Singapore is making commitments to become a global leader in synthetic biology, with the federal government investing in the field to promote innovation of synthetic microorganisms or redesigned natural microorganisms for the purpose of food, electronics, medicine and energy production.

In January, the Singapore government invested SGD 25 million ($19 million), to be distributed over a period of 5 years,  into an R&D program for synthetic biology, with 4 projects already funded. The program focuses on developing synthetic cannabinoids, producing rare fatty acids and developing new strains of microorganisms that can aid in the creation of industrial products. Grants for up to SGD 500,000 ($376,700) have also been made available for synthetic biology project collaborations with Chinese researchers, part of a partnership between Singapore’s National Research Foundation and China’s National Natural Science Foundation.

In 2015, Singapore opened its first research program for synthetic biology at the National University of Singapore, with the Synthetic Biology for Clinical and Technological Innovation (SynCTI) program working on engineering microorganisms for producing specialty chemicals and medicines. The program also established a consortium to assist research organizations such as SynCTI in working with industry partners for the purpose of commercializing their innovations.

Source: Nature