The Minister of Education, Román Rodríguez, inaugurated this learning space for the emerging biotechnology community, where researcher and scientific director Mabel Loza and the head of R&D at Hijos de Rivera and president of BIOGA, Jose Vilariño, also gave a scientific talk.
Around 250 biotechnologists, aged between 18 and 25, from all over northern Spain, participated this past weekend in the X Meeting of Biotechnologists from Northern Spain, also known as BioNorth Santiago 2025.
Organized by the Galician Association of Biotechnologists (GalBiotec) and the Spanish Federation of Biotechnologists (FEBiotec), the event became a key meeting point for the new generation of young scientists, aiming to guide their professional development, provide tools and knowledge to boost it, and strengthen ties between research, industry and talent. The meeting was held at the Faculty of Biology of the University of Santiago de Compostela (USC), on the Campus Vida, the city where Galicia’s only degree in Biotechnology is offered.
“Galicia has established itself as one of the most dynamic biotechnology hubs in Spain, leading in bio-entrepreneurship and the creation of skilled jobs,” says Pablo Quinteiro Bernal, founder of GalBiotec, who emphasizes that “bringing BioNorth home and holding the first edition of this Galicia meeting here is a complete success, necessary and an objective we had set ourselves from the first day the association was born.”
Why did they choose Santiago de Compostela for this edition?
“The city has established itself as a key hub for connecting Galician biotechnology with the rest of Spain. It not only boasts enormous tourist appeal and a rich cultural heritage recognized worldwide, but also an internationally renowned university, centers of excellence in research, and training programs that have prepared generations of professionals who are now driving the sector forward.”
“Events like BioNorth are essential to raise the profile of biotechnology and highlight the young talent that sustains the sector’s growth,” adds Iria Vida González Vázquez, president of GalBiotec, who emphasizes that “the focus is on Galicia, where biotechnology continues to gain strength thanks to the combined impetus of research, innovation, and a new generation of professionals who are successfully advancing it.”
A benchmark space for scientific talent
BioNorth has already established itself as a benchmark space for the emerging bioscience community and serves as a meeting point for students, researchers and other professionals, where it is possible to combine training and skills development in science, with networking and outreach opportunities.
“BioNorth seeks to inspire new vocations, strengthen connections between the different bioregions of Spain and give visibility to young talent starting their careers; all framed within a weekend that combines science, culture, learning and good company.”
Round tables, workshops and visits, both inside and outside the faculty
BioNorth Santiago 2025 featured scientific talks, round tables, practical workshops on soft skills, exhibition spaces for laboratories and even a guided tour of a research center, not to mention the social activities on Friday and Sunday.
The institutional opening of the X Meeting of Young Biotechnologists of Northern Spain was attended by the Minister of Education, Science, Universities and Vocational Training of the Xunta de Galicia, Román Rodríguez González; the Dean of the Faculty of Biology of the USC, Jesús López Romalde; the President of FEBiotec, Mónica Gutiérrez Salazar; and Iria Vida González Vázquez, President of GalBiotec and General Coordinator of BioNorth Santiago 2025.
The scientific program kicked off with a presentation by Mabel Loza, Professor of Pharmacology at USC, Scientific Director of CiMUS and the Kaertor Foundation, and Director of the InnoFarma Platform of ERIC EU-OPENSCREEN, who spoke about Drug Discovery with the Biotechnologists of the Future.
Next, several Galician biotechnology companies presented their projects through a pitch session, allowing attendees to learn more about the science behind each company, their teams, and their diverse trajectories. Participants included Esteban Sinde Stompel, Chief Research and Innovation Officer at Hifas da Terra; Daniel Pérez Estévez, Project Manager at Libera Bio; María José Chapela Garrido, Head of R&D&I Business Development – OTC at ANFACO-CYTMA; and David Pequeño Permuy, CEO of ingenyus*. The session was moderated by Pablo Quinteiro Bernal, founder of GalBiotec.
Later in the afternoon, the roundtable discussion “And then what?” addressed career paths for bioprofessionals. Participants included Iria Rodríguez Arias, R&D Director at NANOGAP; Ángela Iglesias Sánchez, Talent Project Manager at BIOGA; Cibrán Tenreiro Oubiña, Resident Clinical Analysis Biotechnologist at CHUVI; and Ana Parga Martínez, Postdoctoral Researcher at USC and the University of Geneva. The discussion was moderated by Antonio Quintela Rega, member of the BioNorth organizing committee.
The president of the Business Technology Cluster of Life Sciences (BIOGA) and head of R&D at Hijos de Rivera, José Manuel López Vilariño, brought the scientific program to a close with his talk How to enjoy biotechnology in your meals and not die trying.
The closing ceremony was attended by the Councilor for Environmental Sustainability in the Santiago de Compostela City Council, Xesús Domínguez; the Vice-Dean of the Faculty of Biology at the USC, Francisco Javier Salgado Castro; the President of the BioNorth Board of Trustees of FEBiotec, Ana Sáenz Ceniceros; and the Secretary of GalBiotec, Carla Carreira García.
BioNorth Santiago 2025 had as collaborators of the event the Business Technological Cluster of Life Sciences (BIOGA), Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, AllGenetics, INBISTRA, GalChimia, IFFE Business School, ingenyus*, LiberaBio, NANOGAP, CiMUS, Kaertor Foundation, Hijos de Rivera, Néboda Farms, ODS Protein, MINIMELIS, Terra Food Solutions, Spanish Drug Discovery Network (SDDN), ABRIL oils and the Interreg POCTEP IBEROBIO project.
