On the first day of the general assembly in China, the MIX-UP delegates embarked on a transformative visit to the PhaBuilder production facility in the Beijing China-German Industrial Park. The group was lead by our project partner Prof. Guo-Qiang Chen of Tsinghua University and accompanied by representatives of local authorities responsible for the industiral district.
The visit included an immersive tour of the production line, equipped with state-of-the-art technology that left the delegates in awe. Fermenters in operation provided a firsthand look at the cutting-edge capabilities, sparking interesting talks about PHA production and plastics biotechnology in general. The MIX-UP team also had the chance to explore the PHA show room, which showcased a diverse array of applications and products derived from PHA. Particularly captivating was the engaging duo presentation by MIX-UP members Gina Welsing (RWTH) and Agathe Mouren (CNRS). They shared their story of microbial intermediate synthesis and subsequent chemocatalytic conversion to novel polymers for bioplastic production.
Following this insightful visit, the delegates joined a Zoom conference set up by Prof. Luo Liu at Beijing University of Chemical Technology to dive into discussions about the project's implementation and progress with the rest of the MIX-UP team. The day ended with a visit of the lab facilities at BUCT, providing the European delegates with an opportunity to witness the research of our Beijing partners firsthand.