Shanghai, China, February 2, 2026 -- Bio-manufacturing was once again highlighted in the 2025 Government Work Report! The country explicitly proposed establishing a growth mechanism for investment in future industries and identified it as a key future industry for cultivation. In fact, China has consistently emphasized the strategic importance of bio-manufacturing in its top-level design on multiple occasions. As a core technological pillar in this field, synthetic biology is driving related industries towards leapfrog development with unprecedented innovative vitality. Against this background, polypeptide, as core functional molecules bridging life science and industrial application, continue to unleash their innovative potential in areas such as medical nutrition, skincare, and cosmetics, guiding the industry into a new phase of precise and systematic development.
the “Neo-Peptides of WIJ, Plant-Peptide Empowered " – The 3rd Forum on Frontier Technologies of Polypeptide and Skin Nutrition & Health was grandly held at Shanghai Technology Oasis on January 22. This event was hosted by the Oriental Beauty Valley Institute of Skin Science, co-organized by the Shanghai Synthetic Biology Industry Association and WIJ Healthcare(Shanghai) Ltd,and undertaken by Yimao Beauty&Health Technology (Shanghai) Co., Ltd. The forum brought together top-tier scholars, industry experts, and investment representatives from China and abroad for in-depth dialogue on peptide-related topics. As the closing highlight of the forum, WIJ officially launched two revolutionary innovative ingredients– the hemp seed protein polypeptide “QH Highland®" focused on “blood sugar regulation and anti-fatigue,” and the emotional skincare prunella vulgaris extract “PureStar 1.0®" targeting “neuro-cosmetics” –marking the full implementation of its “Plant-Peptide Integration” strategy.
Gathering Diverse Forces to Discuss the New Future of the Peptide Industry
The event commenced in a vibrant atmosphere, with opening remarks from the host and association representatives.
Huang Jing, Assistant General Manager of Shanghai Caohejing Hi-Tech Park Operation and Management Co., Ltd., delivered the first address. She stated that synthetic biology, as the third revolution in life sciences, is propelling bio-manufacturing into the Industry 4.0 era, With polypeptide technology serving as the “golden hub” from fundamental research to industrial application. As a key hub of Shanghai’s science and technology innovation center, Caohejing boasts a well-developed biopharmaceutical ecosystem and clinical translation resources. She expressed anticipation for collaborating with all sectors to inject sustained momentum into the upgrading of the life and health industry.
Zhou Yongchun, Secretary-General of the Shanghai Synthetic Biology Industry Association, pointed out in his speech that we are in a great era of profound transformation in life sciences and disruptive breakthroughs in biotechnology. Synthetic biology, as a converging force of multidisciplinary frontiers, is redefining the boundaries of biomanufacturing.
Zhou Yongchun elaborated on the connotation of this forum’s theme, “Neo-Peptides of WIJ, Plant-Peptide Empowered ". He noted that " Neo-Peptides of WIJ " represents the use of cutting-edge technologies like AI and biosynthesis to create a new generation of polypeptide ingredients with novel structures and optimized functions. “Plant-Peptide Empowered” reveals the innovative pathway of decoding plant bioactive blueprints through synthetic biology to achieve “plant-derived, cell-manufactured” production, providing the industry with ingredient support that combines the perceived advantages of natural sourcing with innovative efficacy, truly allowing cutting-edge technology to benefit the public.
Theme Presentations: Insights into New Trends of Peptide Technology Convergence
The forum also invited industry leaders for theme presentations and discussions. Four authoritative experts delivered visionary academic reports, outlining a multidimensional and systematic landscape of polypeptide applications for attendees through vivid case studies.
Dean Gao Xiang, Dean of the School of Nutrition, Fudan University, delivered a theme presentation titled “Systemic Research on Nutrition, Metabolism, and Aging,” systematically explaining the holistic connections between nutrition, metabolism, and aging in an engaging manner. He pointed out that China is rapidly entering an aging society, yet the public is not fully prepared to address the health challenges posed by aging.
Dean Gao Xiang emphasized that nearly one-fifth of global deaths are closely related to unhealthy diets. On-site, he shared numerous findings from cutting-edge research, such as the lower likelihood of healthy aging among vegetarians. Additionally, lifestyle factors like intake of ultra-processed foods, insomnia, sleepwalking, and social isolation significantly impact the aging process and health outcomes. Taking insomnia as an example, individuals with insomnia face a higher risk of cardiovascular diseases. He proposed that maintaining moderate exercise and dietary diversity are key pathways to support healthy aging in humans, providing a solid scientific basis for “skin nourishment from within.”
Professor Zhou Jinrong, Associate Professor of Surgery at Harvard Medical School, former Director of the Nutrition and Metabolism Laboratory at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, and CSO of WIJ, delivered a systematic and in-depth theme presentation titled “Peptide Science: Innovation Frontiers from Biosynthesis to Applications in Medical Nutrition and the Beauty Industry.”
Starting from the biosynthesis mechanisms of peptides, Professor Zhou explained their dual value as the “golden molecule connecting basic biology and the large health industry.” He particularly highlighted that peptides have become one of the most important active ingredients in the field of medical nutrition and introduced their broad applications in various clinical diseases.
Currently, polypeptides in medical nutrition, skin health, and functional foods are all entering a period of rapid development, driven strongly by cutting-edge technologies such as polypeptidomics, AI design, and synthetic biology. Looking ahead, Professor Zhou believes that peptide science will play an increasingly important role in preventive medicine, personalized precision therapy, and healthy aging, demonstrating vast prospects for industrial convergence.
