MPI-TM Opens New Research Center for Natural Product Research with Chinese Partners
New Max Planck Center Strengthens Research Partnership with China
The Max Planck Society is further expanding its collaboration with China: On April 13, two new Max Planck Centers were officially inaugurated in Beijing. Both partnerships are established in collaboration with institutions of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), the Max Planck Society’s primary partner organization in China. The Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology (MPI-TM) is a partner in the Center for Synthetic Biochemistry, which focuses on discovering novel bioactive compounds from microorganisms. Through the Synthetic Biology Infrastructure in Shenzhen, Max Planck researchers gain access to world-class research facilities.
Synthetische Biochemie für Medizin und Pflanzenschutz
The new Max Planck Society–Chinese Academy of Sciences Center for Synthetic Biochemistry aims to unlock the potential of natural products derived from microorganisms for applications in medicine, crop protection, and beyond. To achieve this, the Center brings together the expertise of the Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology in Marburg and the Institute of Synthetic Biology at the Chinese Academy of Sciences in Shenzhen.
At the heart of the collaboration are fundamental questions in synthetic biochemistry: How can we develop new biosynthetic pathways for these compounds, and how can we combine and reprogram them to produce previously unknown bioactive molecules?
Researchers from the Max Planck Institute contribute their extensive experience in the production of microbial natural products, as well as in the analysis and design of metabolic pathways. Their knowledge of cell-free production of microbial natural products will also be a crucial component of the research at the new Center. The Institute of Synthetic Biology complements these strengths with automated laboratories and data- and AI-driven methods for identifying entirely novel biosynthetic routes.
Shenzhen Synthetic Biology Infrastructure: Modern Platform for Cultivation, Analytics, and High-Throughput Scaling of Microbial Natural Products
The collaboration grants researchers at the Max Planck Institute access to cutting-edge synthetic biology technologies in Shenzhen, particularly the Shenzhen Synthetic Biology Infrastructure at the Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology (SIAT). This central analytical facility enables the cultivation of diverse microorganisms, even under oxygen-free conditions, and makes them visible using state-of-the-art microscopes. The resulting cell cultures can be rapidly scaled from minute quantities up to large fermenters of various sizes. The platform also includes methods for real-time monitoring of metabolite production and offline analysis of the three-dimensional structures of molecules. In this way, the platform generates standardized data that are further utilized across other SIAT facilities.
“The combination of expertise and methodologies at our institute and in Shenzhen is unique and will allow us to significantly expand access to and structural diversity of microbial natural products—including the creation of non-natural variants,” explains Helge Bode, Director at the Max Planck Institute for Terrestrial Microbiology, who co-leads the Center with Chenli Liu from the Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology.
The collaboration also creates new opportunities for training the next generation of scientists, including joint PhD projects and exchange and training programs. Thus, the new Center will closely integrate fundamental research, technological innovation, and international talent development.
