Engineering and ethical perspectives in synthetic biology

Anderson, James; Strelkowa, Natalja; Stan, Guy-Bart; Douglas, Thomas; Savulescu, Julian; Barahona, Mauricio; Papachristodoulou, Antonis

doi:10.1038/embor.2012.81

Cited by 46 publications

(41 citation statements)

References 41 publications

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“…In some views, this versatility makes life appear as an exciting and promising material (Isaac et al 2006;Endy 2005). But such variability can also make biology difficult to engineer (Anderson et al 2012;Serrano 2007). To what extent such versatility of life can be engineered is a crucial point of debate within the field of synthetic biology.…”

Section: Designing De Novo In Synthetic Biologymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In a broad sense, the debate revolves around the issue of whether modularity is a natural property, or whether it is an abstraction imposed by engineers to simplify the design of complex systems. The spectrum of views in relation to this point may go from those who see modularity as a property of living systems (Anderson et al 2012;Silver 2009), to more skeptical views. A common intermediate argument is that biology presents relative modularity (Arkin and Fletcher 2006;De Lorenzo 2010a, b).…”

Section: Controversies: Engineering and Biological Viewsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In spite of such heterogeneity (Anonymous 2009;Anderson et al 2012;O'Malley et al 2008;Mukherji and Oudenaarden 2009), a widely accepted definition of synthetic biology presents it as the design and construction of novel biological entities, ''and the re-design of already existing ones'' (Calvert 2010; see also Mukherji and Oudenaarden 2009). In an attempt at including the diversity of approaches, aims, and practices of synthetic biology, such a definition points to fundamental ambiguities at the very basis of this emerging field.…”

Section: Designing De Novo In Synthetic Biologymentioning

confidence: 99%

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Designing de novo: interdisciplinary debates in synthetic biology

Delgado

Porcar

2013

Syst Synth Biol

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Synthetic biology is often presented as a promissory field that ambitions to produce novelty by design. The ultimate promise is the production of living systems that will perform new and desired functions in predictable ways. Nevertheless, realizing promises of novelty has not proven to be a straightforward endeavour. This paper provides an overview of, and explores the existing debates on, the possibility of designing living systems de novo as they appear in interdisciplinary talks between engineering and biological views within the field of synthetic biology. To broaden such interdisciplinary debates, we include the views from the social sciences and the humanities and we point to some fundamental sources of disagreement within the field. Different views co-exist, sometimes as controversial tensions, but sometimes also pointing to integration in the form of intermediate positions. As the field is emerging, multiple choices are possible. They will inform alternative trajectories in synthetic biology and will certainly shape its future. What direction is best is to be decided in reflexive and socially robust ways.

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Section: Designing De Novo In Synthetic Biologymentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Controversies: Engineering and Biological Viewsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Designing De Novo In Synthetic Biologymentioning

confidence: 99%

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Designing de novo: interdisciplinary debates in synthetic biology

Delgado

Porcar

2013

Syst Synth Biol

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“…This report provided guidance and consideration of policies, governance, and practices that would enable synthetic biology research and applications of it to be pursued in an "ethically responsible manner" but did not endorse further federal regulations on synthetic biology research (Presidential Commission for the Study of Bioethical Issues 2010). In doing so, The Presidential Commission followed the recommendations already laid out by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council, the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council, the Economic and Social Research Council and the Arts and Humanities Research Council of the United Kingdom (Anderson et al 2012). …”

Section: Towards Scientifically-informed Ethical Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Synthetic Biology and Biofuels

Kendig

2013

Encyclopedia of Food and Agricultural Ethics

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“…Anderson et al 2012;Schmidt et al 2009). If ethical concerns are ignored or the potential negative social impact is underestimated, poor adoption of the innovation or even public opposition can be the consequence as in the case of genetically modified organisms.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Interactive learning and action: realizing the promise of synthetic biology for global health

Betten¹,

Roelofsen²,

Broerse³

2013

Syst Synth Biol

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The emerging field of synthetic biology has the potential to improve global health. For example, synthetic biology could contribute to efforts at vaccine development in a context in which vaccines and immunization have been identified by the international community as being crucial to international development efforts and, in particular, the millennium development goals. However, past experience with innovations shows that realizing a technology's potential can be difficult and complex. To achieve better societal embedding of synthetic biology and to make sure it reaches its potential, science and technology development should be made more inclusive and interactive. Responsible research and innovation is based on the premise that a broad range of stakeholders with different views, needs and ideas should have a voice in the technological development and deployment process. The interactive learning and action (ILA) approach has been developed as a methodology to bring societal stakeholders into a science and technology development process. This paper proposes an ILA in five phases for an international effort, with national case studies, to develop socially robust applications of synthetic biology for global health, based on the example of vaccine development. The design is based on results of a recently initiated ILA project on synthetic biology; results from other interactive initiatives described in the literature; and examples of possible applications of synthetic biology for global health that are currently being developed.

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Engineering and ethical perspectives in synthetic biology

Abstract: The applications of synthetic biology will involve the release of artificial life forms into the environment. These organisms will present unique safety challenges that need to be addressed by researchers and regulators to win public engagement and support.

Cited by 46 publications

References 41 publications

Designing de novo: interdisciplinary debates in synthetic biology

Designing de novo: interdisciplinary debates in synthetic biology

Synthetic Biology and Biofuels

Interactive learning and action: realizing the promise of synthetic biology for global health

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