Professor Liu Wei, former President of the Dermatology Hospital of the Air Force Medical Center, delivered a specialized presentation on “Research Progress on Anti-Skin Aging Effects of Polypeptide Substances,” systematically revealing the scientific link between peptides and skin anti-aging. Professor Liu Wei first introduced the mechanisms of skin aging, outlining 14 hallmarks of skin aging including genomic instability and telomere attrition. He pointed out that skin aging is a systemic degenerative process from the epidermis to the dermis, and from structure to function. He particularly emphasized that factors in modern urban life, such as sleep deprivation, chronic stress, environmental pollutants, and poor diet, can significantly accelerate skin aging.
Professor Liu Wei concluded that polypeptides, due to their advantages of high bioactivity, good safety profile, and clear mechanisms of action, have become one of the core ingredients in anti-aging cosmetic R&D. In the future, with further development in peptidomes, AI molecular design, and synthetic biology technologies, more peptide ingredients with repair, collagen regeneration, and regulatory functions will continue to emerge, driving skin anti-aging towards greater precision and personalization.
Professor Cui Chun, Director of the Guangdong Provincial Engineering Research Center for Special Enzymes, presented on the theme “Enzymatic Catalysis Technology and Its Applications in Food and Cosmetics.” Through several successful cases, such as sea buckthorn protein peptide, defatted egg yolk peptide, and oat extract with fast film-forming and anti-wrinkle efficacy, he vividly demonstrated how enzymatic methods can transform low-value by-products into high-value-added functional ingredients, achieving broad applications in the food and cosmetics fields. This fully illustrates the tremendous potential of technology-driven industrial upgrading.
He emphasized that enzymatic catalysis technology not only enables resource recycling and value addition but also, due to its mild conditions, high specificity, and environmental friendliness, provides “clean label” and sustainable ingredient solutions for the food and cosmetics industries.
Roundtable Dialogue: Exploring Systemic Opportunities and Challenges in Skin Nutrition
During the roundtable forum moderated by Dr. Ma Yanyun, Young Investigator and Doctoral Supervisor at the School of Biomedical Engineering and Technological Innovation, Fudan University, four guests – Chuanwu HE, CFA & General Manager of Oriental Beauty Valley Inspection and Testing Company; Na LI, Founder & CEO of WIJ; Haowei YANG, Head of Biotech and Food Sector at Plug and Play China; and Hua XIAO, Supervisor of Shanghai Junshi Life Science Research Institute – engaged in an in-depth dialogue on “Opportunities and Challenges of Skin Nutrition within the Systemic Skincare Framework.”
The guests analyzed the topic from four dimensions: testing and certification, product innovation, capital perspective, and industrial ecosystem. Mr. He emphasized the importance of establishing scientific and unified efficacy evaluation standards for industry standardization. Mrs. Li shared how WIJ balances technological core with market demand through solid research. Mrs. Yang, from a capital perspective, pointed out that large enterprises increasingly value the hardcore technological traceability and clear mechanisms of action of ingredients. Mr. Hua believed that building a healthy industrial ecosystem requiresbridging critical gaps such as medical research translation and regulatory coordination. Using keywords like “standardization,” “precision,” “implementation,” and “collaboration,” they jointly forecasted the future blueprint for the skin nutrition sector.
Grand Launch of Two New Products Addressing Modern Skin Challenges
The climax of the forum was undoubtedly the new product launch ceremony by WIJ. Witnessed by all attendees, Ms. Li, Founder and CEO of WIJ, together with several distinguished guests, activated the “light pillars” symbolizing technological innovation, officially announcing the debut of the two new products, “QH Highland®" and “PureStar 1.0®.”
WIJ new product launch ceremony
Dr. Li ZHU, Co-founder and Head of R&D at WIJ, pointed out that China’s “Healthy China 2030" policy supports the development of functional foods, with polypeptides listed as a key R&D direction. The market size for peptide foods and health supplements is projected to exceed 200 billion yuan by 2025.
Subsequently, she detailed the technological core of the two new products:
QH Highland® – The hemp seed protein peptide is derived from hemp seeds, a food-medicine homologous source. It is obtained through enzymatic hydrolysis to produce small molecular peptides. Animal experiments have verified its significant efficacy in blood sugar reduction and alleviating physical fatigue, providing nutritional support for “internal nourishment.”
PureStar 1.0® – The emotional skincare Prunella vulgaris extract focuses on skin issues caused by emotional stress. Its core components can target and inhibit a key synthase of the stress hormone cortisol, possessing excellent anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and barrier repair properties, achieving “external protection” from the emotional source to skin manifestations.
The launch of these two new products not only represents a milestone achievement for WIJ on its “Plant-Peptide Integration” technological path but also best exemplifies the concept of “New-Quality Beneficial Peptides, Neo Peptides of WIJ.” They combine the natural efficacy of Chinese characteristic plants with polypeptide technologies derived from synthetic biology and enzymatic engineering, providing the industry with directly applicable innovative solutions that possess both scientific backing and market value.
With the successful conclusion of the product launch, this forum drew to a close amidst intellectual exchange and future prospects. The forum not only charted a direction for the convergence of polypeptide science and skin nutrition & health but also demonstrated the powerful momentum and boundless possibilities for China’s cosmetics and large health industries to develop systematically and technologically under the drive of cutting-edge technologies like synthetic biology.
Contact Info:
Name: Helen LI
Email: Send Email
Organization: WIJ Healthcare(Shanghai) Ltd
Website: https://www.wijhealthcare.com/index_en.aspx
Release ID: 89182473
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