Plenary Session Overview

The Scientific Program Committee has developed the four Plenary Session themes for ISBR2027 and has started inviting Keynote and Plenary speakers. If you have suggestions for potential speakers, please contact the Committee at [email protected]. The Symposium website will be updated as keynote and plenary speakers are confirmed.

The four Plenary Sessions will explore different aspects of the Symposium theme, "Fostering Sustainable Bioinnovation: A Partnership between Science, Policy, and Society."

1. From Lab to Field: The Real-World Impact of Bio-Innovation

Chairs: Feyza Selcuk Meers and John McMurdy

This session will examine how bio-innovation creates value across the entire agricultural value chain, considering its costs, benefits, and broader impacts for producers, consumers, and the environment. Discussions will follow the journey from research and input development through on-farm production, processing, distribution and market access, highlighting how value is generated and shared among stakeholders.

Speakers will explore farmer and smallholder experiences with biotechnology adoption, including improvements in productivity, resilience and livelihoods. Regional case studies, particularly from Southeast Asia and other emerging economies, will illustrate how technology transfer and international collaboration can strengthen value chains and expand access to innovation.

The session will also address challenges associated with bio-innovation, including biodiversity considerations, equitable access to technology and public acceptance. Framed within the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, discussions will highlight the contribution of bio-innovation to food security, environmental sustainability and economic development. By bringing together farmers, innovators, researchers and value chain partners, this plenary aims to identify the science, partnerships and policy needed to maximize the real-world impact of sustainable bio-innovation.

2. Engaging Society to Drive Trust and Acceptance

Chairs: Reimond Corona and Oluwafemi Falade

Public understanding and trust are essential for the successful adoption of bio-innovation. This plenary will explore how science is communicated, interpreted and discussed within society, bringing together experts in science communication, media engagement and social research.

Topics will include effective science communication, evidence-based risk communication and practical approaches for meaningful public engagement. Speakers will examine the roles of scientists, regulators, academics, producers, consumers and the media in shaping public perceptions and influencing acceptance of bio-innovation.

Drawing on research and real-world experience, the session will identify practical strategies to strengthen transparency, build public confidence and foster informed dialogue that supports responsible and sustainable bio-innovation.

3. Enabling Bio-Innovation Through Scientific Advancements

Chairs: Marco Pupin and Mitscheli Sanches da Rocha

Rapid advances in biological sciences and enabling technologies are transforming the future of sustainable bio-innovation. This plenary will showcase how developments in genetic modification, genome editing and related technologies are creating new opportunities across agriculture, industrial biotechnology, animal biotechnology and food systems.

Speakers will demonstrate how these scientific advances are moving beyond the laboratory to deliver practical, scalable solutions that improve efficiency, strengthen resilience and reduce reliance on finite resources. The session will also highlight how innovation is helping address global challenges while supporting more sustainable production systems and value chains.

Bringing together leading researchers from diverse disciplines, this plenary will provide a forward-looking perspective on the role of science in translating discovery into real-world solutions and shaping a more sustainable future.

4. Future-Ready Governance for Converging Technologies

Chairs: Felix Moronta and Leah Buchman

As bio-innovation evolves, governance systems must keep pace with increasingly complex and converging technologies. This plenary will examine how policy and regulatory frameworks can support responsible, science-based and sustainable innovation across areas such as genetically modified crops, genome editing, new breeding techniques, genetic biocontrol, animal biotechnology, agricultural biologicals, synthetic biology, industrial biotechnology and AI-enabled bio-innovation.

Discussions will consider how existing governance systems are responding to these developments, where regulatory gaps remain and how greater policy coherence can improve oversight. Particular attention will be given to regulatory capacity building, international collaboration and equitable access, especially in developing countries where emerging technologies present significant opportunities for sustainable development and food security.

The session will also explore the importance of foresight, horizon scanning, early stakeholder engagement, risk-proportionate decision-making and science-based risk analysis in preparing governance systems for future technologies. Bringing together policymakers, regulators and biosafety experts, the plenary will identify opportunities to strengthen global regulatory preparedness and support sustainable bio-innovation.

Important Dates