SynBYSS
The International SynBYSS Conference is focused on bringing together the synthetic biology community with the explicit goal of developing young scientists worldwide. As early-career synthetic biology researchers begin their own research, there are few conferences that provide an opportunity for them to express their ideas, network effectively, or collaborate widely. Moreover, these young practitioners are an increasingly diverse group without obvious representation.
The 2nd International SynBYSS Conference will be held June 8–11, 2026 in Barcelona, Spain at Barcelona Biomedical Research Park, Universitat Pompeu Fabra.
Key dates
- Abstract for talk submission: closed
- Abstract for poster submission: still open (Submit your abstract)
- Early Bird Registration: April 12, 2026 (Register now)
Speakers & Schedule
Planned sessions include:
- Metabolic engineering 1
- Engineering polymers
- Engineering health
- Genome engineering and beyond
- Non-model and synthetic organisms/microbiota arise
- Genetic sensors and circuits
- Metabolic engineering 2
- Physics and math meet biology
Monday, June 8
| Day 1 | |
|---|---|
| 8:30-9am | Welcome and Opening Remarks Luis Serrano, Centre for Genomic Regulation, Spain Marc Guell, University Pompeu Fabra, Spain Tae Seok Moon, J. Craig Venter Institute, USA |
| 9-10:30am | Keynote Session Víctor de Lorenzo, Centro Nacional de Biotecnologia, CSIC, Spain Ian Paulsen, Macquarie University, Australia Keynote conversation |
| 10:30-11am | Break |
| 11-12:30am | Speaker Panel Pablo Nikel, Technical University of Denmark, Denmark Guillermo Nevot, University Pompeu Fabra, Spain Selected speakers from abstract submissions Q&A: panel discussion |
| 12:30-2pm | Lunch: meet the legend session |
| 2-3:30pm | Funder Panel Session Barbara Gerratana, European Innovation Council (or her representative), Europe Alessandra Ferrari, European Research Council, Europe Tammy Collins, Burroughs Wellcome Fund, USA Clem Fortman, BioMADE, USA Guillermo Nevot, University Pompeu Fabra, Spain |
| 3:30-4pm | Break |
| 4-5:30pm | Speaker Panel Irina Borodina, Technical University of Denmark, Denmark Jorge Marchand, University of Washington, USA Selected speakers from abstract submissions Q&A panel discussion |
| 5:30-7pm | Poster Session Hosted reception |
Tuesday, June 9
| Day 2 | |
|---|---|
| 7:15am | Optional Fitness Activity: 5k Morning Run A scenic route starting from the PRBB, heading to the W Hotel and back There will be free access to showers, lockers, and bonus spa access for this activity. See details below. |
| 9-10:30am | Keynote Session Wilfried Weber, INM – Leibniz Institute for New Materials, Germany Chase Beisel, Botnar Institute of Immune Engineering, Switzerland Keynote conversation |
| 10:30-11am | Break |
| 11-12:30am | Speaker Panel Cheemeng Tan, UC Davis, USA Emil Jensen, Technical University of Denmark, Denmark Selected speakers from abstract submissions Q&A: panel discussion |
| 12:30-2pm | Lunch: meet the legend session |
| 2-3:30pm | Editor Panel Session Alexandra Munro-Clark, Trends in Biotechnology, Cell Press, UK (editor) Ross Cloney, Nature Communications, UK (chief editor) Mattheos Koffas, RPI, Metabolic Engineering Communications, USA (editor-in-chief) Tae Seok Moon, JCVI, New Biotechnology, USA (editor-in-chief) Pablo Nikel, Technical University of Denmark, Current Opinion in Biotechnology, Denmark (editor-in-chief) |
| 3:30-4pm | Break |
| 4-5:30pm | Speaker Panel Karen Polizzi, Imperial College London, UK Lin Su, Queen Mary University of London, UK Selected speakers from abstract submissions Q&A: panel discussion |
| 5:30-7pm | Poster session Hosted reception |
Wednesday, June 10
| Day 3 | |
|---|---|
| 7:15am | Optional Fitness Activity: Pilates Session A core-strengthening session held at the Claror Marítim (Sala Mar) or the PRBB courtyard (TBD). There will be free access to showers, lockers, and bonus spa access for this activity. See details below. |
| 9-10:30am | Keynote Session Sarah O'Connor, Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, Germany Mustafa Khammash, ETH, Switzerland Keynote conversation |
| 10:30-11am | Break |
| 11-12:30am | Speaker Panel Claudia Vickers, Queensland University of Technology, Australia Maryam Raeeszadeh Sarmazdeh, University of Nevada, Reno, USA Selected speakers from abstract submissions Q&A: panel discussion |
| 12:30-2pm | Lunch: meet the legend session |
| 2-3:30pm | Roadmap Panel Session Chaired by Claudia Vickers, Queensland University of Technology, Australia Danielle Tullman-Ercek, Northwestern University, USA Marjan De Mey, Ghent University, Belgium Blake Simmons, LBNL, USA Mustafa Khammash, ETH, Switzerland Dongsoo Yang, Korea University, Korea |
| 3:30-4pm | Break |
| 4-5:30pm | Speaker Panel Dirk Tischler, Ruhr-University Bochum, Germany George Chao, Harvard University, USA Selected speakers from abstract submissions Q&A: panel discussion |
