Core Insights - A team from Colorado State University has successfully synthesized a "gene switch" that allows for the flexible activation or deactivation of key genetic traits in mature plants, marking a significant advancement in synthetic biology [1][2] - This research provides a theoretical and technical foundation for the programmable regulation of plant gene functions, enabling tailored design of plant characteristics for various applications [2] Group 1: Research Significance - The study represents a milestone in synthetic biology, enabling the creation of a genetic "switch" that functions similarly to an electronic circuit, allowing precise control over gene expression in response to external signals [1] - Prior to this, gene regulation technologies were limited to single-celled organisms, making this achievement in complex multicellular plants particularly noteworthy [1] Group 2: Applications and Future Prospects - The "gene circuit" developed can regulate different stages of plant life cycles and has potential applications in agriculture and materials science, such as enhancing drought resistance in crops or optimizing growth cycles for better yield and nutritional value [2] - Future advancements may include the use of machine learning to further optimize the design process of gene circuits, potentially automating operations and accelerating research and development [2] - This breakthrough technology is expected to contribute to food security and open new possibilities in environmental restoration and sustainable materials development, representing a significant step towards the "programming" of plant modifications [2]

Core Viewpoint - The research conducted by Washington University and Altius Biomedical Science Institute successfully designed synthetic enhancers that are more efficient and simpler than natural enhancers, achieving unprecedented cell-type specificity in human cells through iterative deep learning technology [2][6]. Group 1: Research Challenges - Traditional enhancer discovery faces three major challenges: the vast number of candidate enhancers in the human genome, the lack of precision in existing enhancers that often activate multiple cell types, and the complexity of regulatory rules involving various transcription factor combinations and spatial arrangements [6]. Group 2: Research Methodology - The research team developed an iterative deep learning design system, which underwent two cycles of "design-experiment-optimize," starting from 29,891 natural enhancer MPRA activity data to train the model, resulting in the design of 1,037 synthetic enhancers [6]. - The model was refined using real measurement data of synthetic enhancers, reducing the training data volume by 30 times compared to previous generations, and introducing L2 regularization to prevent over-reliance on a single transcription factor [6]. - The second generation achieved a breakthrough with the design of 688 new enhancers, significantly increasing median expression levels in specific cell types, such as a 46.2-fold increase in HepG2 cells and a 6.7-fold increase in K562 cells [6][7]. Group 3: Research Highlights - The specificity of the deep learning-designed enhancers surpassed that of natural controls, and the sequence grammar used for synthetic enhancers was more compact than that of natural enhancers [8]. - Iterative retraining of synthetic enhancers led to designs with superior specificity, and the activity of synthetic enhancers was correlated with single-cell transcription factor expression [8]. Group 4: Applications - The research opens three major application directions: targeted gene therapy for liver cancer, customized tissue-specific enhancers for rare genetic diseases, and the construction of cell-type-specific biosensors in synthetic biology [10]. - This study marks a fundamental shift in the design paradigm of gene regulatory elements, moving from traditional methods to an AI-driven approach that significantly increases success rates [10].

Core Insights - The beauty industry is increasingly leveraging technology, with significant investment activity observed in May, indicating a recovery in the financing market after a brief lull [2][3]. Investment Overview - In May, there were at least 63 disclosed financing events globally, with a total financing amount of approximately 21.9 billion RMB [2]. - The beauty sector accounted for 12 financing events, totaling 9 billion RMB, while the AI sector had 35 events totaling 9.9 billion RMB [3]. Financing Characteristics - Among the 12 beauty financing events, 2 were in skincare (17%), 3 in color cosmetics/fragrance/personal care (25%), and 7 in raw materials/manufacturers/R&D (58%) [4]. - Notably, seed and angel rounds comprised 38% of the total financing events, indicating a strong interest in innovative investment opportunities [3]. Major Acquisitions - A significant acquisition in May was the purchase of the skincare brand Rhode, founded by Hailey Bieber, by Elf Beauty for 1 billion USD (approximately 72 billion RMB) [7][9]. - Another notable transaction involved Shinsegae Group and Ascent Equity Partners acquiring a controlling stake in C&C International for 285 billion KRW (approximately 14.9 billion RMB) [9][10]. Emerging Trends - The beauty financing landscape shows a trend where leading companies are actively pursuing large-scale financing, with multiple 1 billion USD deals emerging [6]. - Companies with strong founder backgrounds are more likely to attract investment, as seen with PMD and its founder's extensive experience in the skincare industry [11][12]. Focus on Synthetic Biology - Synthetic biology companies are leading the beauty sector's financing in May, with several firms receiving significant investments, including a strategic partnership between L'Oréal and the company Weiming Shiguang [14]. - The trend indicates a sustained interest in innovative materials and technologies within the beauty industry [14]. New Consumption and E-commerce - In the new consumption and e-commerce sectors, 16 brands received financing, with a notable focus on short video and cross-border e-commerce services [21][22]. - The pet industry also saw significant investment, with companies like Paitexian Sheng and Guochong Blood receiving angel round financing [24][25].

