As the Director of IDEAS UPV, I play a pivotal role in fostering entrepreneurship within the Universitat Politècnica de València (UPV) and spearheading the creation and development of innovative startups. My mission is to bridge the gap between academia and industry, turning cutting-edge research into viable, impactful ventures.In my dual role as Associate Professor and Head of the Lab, my work is deeply rooted in the fields of biosystems control and synthetic biology. I am passionate about applying control engineering principles, machine learning, and artificial intelligence to the design of sustainable biological systems. My research has far-reaching applications, from nutraceutical production to pioneering cancer therapies.Since November 2023, I have proudly served as the Chair of the iGEM Engineering Committee, where I lead efforts to educate iGEM teams, promote best practices in synthetic biology engineering, and drive the development of predictable biological devices. My commitment to this community spans over a decade, during which I have contributed as a student, mentor, judge, and committee member.With a Ph.D. in Control Engineering and Robotics from UPV and extensive pre- and postdoctoral research experiences at Imperial College London, Rice University, and the Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, I bring over 10 years of interdisciplinary expertise to the table. My journey in synthetic biology has been driven by a relentless pursuit of innovation and a desire to instill engineering principles in the next generation of synthetic biologists.Beyond my academic and professional pursuits, I find joy in playing the guitar, a hobby nurtured throughout my life. I also have a passion for travel, cycling, swimming, photography, and exploring new experiences.Let’s connect and explore opportunities to collaborate on pushing the boundaries of synthetic biology and engineering.