Bioethics Observatory is organizing a congress on synthetic biology

On April 20, 2026, the congress “Synthetic Biology and the Human Future: Possibilities, Limits, and Bioethical Challenges,” organized by the Bioethics Observatory, will take place. This event seeks to address the new ethical frontiers that arise from the current capacity to create and transform life through biotechnological advances.

According to the organizers, the creation in the laboratory of structures such as embryoids, cerebroids, and other synthetic biological systems opens up therapeutic possibilities, but also generates complex dilemmas that make bioethical reflection more necessary than ever. Synthetic biology not only seeks to design biologically based products, but also to redesign existing natural biological systems and even generate new species outside of natural mechanisms, introducing distorting elements with often unpredictable consequences.

A program focused on regenerative medicine and human dignity

The day will begin with an official opening at 9:30 a.m., followed by a round table discussion analyzing the impact of synthetic biology on regenerative medicine. Among the participating experts are Núria Montserrat, Minister of Research and Universities of the Government of Catalonia and principal investigator at the Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC), who will address the topic of organoids, and Lluís Montoliu, research scientist at the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC) and deputy director of the National Center for Biotechnology (CNB), who will reflect on the temptation and possibility of creating “supermen and superwomen.”

The scientific reflection will be complemented by the genetic and naturalist perspective of Andrés Moya, Professor of Genetics at the University of Valencia. Under the title “Goethe’s Dream: Science and Nature,” Moya will analyze how humankind, a self-intervening species, is progressing toward “transevolution and transhumanization.” His presentation will explore how these processes lead us to construct our own future and that of the “other-natural” as a response to the nihilism imposed by naturalization.

Epistemology, Governance, and the Humanization of Science

The midday session, entitled “Humanizing Synthetic Biology,” will feature a presentation by Nicolás Jouve, Professor Emeritus of Genetics at the University of Alcalá de Henares. Jouve will argue for the need to apply precautionary and responsible principles to prevent technology from manipulating human beings under the “lure of transhumanist enhancement.” His approach proposes not halting progress, but rather humanizing it, guaranteeing respect for genetic heritage and human dignity within the framework of integral ecology.

Then, Marta Bertolaso, Professor of Philosophy of Science at the Campus Bio-Medico University of Rome, will explore the epistemological questions and socio-technical imaginaries of this discipline. Bertolaso will argue that current debates remain too focused on “deterministic and mechanistic paradigms,” and will propose new lines of argumentation based on scientific practice to facilitate a proactive and constructive ethical debate.

Future Challenges and Regulation

In the afternoon, the focus will shift to biomedical challenges and the protection of dignity, with Alfredo Marcos, Professor of Philosophy of Science at the University of Valladolid, presenting “Biomedical Challenges: Between Futurism and the Care of Present Dignity”.

The discussion will also focus on the governance models needed to regulate these practices, a presentation that will be given by Vicente Bellver, Professor of Philosophy of Law at the University of Valencia and president of the Bioethics Committee of the Valencian Community. Bellver will critically review the international legal framework and the ethical reports published by government bodies to offer concrete governance proposals that respond to current scientific developments.