UK-Japan collaboration for artificial photosynthetic cell systems

The project aims to develop an artificial photosynthetic platform and to foster early carrier researchers (ECRs) who will become next-generation leaders. To achieve the research goal, a cross-disciplinary Japanese-UK collaboration framework will be established, bringing together world-leading researchers from a broad range of fields, from engineering biology and biophysics to electrochemistry, nanoscience, microfluidics and information technology. This initiative will establish fundamental technologies that enable the light-driven transformation of CO2 into valuable bioproducts, realizing sustainable and circular bioeconomy. The project will organise its own workshops as well as events with industry to strategically form international networks linking academia and industry. The project will also strongly encourage many ECRs to undertake cross-national and cross-disciplinary research activities with the aim of developing the next generation of researchers. Through these initiatives, ECRs will acquire not only hard skills, but also soft skills, i.e. communication skills to facilitate collaborative research between researchers with different expertise.