A biotechnology workshop was held on Nov 7 and 8 in Qingdao, Shandong province with various topics in the area of industrial biotechnology being discussed.

The two-day workshop attracted around 20 German scientists and entrepreneurs from the Germany-based Cluster for Industrial Biotechnology (CLIB2021), in addition to dozens of local industrial and academic partners.

The so-called "CLIB-Qingdao Biotechnology Workshop 2016" was organized by CLIB China representation, and co-sponsored by the Qingdao Science and Technology Exchange Center and the Qingdao Institute of Bioenergy and Bioprocess Technology (QIBEBT) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS).

QIBEBT Assistant Director General Zheng Yonghong delivered a warm welcome speech. Manfred Kircher, chairman of the advisory board of CLIB2021, gave inspiring remarks.

Zheng Yonghong said, "To address global energy and environmental problems, increasing efforts toward bioenergy and biotechnology have been made. Biotechnology is playing an increasingly important role in the areas of environmental protection, the chemical industry, food and health care, and so on".

Speakers from CLIB2021, Chinese academia such as Shandong University, CAS institutions (including Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Institute of Microbiology, Institute of Oceanology and QIBEBT) and Qingdao-based enterprises, such as Bright Moon Seaweed Group and Vland Biotech Group, exchanged ideas and searched for potential partners.

The CLIB2021 delegates also visited local star biotech enterprises, in order to promote potential international collaboration and technology transfers in the area of industrial biotechnology.

"The workshop has contributed to a mutual understanding among all its participants, and it will lay a better foundation for further cooperation in biotechnology between Germany and China", said Zheng.

Zheng Yonghong, assistant director general of QIBEBT, delivers a keynote speech during the CLIB-Qingdao Biotechnology Workshop 2016, which was held on Nov 7 and 8. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Manfred Kircher, chairman of the advisory board of CLIB2021, speaks during the CLIB-Qingdao Biotechnology Workshop 2016, which was held on Nov 7 and 8. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]