A*STAR Singapore Institute of Food and Biotechnology Innovation (SIFBI)

Congratulations to our SIFBI scientist, Dr 🌷 Aaron Thong, on winning the Best Poster Award for his work on improving umami flavour production in cultivated meat! 🏆 Cultivated pork currently contains much lower levels of certain natural compounds, such as IMP and GMP, which play an important role in creating the rich, savoury umami taste we associate with meat. Aaron and his team and collaborators explored the use of pulsed electromagnetic fields (almost like a “workout”🏋️♂️ for the cells) to stimulate their energy-producing machinery. Their early findings showed improved cell growth and increased production of these important flavour-related compounds. While more research lies ahead, this promising approach could help cultivated meat achieve a fuller, more authentic taste from within. This work reflects how SIFBI brings together food science, cell biology and bioprocessing to address real-world challenges and to create science-driven solutions for a healthier and more sustainable food future. Well done, Aaron and team, on this well-deserved recognition!

Great to host Dr Jane Zhang, Head of Southeast Asia/Singapore at Breakthrough Energy Fellows, at SIFBI last week. Jane is leading the firm's regional push to support early-stage startups, innovators and climate-tech ecosystem builders, bringing global capital and networks to founders across the region. We had a valuable discussion on how SIFBI's deep tech capabilities intersect with that agenda: synthetic biology, bioprocessing and scale-up infrastructure that help translate research into commercially viable ventures. We also explored how the convergence of AI and experimental science is critical for accelerating innovation, helping companies reduce development timelines and de-risk commercialisation. Deep tech startups in this space need more than capital, they need access to pilot facilities, technical partners and time. For early-stage start-ups, strong science is just the beginning. Successful commercialisation of deep technology also requires access to multidisciplinary expertise, specialised infrastructure, industry networks and the right support to de-risk, scale and deploy new solutions. We look forward to strengthening connections across the innovation ecosystem and creating more pathways for Singapore-developed deep techs to achieve meaningful real-world impact. #DeepTech #Startups #Biotechnology #InnovationEcosystem

What a week! We launched the A*STAR SIFBI–NUS Synthetic Biology Joint Lab — and that same week, our ED Dr Sze Tan was invited on CNA's Singapore Tonight to bring this science to a wider audience. Synthetic biology is, at its core, about programming living things, such as cells, microbes and enzymes, to make useful products more sustainably and precisely. Think of yeast engineered to produce omega-3 fatty acids, or microbes making skincare actives that were previously impossible to scale. Biology has quietly been at work in our everyday lives, from yoghurt to soy sauce to the enzymes in your laundry detergent. What synthetic biology does is make that natural ability smarter, faster and more targeted. Our A*STAR SIFBI and NUS Synbio joint lab, led by Professor Jay Keasling, is where that frontier science meets industry, giving companies a real pathway to co-develop and scale bio-based innovations here in Singapore. If you're curious about what we're building or how to work with us? Feel free to reach out. Let's build the next generation of biosolutions together. #SyntheticBiology #Bioeconomy #ASTAR #SIFBI #NUS #Singapore

𝐀𝐂𝐂𝐄𝐋𝐄𝐑𝐀𝐓𝐄 𝐓𝐑𝐀𝐍𝐒𝐋𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍 𝐎𝐅 𝐒𝐘𝐍𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐓𝐈𝐂 𝐁𝐈𝐎𝐋𝐎𝐆𝐘 𝐈𝐍𝐓𝐎 𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐋-𝐖𝐎𝐑𝐋𝐃 𝐀𝐏𝐏𝐋𝐈𝐂𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐒 Last week, we celebrated an important milestone for Singapore's growing bioeconomy with the launch of the A*STAR SIFBI–National University of Singapore Synthetic Biology Joint Lab, led by Professor Jay Keasling. For us, this is more than the launch of a new laboratory. It represents a shift in how we think about translating biology into real-world impact. Across the world, biology is becoming a powerful innovation engine. Advances in AI, automation and synthetic biology are dramatically accelerating how we design, build and optimise biological systems. What once took years can now be achieved in months. By bringing together A*STAR's translational capabilities, NUS' scientific excellence, and Prof Keasling's pioneering expertise in synthetic biology, we are building an AI-native platform designed to accelerate the journey from idea to impact. Built for collaboration, the Joint Lab connects frontier sciences with industry needs to co-develop solutions, access specialised capabilities and co-create the next generation of bioinnovation. As more organisations enter the bioeconomy conversation, we believe Singapore is uniquely positioned to become a global hub where biology, engineering, AI and biomanufacturing converge to create the next generation of biosolutions. This joint lab is a step shaping the future bioeconomy and we are only getting started. #SyntheticBiology #Bioeconomy #Biotechnology #Biomanufacturing #AI #Automation #Innovation #TechnologyTranslation #ASTAR #SIFBI #NUS #selfdrivinglab Kian Teik Beh | Aaron Voon-Yew Thean | Jay Keasling | Sze Tan | Matthew Chang | Andy Hor | Min Hao Wong | Kelly Lai | Meichun Fong | Chew Xueli | Vincent Tong | Kimberly Tan | Adrianus Christopher | Qiao You Lau | Ian S. Yunus  

