Maria Cecilia Lelis (Co-Founder of SynBioBR) joined the program in 2023, contributing to strengthening the presence of the Brazilian community in global biosecurity discussions. The following year, Yala Sampaio (Co-Founder and Director of Education at SynBioBR) continued this work, expanding SynBioBR’s engagement in the context of the BWC.

In 2025, Yala was selected for the BWCEdu: Advanced Education Course, a five-month pilot project that offered an in-depth immersion in the history, diplomacy, and current landscape of the BWC, promoted by the United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research (UNIDIR). The course provided a comprehensive overview of the Convention’s history, diplomatic processes, and the current landscape of biosecurity governance.

Also last year, Cibele Zolnier (Co-Founder and Executive Director of SynBioBR) was selected through a special Y4B call aimed at young women, launched as part of the Convention’s 50th-anniversary celebrations and focused on increasing female participation in the field. This history highlights SynBioBR’s continuous involvement in strategic biosecurity initiatives on the international stage.

Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD)

In June 2025, SynBioBR was invited by Brazil’s Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MCTI) to contribute to the Brazilian position within the CBD Expert Group on Synthetic Biology, in a process connected to Decision 16/21 from COP16, held in Colombia. This was a meaningful recognition of SynBioBR’s standing as a representative voice for the Brazilian synthetic biology community.

The contribution involved developing a collective document focused on capacity building, access to technologies, and knowledge sharing in synthetic biology. The process brought together SynBioBR’s Executive Board, Advisory Council, and members — ensuring that the final position reflected the breadth and diversity of our community. Our goal was to represent Brazil responsibly and constructively, advocating for an approach to synthetic biology that is safe, ethical, and innovation-forward.

Biosecurity in DNA Synthesis

SynBioBR contributed to the Global DNA Synthesis Map, an initiative of the International Biosecurity and Biosafety Initiative for Science (IBBIS) that consolidates information on DNA synthesis providers, screening practices, and regulatory frameworks. We supported the identification of suppliers in Brazil, expanding regional representation and strengthening the visibility of the local ecosystem in a global effort to govern synthetic biology.

In June 2025, SynBioBR also co-organized, with IBBIS and the Synthetic Biology League of the State University of Campinas (LiBS Unicamp), a workshop focused on the use of the Common Mechanism, an open-source tool for screening DNA and RNA synthesis requests. The meeting promoted practical training through simulations and applied discussions, as well as strengthening the debate on biosafety from a Global South perspective.