| 5:30-7pm | Award ceremony, followed by dinner (tentative) |
Thursday, June 11
| Day 4 | |
|---|---|
| 9-10:30am | Keynote Session Mark Isalan, Imperial College London, UK Radhakrishnan Mahadevan, University of Toronto Keynote conversation |
| 10:30-11am | Break |
| 11-12:30am | Speaker Panel Francesca Ceroni, Imperial College London, UK Javier Santos, University Pompeu Fabra, Spain Selected speakers from abstract submissions Q&A: panel discussion |
| 12:30-2pm | Lunch: meet the legend session |
| 2-3:30pm | Panel Session: Shaping the future of engineering biology Chaired by Sonia Mecacci, Wageningen University, Netherlands |
| 3:30-4pm | Break |
| 4-5:30pm | Speaker Panel Baojun Wang, Zhejiang University, China Kaitlin Dailey, University of Rhode Island, USA Selected speakers from abstract submissions Q&A: panel discussion |
| 5:30-5:45pm | Closing remarks |
Travel
⚠️ Scam alert
Be aware that scammers are attempting to pose as travel agents to assist with booking to the SynBYSS Conference. We do not have a booking service. If you get an email like this, verify with your university or organization that it is from an official channel before engaging.
Recommended hotels near the PRBB
Attendees: book your hotel ASAP. Pope Leo's visit to Barcelona and Architect Gaudi's 100-year celebration will take place during the same week as the conference.
Tier 1
SLS Barcelona
Moll de Gregal, 08930 Sant Adrià de Besòs
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Tier 2
⭐ SB Icaria Barcelona (recommended)
Avinguda d'Icària, 195, 08005 Barcelona
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⭐ Hotel Paxton Barcelona (recommended)
Carrer de Llull, 160, 08005 Barcelona
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Catalonia Port
Passeig de Colom, 20, 08002 Barcelona
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Motel One Barcelona-Ciutadella
Passeig de Pujades, 11-13, 08018 Barcelona
Special rate: Email res.barcelona-ciutadella@motel-one.com to book, noting reservation code 1581407.
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Hotel Ciutadella Barcelona
Avinguda del Marquès de l'Argentera, 4, 08003 Barcelona
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Tier 3
Residencia Universitaria Campus del Mar
Passeig de Salvat Papasseit, 4, 08003 Barcelona
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Optional Fitness Activities
It’s time to pack your sneakers along with your lanyard! We want you to stay energized throughout the event, so we’ve organized some morning wellness activities to get your blood pumping before the sessions begin.
To make things easy, all participants will have free access to showers and lockers at the Claror Marítim gym (just below the PRBB) on the mornings of the conference.
Note: Please remember to bring your own workout gear. Showers and lockers will be available immediately following the activities so you can freshen up and head straight into the first keynote of the day!
Bonus:As an extra incentive to move with us, every attendee who joins a sports session will receive a Golden Ticket, granting you free access to the Spa to unwind after a long day of networking.
We will have a 5k run on Tuesday morning and a Pilates session Wednesday morning. See the schedule above.
Policy and Code of Conduct
In registering for the International SynBYSS Conference, participants agree to the conference participant expectations, code of conduct, and terms.
Organizers
Chairs
Tae Seok Moon, JCVI, USA
Marc Güell, University Pompeu Fabra, Spain
Guillermo Nevot, University Pompeu Fabra, Spain
Sara Molinari, University of Maryland, USA
Dirk Tischler, Ruhr-University Bochum, Germany
Kaitlin Dailey, University of Rhode Island, USA
Jorge Marchand, University of Washington, USA
Clement T. Y. Chan, University of North Texas, USA
Committee
Maryam Raeeszadeh Sarmazdeh, University of Nevada, Reno, USA
Emil Jensen, Technical University of Denmark, Denmark
Lin Su, Queen Mary University of London, UK
Ilenne Del Valle Kessra, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, USA
Leopold Noel Green, Purdue University, USA
Archana Anand, San Francisco State University, USA
Daniel Plaza, University of Cambridge, UK
Bilal Ahmed, Purdue University, USA
Vikas Trivedi, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, USA
Alexander Fedorec, University College London, UK
Jaya Joshi, University British Columbia, Canada
Cheemeng Tan, UC Davis, USA
Conference support
Laura Fort, University Pompeu Fabra, Spain
Lucy Stewart, JCVI, USA
Matthew LaPointe, JCVI, USA
Previous conference information
The 1st International SynBYSS Conference was held at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, December 9-12, 2024.
Sponsor & Co-organizer
Co-organizer