Group 1: Company Overview - Zhongchuang Xinhang, formerly known as AVIC Lithium Battery, has transformed from a struggling entity into a leading player in the power battery industry, ranking fourth globally in battery installation volume [2][3] - The company underwent a strategic overhaul under the leadership of Liu Jingyu, shifting focus from lithium iron phosphate batteries to ternary lithium batteries and from commercial vehicles to passenger vehicles [3][4] - In 2022, Zhongchuang Xinhang successfully listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, becoming the first power battery stock in Hong Kong [3] Group 2: Strategic Initiatives - The company is expanding its operations by acquiring control of Suao Sensor, a leading automotive sensor company, which will provide a platform for its first listing in the A-share market [4] - Zhongchuang Xinhang is enhancing its technological capabilities by upgrading its information technology center to a digital intelligence center, focusing on smart manufacturing and customer satisfaction [4][5] - The company plans to transition to a matrix organizational structure in 2024, establishing four business units to improve resource allocation and achieve strategic goals [5] Group 3: Future Goals and Market Position - By 2025, Zhongchuang Xinhang aims to achieve breakthroughs in fast charging, range, and solid-state battery technologies, with a goal to rank among the top three globally in battery installation volume within the next 3 to 5 years [6] - The company has secured agreements with major international automakers such as Toyota, Volkswagen, Ford, and Audi for power battery orders, and has signed a significant energy storage project in Europe with a capacity of 4.4 GWh [6] - Zhongchuang Xinhang is actively pursuing global expansion, with ongoing projects including a €2 billion battery factory in Portugal and a module factory in Thailand [6]

Core Viewpoint - Synthetic biology and biomanufacturing are gaining significant attention and support from various sectors, including government, academia, and industry, highlighting their potential as new productive forces in the economy [1][17]. Event Overview - The SynBio China Third China Synthetic Biology "Scientists + Entrepreneurs + Investors" Expo will be held on August 1-2, 2025, at the Suzhou International Expo Center, featuring over 20,000 participants [3][33]. - The expo will include seven sub-conferences focusing on various aspects of synthetic biology, including health, food, and beauty industries [3]. Industry Challenges - Despite rapid dissemination of synthetic biology concepts in China, the industry faces challenges such as achieving scalable production, realizing product value, market exploration, and innovation in core competitiveness [17]. Applications and Innovations - Synthetic biology is driving innovations in functional ingredients, next-generation food additives, and personalized health foods, showcasing its transformative potential in the food industry [11][12]. - The technology is also advancing in the beauty sector, with applications in functional skincare ingredients and medical aesthetics [15][18]. Collaboration and Networking - The event aims to facilitate collaboration among innovators, industry experts, and investors, providing a platform for project promotion and industry guidance [20].

Core Viewpoint - Synthetic biology and biomanufacturing have gained significant attention and support from various sectors, including government, academia, and industry, highlighting their importance in driving innovation and economic growth in the biological economy [1][17]. Group 1: Event Overview - The SynBio China Third China Synthetic Biology "Scientists + Entrepreneurs + Investors" Expo will be held on August 1-2, 2025, at the Suzhou International Expo Center [3]. - The expo will feature seven sub-conferences, including discussions on synthetic biology applications in health, food, and cosmetics [3][11][15]. - The event aims to gather over 20,000 participants, showcasing the growing interest and investment in synthetic biology [3][33]. Group 2: Industry Challenges and Opportunities - Despite rapid concept dissemination, the synthetic biology industry in China faces challenges such as scaling production, realizing product value, and fostering market development [17]. - Synthetic biology is viewed as a key to understanding life and a disruptive technology that can significantly enhance China's biological economy [17]. - The industry is focused on promoting collaboration between research and enterprises to facilitate the translation of scientific achievements into practical applications [17][20]. Group 3: Technological Innovations - Advances in synthetic biology include the development of high-throughput reactors, enzyme catalysis, and microbial drug synthesis, which are crucial for biomanufacturing [8][12][15]. - Innovations in functional ingredients and personalized health foods driven by synthetic biology are expected to reshape the food industry [11][14]. - The application of synthetic biology in cosmetics and medical aesthetics is also being explored, with a focus on bio-synthesized ingredients [15][18].

