Recently, the Ministry of Science and Technology announced the approval results of the 2021 National Key R&D Program "Synthetic Biology" Key Special Project. The topic "Elucidation and Reconstruction of Biosynthetic Pathways of Important Metabolites" (Grant No. 2021YFA0909602), applied for by Professor Lu Yandu of SCBE as the topic leader, was approved by the Ministry of Science and Technology. This topic is part of the National Key R&D Program project "Rational Design and System Modification of Microalgal Chassis Cells" (2021YFA0909600), led by Professor Wang Qiang of Henan University, and jointly applied for by the Institute of Botany of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan University, Ocean University of China, and Northwest A&F University. The project was granted 19.49 million RMB in central financial funding.
The project is based on the interdisciplinary hotspots of synthetic biology, biomanufacturing, and bioenergy. Adopting engineering design concepts, it involves targeted design, modification, and even de novo synthesis of microalgal organisms. It aims to achieve the transformation and production of carbon dioxide into high-value compounds in a more efficient, economical, and precise manner. Aligning with the national "Dual Carbon" goals, it serves as an important technical reserve for the future.