“We should achieve a high level of self-reliance and strength in science and technology, since it is the only way to promote the high-quality development.” On March 22, Shenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology (hereinafter referred to as the Institute) held the annual strategic planning meeting for 2023 around the remark made by General Secretary Xi Jinping. Experts in the field were gathered to discuss practical matters, plan the overall situation, empower development with science and technology, and win the future with innovation.
The planning meeting mainly focused on topics such as work summary of 2022, work plan of 2023 and the development vision. The meeting was attended by Professor Tian Zhigang, an academician with Chinese Academy of Engineering and a visiting researcher with Shenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology, Zhang Xian’en, dean of the School of Synthetic Biology of SIAT University (preparatory), Liu Chenli, vice president of SIAT and president of Shenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology, Yu Xuefeng, director, Tan Le, Xie Zexin and Meng Long, deputy directors of the Research Department of SIAT, Kuang Yongzhen, director of International Cooperation and Liaison Office, the leadership of Shenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology, director of each research center, research backbone and management support teams. The meeting was presided over by An Yishuo, vice president of Shenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology.
At the beginning, Liu Chenli summarized and elaborated the work done in 2022 and the key work to be done in 2023, and made an in-depth analysis based on the existing advantages of the Institute around such aspects as the goals, development trend, and improvement measures. Liu Chenli fully affirmed the work done by various departments and centers of the Institute in 2022. Several research teams have completed major technological breakthroughs, and realized the transformation of some research achievements. The Institute is accumulating strategic scientific and technological strength for Shenzhen’s synthetic biology and national life science strategy.
To achieve a high level of self-reliance and strength in science and technology sooner, we must win the battle for breakthroughs in key and core technologies. In 2023, the Institute will continue to strengthen the integration of science and education, optimize discipline construction and talent cultivation, try to meet the major national demands, assume the responsibility for the country, and organize forces to carry out institutional research. It will promote the in-depth integration of industry, university and research, and accelerate the transfer and transformation of scientific achievements. Meanwhile, a concerted effort will be made to prepare a roadmap for China’s synthetic biology. Relying on synthetic biology infrastructure, it will launch an international science plan and realize step by step the vision of “building a world-class institute of synthetic biology, cultivate world-class synthetic biology talents, make research achievements with a global influence and incubate a world-leading synthetic biology company”.
The meeting invited Yu Xuefeng, Tan Le, Xie Zexin, Meng Long and Kuang Yongzhen to exchange and report, and share and explore related changes in the research projects and policies of the nation, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangdong and Shenzhen, providing guidance and suggestions on the research project construction of the Institute.
The School of Synthetic Biology of SIAT University, each research center and supporting department of the Institute also delivered a report on their annual plan of 2023 and confirmed their work focus, targets and specific tasks in 2023, vowing to strengthen internal collaboration and seek more breakthroughs and progresses in their respective field under the great support and guidance of SIAT and SIAT University.
Professor Tian expressed high appreciation for the work of the research centers and supporting departments of the Institute. He said that the foresight and decision-making power of the leadership and the execution force of the departments of the Institute made him full of confidence in the future of the Institute. The young team of the Institute shows a great potential, and the interdisciplinary research also helps achieve “breakthroughs” in technology and make more influential research achievements. Professor Tian believed that our advantage in the future lied in the combination of the School and the Institute, emphasizing that basic biology should solve the tough issue of cooperation and try new research paradigms. In the end, Professor Tian hoped that the research centers could exchange and cooperation with each other actively, promote the transformation of achievements, and promote the development of synthetic biology together.
Facing the future, we should not only look up at the stars, but also be down-to-earth. At the end of the meeting, President Liu Chenli affirmed the work and planning of the research centers and supporting departments, and made suggestions on the next step of the Institute. First, he suggested that all researchers should be clear about their main research direction, deploy the team’s research structure, pursue a higher level of research achievements and development goals, and focus their effort on scientific innovation and R&D to lay a good foundation for future development. Meanwhile, he advocated to absorb more excellent researchers, promote interdisciplinary and crossover cooperation within the research teams, and share valuable experience and resources, so as to break the disciplinary barriers and improve the overall innovation ability and international competitiveness together. Second, he hoped that each center could assume their responsibility to advance in both breadth and depth into science and technology and try to be ranked top in their respective field of research, geared to the world’s cutting-edge science and technology, the main battlefield of economy, major national demands and the people’s life and health, so as to be satisfactory to the nation, the Institute and Shenzhen and recognized by international academic peers. In addition, he suggested that the Institute should streamline and optimize the responsibility structure of the supporting teams, and select more middle-level cadres to improve the efficiency of its work. Finally, Liu Chen made it clear that the meeting aimed to point the work direction and goals, encourage scientific personnel to learn from the models and each other, reflect on how to showcase their own strength in the international competition by referring to the indicators and data of the plan, and promote the research achievements of the Institute to serve the national strategic demands, so as to reach a new height in 2023.
The successful convening of the 2023 Strategic Planning Meeting provided an important communication platform for the research and management support teams of the Institute, demonstrated the development direction and goals of the Institute, encouraged the team to continuously innovate and pursue excellence, and make unremitting efforts to realize the leapfrog development of research and management support. In the new year, the Institute will make more achievements, make more contributions to the national scientific innovation and embrace a brighter future together.
Figure: A scene of the meeting
Figure: President Liu Chenli reports on the work of 2022 and the key work of 2023 of the Institute
Figure: The scientific research department shares and explores the related changes of research projects and policies at different levels