Universities get Synthetic Biology China Partnering Award grants
Five universities have received grants totalling £124,000 so they can work with scientists in China.
Universities in Nottingham, Manchester, Warwick, Edinburgh and London are benefiting from the Synthetic Biology China Partnering Award.
It comes from the Engineering and Physical Sciences and the Biotechnology and Biological Research Councils.
Meanwhile, the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) is providing a further £124,000 to researchers in China.
BBSRC chief executive Professor Douglas Kell said: "Synthetic biology is an exciting new field with enormous potential to bring benefits to people around the world in all sorts of ways, for example producing better antibiotics or manufacturing low carbon fuels.
"Co-funded initiatives such as this scheme will see British and Chinese scientists learning from each other's expertise and benefiting from the globalisation of excellent science."
The University of Nottingham, University of Manchester, University of Edinburgh and University of Warwick have each received £25,000. The University College London has received £23,700.
Cao Jinghua from CAS said: "The idea of this program is to put the best minds together.
"Together our scientists and these from the UK can advance this field more efficiently. In the progress of their cooperation, I hope they will further strengthen their linkages and collaboration, and tackle bigger challenges for the needs of mankind."