15/10/2026
Where can a career in synthetic biology take you?
Singapore Engineering Biology Week Futures Day brought together researchers, industry professionals, entrepreneurs and young scientists to look beyond today’s science and explore where the field could go next.
The morning opened with Prof Paul Freemont from Imperial College London, reflecting on lessons from the past 15 years of synthetic biology and what may lie ahead.
The Career Longevity and Agility session then explored three very different pathways beyond the traditional research track, from strategy consulting with Dr Cheng Kai Lim, Simon-Kucher, to entrepreneurship with Hui Jean Lim, P3 Biotechnology, and scientific communication with Dr Julian Tang, Ernest & Kin.
The programme also featured iGEM presentations, before closing with the panel “Where Will Synthetic Biology Take You?”, with Bernd Willems, Twist Bioscience; Lawrence Ho, SIAT; and Jing Liang, Illumina.
The conversation explored what careers in synthetic biology could look like, including the balance between academia and industry, and what it takes to move successfully between the two. The panel also highlighted adaptability as one of the most important skills for the next five years, alongside a discussion on how researchers can prepare for a transition from academia to industry and whether AI skills will become increasingly important for the next generation of scientists.
A fitting close to the week, with plenty of reflections on careers, opportunities and the future of synthetic biology.
This event was co-organised by SynBioSG, a constituent society of the Singapore National Academy of Science (SNAS).
