On March 18^th to 21^st, 2019, Dr. Netsanet Shiferaw Terefe and Dr. Mya Myintzu Hlaing from the Agriculture and Food at Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO) visited Qingdao Institute of BioEnergy and Bioprocess Technology (QIBEBT), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) for academic exchange.

The focus of this academic visit was placed on the Raman-activated cell sorter (RACS), which was self-developed by Single-Cell Center (SCC). Prof. MA Bo, associate group lead of SCC, as the representative took in charge of the reception for foreign visitors.

During the visit, Dr. Netsanet Shiferaw Terefe gave an overview on CSIRO as well as main research directions of Agriculture and Food. Dr. Mya Myintzu Hlaing delivered a lecture entitled “Characterisation of the molecular composition and impact of stresses on bacterial cells using vibrational spectroscopy combined with transcriptomic analysis”. In the report, she expounded recent advances in her papers related to the application of vibrational spectroscopy combined with transcriptomic analysis in the field of agriculture and food processing. Afterwards, scientists from CSIRO shared experimental details and key points with audience in depth.

Prof. MA Bo introduced how to utilize RACS for functional identification and sorting of individual cells, in a label-free manner. How RACS provides an integrated solution for phenome at single-cells, as well as the application prospects of RACS in the fields of agriculture, food and fermentation, was also expressed to scientists from CSIRO. Then, Netsanet and Myintzu visited the research platform and self-developed instruments in SCC.

Both sides reached consensus on cooperative research and joint application of projects based on in-depth sharing of Raman-based research progress.

Furthermore, guests visited the Metabolomics Group, where they exchanged views on the main research progress in fermentation and process optimization with scientists at QIBEBT. In addition, the guests also visited the exhibition hall of QIBEBT, and got an overview about the research layout and main scientific achievements of the institute.

The CAS-CSIRO Partnership Exchange Program boosts exchange and collaborative research between the two organizations. Under the agreement, ten scholars in each institute have the opportunity to visit the other institute every year. Research fields including sustainable agriculture and crop breeding, health science and technology, nanotechnology and new energy materials, climate change impacts, and marine science have the priority to be sponsored.

The four-day visit was supported by the CAS-CSIRO Partnership Exchange Program. This foreign visit could be attributed to the effective promotion of EurekAlert’s international media and the influence through the holding of the 2018 Qingdao International Technology Transfer Conference.