PolyU-BGI Joint Research Centre for Genomics and Synthetic Biology in Global Ocean Resources (RCOcean) is a collaboration between The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) and Beijing Genomics Institute (BGI) Research, established to advance research in marine genomics and synthetic biology, with a special focus on marine biodiversity, and bioprospecting. The Centre aims to explore marine bioactive molecules and their applications in biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, food and nutritional sciences, as well as marine conservation.
RCOcean harnesses the expertise of team members across various departments at PolyU, such as the Department of Food Science and Nutrition (FSN), Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology (ABCT), and Department of Rehabilitation Science (RS)to create powerful interdisciplinary collaborations in research and development of genomics, synthetic biology, and bioprospecting in global ocean resources. The Centre accelerates the discovery and development of new bioproducts from marine novel compounds and natural products by integrating expertise in chemistry, biology, pharmacology, and ecology. Through high-throughput artificial intelligence (AI) mining, organic synthesis, and catalysis, our laboratories can rapidly identify and develop new drug and nutraceutical candidates utilising cutting-edge technologies. This enables the efficient screening of large libraries of compounds to find those with the desired biological activities. The collaborations bring together diverse expertise and resources, facilitating the development of innovative drugs, nutraceuticals, and bioproducts, and expediting the transition from research to clinical and environmental applications.
The synergy between PolyU and BGI creates a dynamic and multidisciplinary research environment, enabling comprehensive studies in marine genomics, synthetic biology, biodiversity, and bioprospecting. Leveraging state-of-the-art technologies, this collaboration drives innovation and discovery while emphasising sustainability, ensuring responsible marine research and environmental conservation. Together, these groundbreaking efforts position RCOcean as a leader in advancing global ocean resource research, developing novel bioactive compounds, and contributing to ecosystem health, human well-being, and environmental sustainability.
