On May 8th, the School of International Education at Beijing University of Chemical Technology organized a visit and exchange activity at Bloomage BioTechnology for a group of Chinese and international student representatives. As part of the series 'Experience China, Learn Chemistry in China—A Chemical Journey for International Students' and another key practice of the 'Mobile National Conditions Class,' this activity allowed students to get a close-up view of the achievements and innovation energy in China's biotech industry. Dr. Wang Hao, head of the Synthetic Biology R&D Department at Bloomage BioTechnology's global R&D platform, along with Dr. Zhao Chunhua and other members of the R&D team, warmly welcomed the students and faculty.
At the company exhibition hall, the students got a detailed look at Huaxi Bio's development journey, from tackling technical challenges to leading the industry. As a global leader in the hyaluronic acid industry, Huaxi Bio's innovative achievements in areas like bioactive materials gave the students a clear sense of the R&D strength of Chinese biotech companies. Through on-site explanations and interactive displays, everyone gained a deeper understanding of the impressive accomplishments of Chinese companies in tech research, product commercialization, and international growth.
During the visit to the company's product exhibition area, the wide application of biotech products in fields like healthcare, anti-aging skincare, and nutrition science sparked strong interest among the students. The company staff also gave a special introduction focusing on the current development of China's biopharmaceutical industry, trends in technological innovation, and the training of young talent, followed by interactive discussions with the teachers and students on site.
The following discussion session was lively and engaging. Rodrigo, an undergraduate from El Salvador, shared his iGEM experience of heterologously synthesizing sulforaphane in yeast and boosting its yield by 49%. Zhou Hongxu, a master's student from a Sino-foreign cooperative program, talked about his internship at a company where he helped guide the development of the Vesper2025 sleep-aid glowing yeast device, discussing how university research can better meet corporate innovation needs from the perspective of industry-education integration. Yamo Kevin, a PhD student from Kenya, introduced his research using synthetic biology to find active compounds from East African medicinal plants for treating hyperuricemia. All three students shared their takeaways based on their own research backgrounds, noting that HuaXi Bio's full-chain capabilities from R&D to industrialization set a model for turning synthetic biology from the lab to real applications and inspired everyone to dive into tech innovation.
This company visit is an important part of the International Education College at Beijing University of Chemical Technology's efforts to promote the 'Understanding China' social practice and national conditions education. It’s also a component of our school's series of activities, 'Understanding China: The Chemical Journey of International Students in China,' and the 'Mobile National Conditions Lessons.' The activity starts with leading enterprises in the industry and combines macro-level industry policies with micro-level technology applications, helping both Chinese and international students build a comprehensive understanding of the entire biotech industry chain. The college said that we will continue to combine high-quality resources both inside and outside the university to organize a variety of practical exchange activities, helping students gain an in-depth understanding of China’s technological innovations through learning by doing, and promoting friendly exchanges and mutual appreciation between Chinese and international youth.
