Ricard Solé

IceLab 15-year anniversary public lecture with Ricard Solé: Terraforming Ecosystems

What happens when ecosystems reach a tipping point—when desertification from climate change threatens entire landscapes? When coral reefs bleach and collapse, disrupting entire marine food chains? Can we reverse environmental collapse?

We invite you to a special public lecture in Aula Nordica on May 22nd at 16.30 by distinguished researcher Ricard Solé. This free event is open to all, with a particular invitation to students. Expect a lively presentation and discussion!

What do we mean by terraforming ecosystems?

Ricard Solé explores "terraforming ecosystems" as a method to restore and stabilize environments damaged by human activity. This approach uses synthetic biology to engineer organisms capable of rehabilitating ecosystems at risk of collapse due to climate change and overexploitation. By introducing specially designed organisms, the goal is to restore ecological balance and prevent catastrophic shifts.

For example, in arid regions, engineering native microbes to enhance water retention could support plant growth and combat desertification. This strategy focuses on using organisms already adapted to local conditions, reducing risks associated with introducing foreign species.

Solé's work combines ecology, synthetic biology, and complex systems science to develop interventions that can avert ecosystem tipping points. His research includes mathematical models that predict the outcomes of introducing engineered organisms, aiming for safe and effective ecological restoration.

In this lecture, Solé will discuss how synthetic biology can be applied to environmental conservation, focusing on innovative solutions to pressing ecological challenges.

About Ricard Solé

Professor Ricard Solé leads the Complex Systems Lab at the Catalan Institute for Research and Advanced Studies, Universitat Pompeu Fabra in Spain.

Solé studies the evolutionary origins of complex systems, using mathematical models and synthetic biology experiments. He introduced the concept of “synthetic major transitions” to explore evolutionary innovation, including the origins of protocells, multicellularity, symbiosis, cognition, and language.

Another key research area is the instability of biological systems, such as highly adaptable RNA viruses and cancer cells. Solé also pioneered the idea of “terraforming” endangered or human-made ecosystems to prevent catastrophic shifts.

Return to the event homepage