The Forth Food Biotechnology Training Courses for Developing Countries and the First International Workshop on Synthetic Biology for New/Improved Food Products: A solution for Food Security was held on December 20-24, 2016, in Bangkok, Thailand.

The workshop provides opportunities for trainees in developing countries to learn and discuss the latest advancement in synthetic biology and food biotechnology. Round-table discussions by CAS-TWAS Centre of Excellence for Biotechnology (CoEBio), researchers from overseas and Faculty of Science, Kasetsart University offered constructive advice for the training courses and future cooperation.

It is the first time for the food biotechnology training course to be held in a foreign country, in response to “One Belt & One Road” initiative. More such courses in developing countries are expected in the future to nurture talents and benefits technology and economy development in these countries.

More than 60 trainees from India, Myanmar, Bangladesh, Egypt, Iran, Nigeria, Kenya, and Thailand joined the workshop. Eight experts in synthetic biology and food biology from Netherland, Switzerland, America, and China were invited to give lectures in the workshop. A two-day practical training of computing software on bio-information, systematic biology, and synthetic biology was also organized.

This workshop was co-organized by CoEBio together with Faculty of Science, Kasetsart University of Thailand, and it was one of the important events of 2016 TWAS ROESEAP activities. Prof. LI Yin, Director of CoEBio, Prof. Jeroen Hugenholtz from Wageningen UR, and Prof. Supa Hannonghua, Dean of Faculty of Science, Kasetsart University co-chaired the workshop.

Group photograph of all attendees