Both Japan and the UK have recognized the growing importance of synthetic and engineering biology for transforming life science research and transitioning toward a sustainable biobased economy. Such a shift will require extensive international cooperation and collaboration. In this viewpoint, we provide a summary of the recent "Japan-UK Synthetic Biology Conference, Spring 2025" that aimed to facilitate new links between researchers across the broad field of synthetic biology. We cover the core scientific topics discussed, distill some of the emerging trends, and outline the remaining challenges that are hampering progress. We end by highlighting some of the ways in which international collaborations may help address these issues through a combination of sharing expertise, national infrastructures, and aligned funding.
Keywords: Japan; UK; engineering biology; international collaboration; synthetic biology.