Shanghai Synthetic Biology Innovation Center

The Shanghai Synthetic Biology Innovation Center is a Shanghai-based institution focused on advancing synthetic biology research and commercialization. Its deputy director is Qi Yesi , and Xiaolong Fu serves as its executive director . The center has pioneered a "virtual company" model for concept validation: it maintains a pipeline of over 500 frontier project proposals, selects top candidates, and funds them through early-stage validation without requiring immediate incorporation—instead assigning professional project managers to assess commercialization pathways, market demand, and intellectual property . As of 2025 reporting, this model had supported 14 projects .

The center functions as a key node in Shanghai's broader bio-manufacturing ecosystem. It is a founding member of the "Bio-Manufacturing Industry Value Partners" joint council alongside East China University of Science and Technology, Jiangnan University, Dalton Venture, OPM Biosciences, Meihua Bio, and Novo Holdings—a coalition aimed at sharing resources and accelerating lab-to-production translation . Its work aligns with Shanghai's 2023-2025 action plan to build a high-end bio-manufacturing industrial cluster .