TIANJIN, May 9 (Xinhua) -- Sun Yuanxia in north China's Tianjin Municipality has dedicated over two decades to "sweet research."

Sun, a researcher at the Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, led her team in developing a special platform for rare sugar biosynthesis. This achievement in 2023 has revolutionized traditional concepts of sugar manufacturing.

"Compared to traditional sugar production through crops like sugarcane, our carbon dioxide-to-sugar method dramatically reduces reliance on land and water resources," she said.

Sun is among a group of Chinese researchers engaged in synthetic biology, an emerging field where scientists approach biological systems similarly to architects constructing buildings.

By purposefully assembling genetic components, these "life architects" are creating solutions to global challenges in medicine, food production and environmental sustainability.

China has been committed to advancing genetic and biotech development. In 2024, the country officially recognized "bioengineering technicians" as a new profession. Biomedicine and genetic research were also highlighted in national plans, with a bioeconomy development plan released in 2022 specifically encouraging synthetic biology innovation.

In March, researchers at Tianjin University employed synthetic biology strategies like gene editing and organelle engineering to develop a microbial and plant cell "factory" for producing rare ginsenosides -- a compound hailed as "plant gold."

According to Mei Kunrong, an associate professor at the School of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology of the university, rare ginsenosides exhibit high bioactivity and excellent bioavailability, with proven anti-tumor, anti-inflammatory and immune-boosting effects. However, their extremely low natural abundance -- less than 0.1 percent in plants -- and complex extraction process make them very expensive.

Mei said the research provides a novel approach for the efficient production of rare ginsenosides.

"With advances in synthetic biology, production costs could be significantly reduced, making this 'plant gold' more accessible to the general public," she added.

To address biotech revolution challenges, serve national strategies and cultivate talent in these cutting-edge fields, the university established a synthetic biology and biomanufacturing school in April.

In recent years, China's bioengineering technicians have used synthetic biology to make remarkable innovations, including yeast-derived rose fragrance, engineered bacteria treating tumors and high-oil rice from a cell "factory."

"Bioengineering technology is revolutionizing production and resource utilization paradigms," said Sun. "The transition from experience-driven to intelligent manufacturing has dramatically improved efficiency, with boundless prospects for the future."