Summary of the 7th Applied Synthetic Biology in Europe (ASBE7) conference

The 7th Applied Synthetic Biology in Europe (ASBE7) conference, held on 6-8 November 2024 in Brno, Czech Republic, brought together 150 participants from 28 countries, creating a truly international event. Belgium, Spain, and the Czech Republic were the most represented countries, but scientists traveled from across Asia, South America, and North America as well.

We were particularly pleased to see that over 40% of attendees were early-career scientists, highlighting the event’s commitment to fostering the next generation of researchers.

This year, 70% of participants actively contributed by presenting their work, either through oral or poster presentations. A total of 23 short talks were selected from submitted abstracts. Additionally, there were 35 flash posters and 80 standard posters, covering a broad range of synthetic biology topics and sparking lively discussions during the poster and networking sessions.

The programme included sessions on:

Micheal Jewett from Stanford University gave an opening keynote lecture: “Synthetic biology for people and planet health “. The invited lectures included also a presentation by Tobias Erb (MPI Marburg): “CO2 fixation: reprogramming the operating system of the carbon cycle”, and by Sabine Flitsch (University of Manchester): “Enzyme cascades for organic synthesis”.

The scientific program was complemented by social events, including star-watching sessions, made possible by the event’s beautiful, modern planetarium venue. This unique setting allowed attendees to unwind under the stars, adding a special touch to the conference experience.

Looking ahead, the Applied Synthetic Biology in Europe conference will return in two years, with new opportunities to connect, share research, and support the growth of the SynBio community.