceremony, creating a platform for showcasing bio-based technology innovations and applications [3][11]. - Over 50 sponsors have already confirmed their participation, including leading companies in the bio-based materials and chemicals sector [2][3]. Group 2: Focus Areas - The exhibition will emphasize bio-based innovative materials and products in packaging, footwear, 3D printing, and structural components, as well as bio-based monomers and non-food biomass raw materials [5][8]. - The event aims to connect upstream and downstream industries and international resources, promoting new opportunities for industry collaboration [5]. Group 3: Thematic Forums and Activities - The 11 thematic forums will cover key topics such as critical chemicals and materials, international cooperation, and applications in various sectors including packaging, textiles, automotive, and 3D printing [20][22]. - Seven concurrent activities will include brand demand matching sessions, standard review meetings, and new product technology release events [21][22]. Group 4: Innovation and Awards - The 4th DT New Leaf Award will be held concurrently, recognizing innovations in materials, applications, and industry solutions [21][22]. - The event aims to explore the cost-effectiveness and feasibility of bio-based products, enhancing product innovation through strategic discussions with leading brands [8].