The Government of Navarra has approved an investment of €2.5 million to strengthen the capabilities of Polo IRIS through the creation of a new-generation “biofoundry”: a facility that combines robotic automation, artificial intelligence and synthetic biology to design, build and validate biological systems at high speed, with applications in biotechnology, health and agrifood. The stated aim is to position the region among Europe’s leading references in this field.
The new equipment will be installed at two sites: the Polo IRIS headquarters in El Sario, and Navarrabiomed, Navarra’s biomedical research centre. The initiative forms part of IRIS Navarra’s Synthetic Biology and Biotechnology Master Plan, driven by the regional government together with Nasertic — the public company that manages the Polo — and CIMA as the main parties involved.
The reinforcement planned for 2026 and 2027 covers three areas. At El Sario, Polo IRIS will renew and expand its computing infrastructure, needed to manage large volumes of data, and will incorporate an advanced robotics system aimed at automating experimental processes and studying the interaction between artificial intelligence and physical systems. In parallel, Navarrabiomed will install an advanced proteomics platform capable of carrying out proteome analyses — the complete set of proteins produced or modified by a cell, tissue or organism — that are not currently possible with the technology available at the centre.
AIMING TO BECOME SPAIN’S FIRST BIOFOUNDRY
The regional minister for University, Innovation and Digital Transformation, García, has stated that synthetic biology is set to become a key area for Navarra’s economic and industrial development in the coming years, and that this budgetary commitment reflects that strategic priority. The department aims for the region to become the first Spanish biofoundry recognised at national level, placing it at the forefront of advanced synthetic biology and biotechnology in Europe.
Polo IRIS, managed by Nasertic, brings together the 40 most relevant public-private entities in Navarra’s innovation ecosystem and acts as a one-stop shop for digital transformation in the region, offering guidance to businesses, professionals and citizens on their innovation projects.
Source: Navarra.es