Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences

Their core work

IMCAS is one of China's leading microbiology research institutes, contributing specialized expertise in microbial consortia, biocatalysis, and environmental biotechnology to European research partnerships. In H2020, they focused on microbial solutions for bioremediation and plastic waste degradation, as well as coordinating international bioeconomy research agendas. Their work bridges fundamental microbiology with applied environmental and circular economy challenges, particularly bringing Chinese field experiment capabilities and microbial strain collections to EU consortia.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

IMCAS entered H2020 through a coordination role in microbiome food systems and international bioeconomy networking (MicrobiomeSupport, 2018). Their focus then shifted decisively toward applied environmental biotechnology — microbial consortia for bioremediation (ELECTRA, 2019) and enzymatic plastic degradation (BioICEP, 2020). This trajectory shows a clear move from policy coordination toward hands-on research in circular economy and environmental cleanup using microbial technologies.

IMCAS is deepening its applied microbiology work in circular economy and bioremediation, making them an increasingly relevant partner for EU projects tackling plastic waste and environmental contamination with biological solutions.

How they like to work

IMCAS participates exclusively as a non-EU international partner — they have never coordinated an H2020 project and joined two of three projects as a third-party contributor. Despite this peripheral funding role, they connect into large consortia (62 unique partners across 26 countries), suggesting they bring specialized capabilities that large EU teams actively seek out. Working with them means accessing Chinese microbiology infrastructure and field experiment sites through established EU partnership frameworks.

Despite only three projects, IMCAS connects to 62 unique partners across 26 countries, reflecting participation in large, geographically diverse consortia. Their network spans broadly across Europe with a strong China-EU bridge function.

What sets them apart

IMCAS serves as a critical China-EU bridge in microbiology and environmental biotechnology — a role few organizations can fill within H2020 consortia. They bring access to Chinese microbial strain collections, field experiment sites, and one of Asia's top microbiology research infrastructures. For consortium builders needing a credible Chinese partner in bioeconomy, bioremediation, or circular economy projects, IMCAS is a proven and well-connected choice.

Highlights from their portfolio

• BioICEP
  Tackles circular economy for plastics through biocatalysis and microbial depolymerisation — a high-impact environmental topic with strong industry relevance.
• ELECTRA
  Combines bio-electrochemical systems with advanced materials (3D-printed biofilms, nanoparticles) for bioremediation — an unusual and technically ambitious approach.
• MicrobiomeSupport
  A coordination and support action linking international microbiome research communities, showing IMCAS's role in shaping research agendas beyond lab work.