Chen Siqi

vankochensq@163.com

AFTER delivering a presentation on his exciting discoveries in quantitative and synthetic biology at the Q-Bio 2023 Conference held at the Shenzhen Talent Institute in Nanshan District on Sunday, Professor Mogens Høgh Jensen from the Niels Bohr Institute of the University of Copenhagen answered numerous questions from the engaged and enthusiastic attendees.

The conference, which brought together nearly 300 researchers from esteemed universities and institutes worldwide, offered a valuable opportunity for exchanging insights, discussing future advancements in quantitative and synthetic biology, and exploring potential research collaboration.

The Q-Bio Conference made its debut in Asia after 16 successful editions in the U.S., presenting Shenzhen with an opportunity to connect with more international scientists.

The 2023 conference, which concluded yesterday, was jointly organized by the Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences (SIAT), Tsinghua University, Peking University and the Shenzhen Institute of Synthetic Biology.

“The conference provides researchers with a valuable opportunity to share thoughts, receive inspiration and develop creative ideas,” Wei Ping, a professor from SIAT, said. “Moreover, it serves as an international platform, further strengthening Shenzhen’s global connections in the scientific community.”

Over the past decade, Prof. Jensen, also the former president of the Royal Danish Academy of Science and Letters, has devoted himself to leveraging the tools of physics and mathematics for probing the intricacies of complex biological systems.

He told Shenzhen Daily he was stunned by Shenzhen’s rapid development. “I think Shenzhen is emerging as the newest world-class center for science and education, with the growing number of brand-new universities as well as startup companies, especially in the biotech area.”

The Danish physicist voiced his interest in establishing a close collaboration between Denmark and China. The professor said his team has recently co-published a paper with SIAT researchers, and he believes partnerships exploring the intersection of physics and biology hold great promise.