19 Aug 2025
The 2025 CCiC-Synbiopunk (China Conference on iGEM & Global Bio-Developers Summit) was successfully held in Beijing from August 7th to 9th. As one of China's most influential youth academic conferences in synthetic biology, the event attracted participation from numerous university iGEM teams alongside industry representatives. Representing Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University (XJTLU), the XJTLU-AI-China Team distinguished itself by employing artificial intelligence to advance synthetic biology research, engaging in project presentations,?achieving academic?exchanges, and engaging in scientific?discourse with teams nationwide.
Energizing synthetic biology with AI
During the conference's public presentation session, the XJTLU-AI-China team led by the School of Science delivered an impressive showcase of their "Plaszyme" AI-powered plastic-degrading enzyme prediction platform for the 2025 iGEM Competition's Software & AI Track. The team presented their pioneering work through four key dimensions: 1) plastic pollution research, 2) innovative AI model design, 3) wet lab validation, and 4) social impact initiatives, fully demonstrating our XJTLU students' solid research capabilities and outstanding competitive performance.
Deep interactions highlight XJTLU’s scientific excellence
CCiC-Synbiopunk: A Platform for Global iGEM Collaboration
The greatest value of the annual CCiC-Synbiopunk event lies in its role as a platform for iGEM teams worldwide to connect and foster collaboration. Seizing this opportunity, the XJTLU-AI-China team engaged in in-depth exchanges with outstanding teams—including Beijing Institute of Technology, Zhejiang University of Technology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University AI Team, and Beijing University of Chemical Technology—all working at the intersection of biodegradation and artificial intelligence, ultimately establishing mutually beneficial partnerships with several of them.
- Zhejiang University of Technology, the teams openly shared experimental details (e.g., preparation methods for screening plates), refining wet lab protocols to avoid potential errors and accelerate research progress.
- Shanghai Jiao Tong University’s AI Team, they exchanged development strategies and platform functionalities, providing actionable optimization suggestions for each other’s projects.
- Beijing University of Chemical Technology highly praised PlaszymeDB—a plastic-degrading enzyme database independently developed by XJTLU-AI-China—and expressed strong appreciation for the team’s "AI for Science" modeling approach and humanistic practices.
Teams from different provinces and universities engaged in in-depth academic exchanges around similar competition tracks. Through thoughtful suggestions and rigorous design discussions, the young participants sparked intellectual synergy and inspired innovation. The XJTLU-AI-China team demonstrated strong responsibility by providing positive and constructive feedback for other projects, while students from various institutions also offered insightful perspectives. This two-way scientific interaction created a virtuous cycle and?laid a solid foundation for future research collaboration.
As the conference concluded successfully, the XJTLU-AI-China team is excited to move forward and apply the valuable feedback and helpful recommendations received to its project. We would like to express our sincere gratitude to all team members — Cao Zhenyayuan, He Shulei, Long Yan, Tang Yichen, Wang Aixue, Wang Shang, Xie Zimu, Xing Yueqing, Yang Zhicheng, and Zheng Jiaqi — for their dedicated efforts thus far. With continued support from all stakeholders and an undiminished passion for synthetic biology, the team remains determined to overcome challenges and produce high qulaity outcomes. We will further refine our research project, striving to deliver an even more outstanding performance at the 2025 iGEM Grand Jamboree in Paris this October.
"By participating in this conference, we had our first opportunity to present our project and engage in in-person discussions with other teams. Throughout the exchanges, we not only deeply felt the strong scientific enthusiasm of each team but also gained valuable feedback from diverse perspectives, which inspired deep reflection. Such an opportunity has broadened our horizons, sparked new ideas, and, we believe, will be of great significance to the further development of our project." -Zhicheng Yang，Student Leader, XJTLU-AI-China Team
"Listening to each team’s project presentations was truly inspiring. The diverse presentations not only broadened our horizons but also prompted us to reflect on our own research and identify areas for improvement. During the poster session, we approached each booth with a humble attitude and engaged in in-depth discussions. Every team generously shared their ideas, progress and future plans. Through this open exchange, we connected with like-minded peers and explored potential opportunities for collaboration. Bringing together so many talented individuals, the chance to interact with these high-level teams and spark new insights was undoubtedly our privilege." -Zhenyayuan Cao,HP Group?Leader, XJTLU-AI-China Team
"This exchange and learning journey has been an exceptionally unique experience for me. Engaging with outstanding students from universities across the country to discuss global issues in biology has not only exposed me to diverse perspectives and cutting-edge scientific thinking, but also greatly deepened my understanding of synthetic biology. What surprised and warmed me most was the atmosphere — what I initially thought would be a routine discussion turned into an open and friendly scientific exchange, where everyone generously shared their experiences and insights. We gained valuable new knowledge and distinctive ideas, many of which I look forward to applying in our future research work."-Yichen Tang, Experiment Group?Leader, XJTLU-AI-China Team
"As the mentor of the XJTLU-AI-China iGEM team, I couldn’t be more proud of how our School of Science students shone at the 2025 CCiC-Synbiopunk Conference. They presented their work with confidence and clarity, exchanged ideas openly with peers from across the country, and showed a real eagerness to learn and improve. The feedback and inspiration they have brought back will no doubt help take their research project to the next level. I am excited to see all their hard work pay off and celebrate their success at the 2025 International iGEM Competition. ?"-Chun (Kevin) Chan, Primary PI, XJTLU-AI-China
iGEM Introduction
Overview:
- Full Name: International Genetically Engineered Machine competition
- Organizer: Massachusetts Institute of Technology （MIT）， USA
- Participants: High school students, undergraduate students, and graduate students
Core Objectives:
To address real-world challenges-such as environmental protection, healthcare, energy production, and agriculture-by designing, building, and testing engineered biological systems (e.g., genetically modified microorganisms or cells).
Competition Content:
Synthetic biology practices
Interdisciplinary collaboration
Social impact and safety considerations
Recruitment:
2026 iGEM Team Recruitment Period: Around January 2026 (exact date TBA)
Contact Us:
Email: SCI.iGEM@gdsqbz.com
Dry Team Xiaohongshu (RED): ID 11603682728
Dry Team ins: xjtlu_ai_china
Content and photos：Dr Chun (Kevin) Chan and XJTLU-AI-China
Review：Professor John Moraros
19 Aug 2025