The Thai SynBio Consortium 2024 Catalyses Innovation and Collaboration
The SynBio Consortium 2024 in Bangkok marked a significant moment for synthetic biology in Thailand, showcasing the country’s commitment to harnessing this technology for economic and societal advancement.
The conference brought together global experts, including IBISBA member Vitor Martins dos Santos (Wageningen University), who participated in a thought-provoking panel on managing research and development consortia.
Martins dos Santos shared insights on bridging the persistent gap between academia and industry. His contributions reflected on the structural and financial hurdles that often impede the commercialisation of synthetic biology research, such as the lack of adequate infrastructure or the high costs associated with scaling, which frequently prove prohibitive for academic institutions and startups. In this regard, he underscored the role of research infrastructures and policies in overcoming these challenges, offering examples from the EU, where shared facilities have accelerated innovation. The panel also addressed the need to foster an innovation ecosystem where academia, industry, and government can coalesce around shared goals.
Thailand’s ambitious efforts through the SynBio Consortium align with its Bio-Circular-Green (BCG) economy strategy. This initiative has led to tangible outcomes, such as the establishment of foundries, investments in pilot plants, and targeted funding for deep-tech startups in sectors like agriculture, food, and healthcare. The consortium serves as a model of how focused collaboration and infrastructure development can transform academic research into impactful industrial applications.
The Thai SynBio Consortium exemplifies how strategic investment and partnership can unlock the potential of emerging technologies and how synthetic biology can address global challenges while driving local economic growth.