Financial Performance - In Q1 2025, the company achieved a revenue of 1.296 billion CNY, a year-on-year decrease of 14.85% [4] - The net profit attributable to shareholders in Q1 2025 was 288 million CNY, down 18.26% year-on-year [4] - The decline in performance is attributed to a price adjustment for 6-APA and an increase in R&D expenses [4] Product Development and Production - The company has completed the pilot test for PHA production but has no plans for large-scale production due to the need for downstream application development [2] - Ongoing research projects in animal feed are being conducted, but there are no plans for direct sales of end products [2] - The planned production capacity for ergotamine is 0.5 tons, which can be adjusted based on market demand [11] Strategic Initiatives - The company aims to leverage AI and synthetic biology to enhance antibiotic production and improve operational efficiency [5] - Plans include reducing production costs through process improvements and lean management [5] - The company is focused on achieving a revenue target of 100 million CNY from synthetic biology by 2025 [12] Market Position and Collaborations - The company is positioned as a product-oriented entity in synthetic biology, with several products already in production and sales stages [10] - Collaborations with companies like Kelun Pharmaceutical focus on high-value natural products and biopharmaceuticals [6] - The company is actively exploring partnerships with international firms to expand its market reach [13] Regulatory Environment - The Chinese government has implemented various policies to promote the development of synthetic biology, including the "14th Five-Year Plan" for bio-economy [8] - The company is not significantly affected by tariff issues, as only 10% of its revenue comes from direct exports, primarily to India and Hong Kong [13]

未名拾光构建了行业多维生物合成平台，涵盖微生物细胞、植物愈伤组织、动物细胞及Cell-Free（无细胞合成）等全体系合成生物技术。其中，公司独创 的"半固体愈伤组织培养技术"有效突破珍稀植物资源限制，以单细胞层面操纵植物成分生产效率更高，所获提取物活性更高、污染更少。目前公司已建成 亚洲最大愈伤组织资源库，并完成国内首个基于该技术的"昙花愈伤组织提取物"新原料备案，为绿色生物制造提供创新解决方案。 投资界5月23日消息，近日，未名拾光宣布完成战略轮近亿元人民币融资，由欧莱雅集团与纳爱斯集团共同投资。此次融资标志着公司在生物活性材料创 新领域的领先地位再获国际巨头认可。同时，未名拾光与欧莱雅集团正式建立战略合作伙伴关系，共同研发创新生物活性成分，并推动其规模化生产，以 及采用低碳生物制造技术开发化妆品原料。 在原料研发领域，效率是核心壁垒。据公开资料显示，未名拾光建立了全球最大的生物活性物数据库，涵盖植物、微生物、动物来源的300亿级分子数 据。通过AI算法可实现靶向原料筛选，目前从该数据库中发现并应用的生物活性物已经超过200个。 行业功效评价体系长期面临效率低下、预测性不足等挑战。未名拾光基于前沿技术重构评 ...

Core Viewpoint - Synthetic biology and biomanufacturing are gaining significant attention and support from various sectors, including government, academia, and industry, highlighting their potential as new productive forces in the economy [1][17]. Event Overview - The SynBio China Third China Synthetic Biology "Scientists + Entrepreneurs + Investors" Expo will be held on August 1-2, 2025, at the Suzhou International Expo Center, featuring over 20,000 participants [3][33]. - The expo will include seven sub-conferences focusing on various aspects of synthetic biology, including health, food, and beauty industries [3]. Industry Challenges - Despite rapid dissemination of synthetic biology concepts in China, the industry faces challenges such as achieving scalable production, realizing product value, market exploration, and innovation in core competitiveness [17]. Applications and Innovations - Synthetic biology is driving innovations in functional ingredients, next-generation food additives, and personalized health foods, showcasing its transformative potential in the food industry [11][12]. - The technology is also being applied in the beauty sector, with advancements in recombinant collagen and bioactive ingredients for skincare [15][18]. Collaboration and Networking - The event aims to facilitate collaboration among innovators, industry experts, and investors, providing a platform for project promotion and industry guidance [20].

作为新质生产力的代表，合成生物学、生物制造以及生物产业，近些年，受到来自政产学研用金 各方广泛关注和重点支持，多地政府将合成生物制造产业写进工作报告。 科学家、企业家和投 资家，在产业发展中发挥着重要作用。 融行业智慧、共襄盛举 第三届中国合成生物学"科学家+企业家+投资家"大会 SynBio China合成生物学与食品大健康产业大会 中国蛋白生物制造大会 美之原·合成生物学功能护肤大会 美之注·注射医疗美容产业大会 SynBio China合成生物学产学研对接会 SynBio China合成生物学新锐项目路演 聚产业力量、擘画未来 SynBio China第三届中国合成生物学"科学家+企业家+投资家"博览会 将于2025年8月1-2日在 苏州国际博览中心B馆 举办（同期举办 第七届CMC-China博览会 ）！ 本次博览会共包含7个子会议： 诚邀莅临，共襄盛举 展会名称： Synbio China 第三届中国合成生物学"科学家+企业家+投资家"博览会 展会 时间： 2025年8月1-2日 展会 地点： 苏州国际博览中心·B馆 展会 规模： 20000+ 主办单位： synbio深波 支持单位： Synbio ...