Events
The Mirror Biology Dialogues Fund supports and partners with leading institutions globally to convene life scientists, social scientists, ethicists, research funders, civil society networks, industry, and policy experts to discuss the challenges presented by mirror life and how to address them. Below is the list of past meetings we have supported and upcoming meetings we are supporting.
Past Events
23-26 February 2025: The Spirit of Asilomar and the Future of Biotechnology Conference
“The Spirit of Asilomar and the Future of Biotechnology” summit occurred on the 50th anniversary of the 1975 international meeting on recombinant DNA molecules at the historic Asilomar Conference Grounds in Pacific Grove, California. The conference resulted in the Entreaty 4.4 on the “Risks from Mirror Life,” signed by 96 experts, which states that “mirror life should not be created unless future research convincingly demonstrates that it would not pose severe risks.” For more information, please see the Spirit of Asilomar’s Conference website.
25-30 May 2025: Glyco27 Conference
The 27th International Glycoconjugate Symposium, held in Edmonton, Canada, brought together researchers and industry leaders from around the world to share innovations, present research, and discuss emerging trends in glycomics. It featured a roundtable discussion on mirror life, which explored the risks, potential behavior of mirror glycans, and research strategies to investigate immune responses to mirror glycans. This discussion was inspired by the “Remember the Glycans” eLetter. For more information, please see the Glyco27 website.
29 May 2025: Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (CEIP) Workshop on International Governance of Mirror Life
CEIP convened scientific and policy experts to discuss potential international governance frameworks to prevent the creation of mirror life and associated risks. Meeting findings will inform future convenings regarding governance options.
12-13 June 2025: Paris Conference on Risks from Mirror Life
The Paris Conference brought together 335 participants from 31 countries at the Institut Pasteur to discuss the feasibility and risks of efforts to develop mirror life. View the presentations on YouTube and read the summary report from the expert-led workshop discussions.
Attendees of the Paris Mirror Life Conference at the Institut Pasteur (13 June 2025) (Photo by: Sébastien Toubon / Cie Des Reporters)
15-16 September 2025: Manchester Technical Workshop on Mirror Life
The Manchester Technical Workshop convened approximately 35 leading experts in technologies relevant to mirror life creation to assess current capabilities and development trajectories; evaluate beneficial applications and identify possible alternatives for high-risk applications; and examine how governance could impact development and/or use of these technologies.
Attendees of the Manchester Technical Workshop on Mirror Life (16 September 2025)
17-18 September 2025: Engineering & Safeguarding Synthetic Life Conference
Prof. Patrick Cai of the University of Manchester organized ESSL 2025 to bring together scientists, engineers, ethicists, policymakers, and other stakeholders to explore the challenges and opportunities of building and regulating synthetic life. The program featured keynote talks and interdisciplinary panels, creating space for discussion around both technical advances and the societal responsibilities that come with them. For more information, please see the ESSL 2025 website.
29-30 September 2025: NASEM Workshop on Mirror Image Biology: Pushing the Envelope in Designing Biological Systems
The U.S. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicines hosted a workshop on mirror biology, which focused on the state of the science, trends in research and development, risks and benefits of this research, and considerations relating to future governance of relevant technologies.
3 October 2025: Side Event at SCISPBIO: Biosafety & Biosecurity Considerations for Mirror Life
Professors David Gillum and Kathleen Vogel of the University of Nevada, Reno gathered 15-20 policymakers and experts on the sidelines of the SCISPBIO Workshop to discuss how emerging governance strategies can anticipate and address risks related to mirror life.
Upcoming Events
28-29 October 2025: iGEM Responsibility Conference
The fourth iGEM Responsibility Conference, taking place in Paris, France, will include a session on “Strategies for Community Engagement on Mirror Life.” For more information, please see iGEM’s website.
2026: National University of Singapore Meeting on Mirror Life
Details to come