BBC Future highlighted the emerging science on the link between chewing and brain health — with Prof Jianshe Chen from A*STAR SIFBI among the experts featured. 🧠   Growing evidence suggests the “mouth-brain connection” may play a bigger role in healthy ageing than many realise, from neural stimulation and stress regulation to digestion and the gut-brain axis linked to cognitive wellbeing.   At A*STAR SIFBI, researchers are advancing science-driven innovations across sensory science, nutrition, microbiome research and precision health to support healthy longevity. As populations age and dementia risks rise globally, understanding something as fundamental as how we chew could open new pathways for preventive health and wellbeing. There’s far more to orosensory science than most people realise especially the physiology behind how we chew, taste and sense food may influence multiple aspects of health in ways that are still under-recognised.   Stay tuned as we continue unpacking the science and emerging discoveries behind the mouth-body connection across diverse health areas. Link to article: https://lnkd.in/gEhNFQ-D   #HealthyLongevity #GutBrainAxis #CognitiveHealth #HealthyAgeing #PrecisionHealth #FoodScience #SensoryScience #ASTAR

We were pleased to host participants from the ESSEC Asia-Pacific Business School’s Adisseo Management Program at SIFBI. As a global leader in nutritional animal feed, Adisseo brought together a diverse, international cohort to explore the evolving landscape of biotechnology and sustainable nutrition. Our Tech Biz Director, Vincent Tong, shared an overview of A*STAR and highlighted SIFBI’s capabilities across the bioeconomy and healthy longevity space. This included our work in sustainable value-added ingredients innovation, where we advance next-generation bio-based ingredients through synthetic biology and biotransformation, as well as nutritional solutions and digestive health for Asians, where we develop science-backed approaches tailored to regional dietary needs and health outcomes. The session also showcased our approach at the intersection of science and business, where research is not only driven by discovery, but designed for deployment. Discussions explored how collaborative models across Singapore and Asia can effectively enable innovation to scale, the role of public–private partnerships in building resilient biotech and nutrition ecosystems, and the broader challenges and opportunities shaping sustainable ingredient innovation, nutrition strategies, and biotechnology today. It was an engaging visit, with thoughtful questions on translating innovation into industry-ready solutions and navigating the evolving global nutrition landscape. Appreciate the ESSEC Executive Education team for facilitating this valuable exchange. We look forward to continued engagements that help translate research into meaningful market impact! Vincent Tong Amber Tian Sally May Tan 陈美珠 Pezzulo Françoise Xavier Pavie

We were pleased to host Ms Anna Strolenberg, Dutch Member of Parliament, and her delegates at A*STAR SIFBI during her visit to Singapore, as part of ongoing efforts to deepen engagement between Europe and Singapore in the food and agri-food innovation space.   The visit provided an opportunity to exchange perspectives on how Singapore has built a strong, integrated ecosystem to support food innovation — from upstream research to industry translation and scale-up. Discussions focused on A*STAR’s role in enabling this through multidisciplinary R&D platforms, public-private partnerships, and close alignment with national strategies. We also shared more about SIFBI’s work in advancing innovative biosolutions, spanning areas such as ingredient innovation, and science backed nutrition solution. Beyond knowledge exchange, the session opened up discussion on potential areas of collaboration between Europe and Singapore, particularly in translating science into real-world applications that support more sustainable and health-forward food systems. As global challenges around food security, sustainability, and health continue to evolve, strengthening international partnerships will be important to accelerate innovation and impact. Sze Tan Vincent Tong Laurens De Meyer Antoine Ripoll

𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗴𝗿𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗼 𝗦𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗲𝗨𝗽 𝗕𝗶𝗼 𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝗺𝗶𝗹𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗻𝗲, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗮 𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗺 𝘄𝗲𝗹𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗙𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗼𝗽𝗼𝗹𝗶𝘀 𝗩𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝘀 𝗮 𝗻𝗲𝘄 𝘀𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗵𝗼𝗹𝗱𝗲𝗿. This next phase reflects strong confidence in ScaleUp Bio’s growth as a leading precision fermentation CDMO in Asia, supporting end-to-end scale-up from development to commercial manufacturing. Since the early days of our partnership, when we jointly established one of Singapore’s first dedicated food-grade precision fermentation facilities to support start-ups and emerging innovators, ScaleUp Bio has continued to expand its capabilities and ecosystem to accelerate translation from lab to market. As a strategic partner, A*STAR SIFBI continues to work with ScaleUp Bio to strengthen bioprocessing optimisation, scale-up and downstream processing and enable companies to bridge innovation and commercialisation with greater confidence, spanning applications in areas including specialty chemicals, consumer applications and food and nutrition. As the bioeconomy gains momentum, such integrated platforms and partnerships will be critical in positioning Singapore as a trusted launchpad for bio-based innovation in Asia and beyond. We look forward to continued collaboration with ScaleUp Bio and its partners in this next chapter of growth. 🤝 Philip Yeo Abel Ang Fabiana Bianchi Alberto Parisi Presicce Aaron, Jiehan Yeo Sze Tan Min Hao Wong Vincent Tong Chew Xueli Kimberly Tan Melanie Weingarten