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What led you to pursue an entrepreneurial path?

I’ve been in synthetic biology for over a decade, which actually makes me part of the first generation to explore this field in China. I’ve always been captivated by new biotechnologies, but what truly excites me is seeing them translated into products that solve real-world problems.

I still remember the exciting moment of reading how the company Genentech first manufactured human insulin using recombinant DNA. That was my 'aha' moment. I realised I didn't just want to do elegant science that stays in academic papers; I wanted to build tangible solutions. That is why I founded Delonix—to bridge the gap between the lab bench and commercial reality and turn synthetic biology concepts into life-saving vaccines.

What is the mission of Delonix Bioworks?

Delonix is dedicated to developing next-generation, genetically engineered bacterial vaccines using a synthetic biology approach. Today, we are proud to be a leading innovative bacterial vaccine company in China, and even globally.

While my PhD training provided the foundational scientific rigour and problem-solving mindset, Delonix’s specific innovation is a highly advanced evolution of synthetic biology. What makes our approach unique is our proprietary platform technology, particularly our engineered Outer Membrane Vesicles (OMVs). Instead of relying on traditional, empirical vaccine development, we rationally design and engineer pathogenic bacteria to produce highly immunogenic, safe, and easily scalable vaccines. We are essentially engineering bacteria to act as vaccine manufacturing plants, which allows us to address complex pathogens that traditional vaccine approaches have failed to target.

What is your most favourite part of your job, and what is the most challenging?

My favourite part of running a biotech startup is witnessing the moment when a scientific hypothesis becomes a clinical reality. Seeing innovative ideas translate from their initial conception into actual products, and eventually being recognised by industry, is something I am very proud of. For example, right now we are pushing our first pipeline, an engineered OMV vaccine for MenB, into Phase I clinical trials across both China and Australia. Seeing that transition from a lab concept to a product going into humans is incredibly rewarding.

The most challenging part comes down to two things. First is the fundamental mindset shift from academia to industry. You are running a business, not just a lab. You need to ensure the company survives while pursuing innovation. You have to learn everything about business—financing, stakeholder management, business development, internal organisational operations, and so on. There are a bunch of things you simply don't know and don't learn in school. Second, and very importantly, as a founder, your vision and cognitive boundaries almost determine the upper limit of the company's growth. You have to learn new things every day.

How did your experience at HKU shape your professional path?

HKU was the place where my scientific resilience was forged. I learned how to solve tough problems here during my PhD studies. PhD life is not easy, and I actually faced a lot of setbacks when starting my project. But the great thing was that I had the opportunity to explore many possibilities and learn from my supervisor and other experts across the University. That experience taught me that you can always find a solution to even the toughest problems.

In entrepreneurship, you will always face many more setbacks. Sometimes it’s a scientific problem, and other times it is a fundraising challenge or a management issue. The mental toughness and the structured way of thinking I developed during my PhD studies at HKU are exactly what I rely on today to navigate the uncertainties of leading a biotech company.

What is your advice to research students aspiring to make an impact in science?

I have three pieces of advice.

First, try to expand your horizons and seek to learn from the best. Always be prepared to put in the hard work. No path worth taking is ever easy. In both science and entrepreneurship, it is crucial that you don't just go through the motions—you must figure out what is the right thing, and how to do it correctly.

Second, embrace AI. AI is becoming more and more powerful today. You must learn how to work with AI and leverage it to make better, faster decisions. However, AI is just a powerful tool; it’s not a substitute for your own vision and critical thinking. Only when you have a clear understanding of what you truly want to achieve, can AI really help you get there.

Finally, be resilient. Whether you stay in academia to pursue scientific research or step out into the business world, you will face lots of setbacks. This is especially true when you are pursuing truly innovative work. Your resilience is exactly what allows you to survive those tough moments and turn them into your greatest successes.

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​ Dr Qiubin Lin, Founder and CEO of Delonix Bioworks, delivering a keynote speech titled “From Bench to Bedside: Accelerating the Clinical Translation of Synthetic Biology Vaccines” at the HKU Super Angel Symposium 2026.

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​Dr Qiubin Lin (right) and his PhD supervisor Professor Jiandong Huang (left).

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​ Dr Lin co-founded Delonix Bioworks with his PhD supervisor, Professor Jiandong Huang, in 2021.

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​Delonix Bioworks won the first Boehringer Ingelheim Innovation Prize in China and secured a US$14 million seed round led by Boehringer Ingelheim Venture Fund and IDG Capital.

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