Angel Goñi-Moreno

Ángel Goñi-Moreno has extensive experience in biological computation. Currently, Ángel leads the Biocomputation Laboratory (www.biocomputationlab.com) at the Spanish National Centre for Biotechnology (CNB) which is part of the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC). 

Utilizing genetic material, molecules, and living cells like bacteria, he designs biological circuits to execute predefined functions. Ranging from Boolean logic to stochastic algorithms and distributed computations, these living systems are programmed using synthetic biology, aiming to achieve what Ángel and his collaborators term "cellular supremacy"—a concept analogous to quantum supremacy—asserting that cellular computers will surpass conventional machines in specific tasks. This research is profoundly interdisciplinary, drawing upon mathematics and physics to elucidate biological systems' functioning, and molecular biology and microbiology to implement and apply them—all coordinated by computer science principles that provide fundamental insights into information and its processing.

Trained as a computer engineer at the Technical University of Madrid (UPM), Ángel has pursued research in unconventional computing throughout his academic journey. He has worked at the Natural Computing Group, led by Martyn Amos in Manchester (2013-2013), and subsequently at the Molecular Environmental Microbiology Laboratory, led by Víctor de Lorenzo in Madrid (2013-2016). Following four years of establishing his independent group at Newcastle University (UK), he returned to Spain to start the Biocomputation Laboratory, currently at the Spanish National Centre for Biotechnology (CNB).

Ángel's interdisciplinary profile spanning computer science, engineering, and biology lends a distinctive character to his scientific pursuits. He is leading several research projects, including the prestigious Consolidator Grant funded by the European Research Council, focusing on cellular computing. Regularly participating in seminars, conferences, and thematic meetings on biocomputing, Ángel is globally recognized as an expert in the field. He has been honoured with the Margarita Salas Research Award, named after a truly pioneer in molecular biology, and has received the Medal of the Royal Academy of Engineering of Spain for his outstanding contributions to computing.

ACM Involvement

Member of the ACM (2023-present)
Author in CACM 

• Cellular Computing: From Inspiration to Implementation
  This lecture provides a historical overview of cellular computing, highlighting its profound intersection with computer science and biology over the decades. It explores how biology has...
• Engineering Boolean Logic Circuits with Living Matter
  Within a living cell, a gene can either be expressed or not, akin to the digital on-off signalling familiar in electronic engineering. While there are of course numerous differences, this...
• Toward Next-Generation Biocomputing: The Need for Computer Scientists!
  This lecture explores the vital roles computer scientists can play in advancing biocomputing. From conducting computational simulations and developing theoretical frameworks to creating software...