Synthetic biology and its alternatives. Descartes, Kant and the idea of engineering biological machines

Kogge, Werner; Richter, Michael

doi:10.1016/j.shpsc.2013.03.013

Cited by 11 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 24 publications

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“…It is limited by chemical boundaries that cannot be adjusted at will. This fact is particularly important for the understanding and the realistic expectations on the availability of products through synthesis [6a,15] . The question of how to realize sustainable conversion processes remains a constant challenge.…”

Section: Sustainable Chemical Processes – Overcoming the Challengesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Moreover, trajectories for the development of new biological synthetic entities are not simple to predict for experimental improvement if at all. Because of its inherent complexity and the context‐relatedness of biological functional entities biology‐by‐engineering is by far not simple [15,16,44] . Thus, complementing disciplines and specifically systemic strategies bear great potential for the development of new synthesis tools.…”

Section: Development Of Synthesis Tools By Integrated Systems and Synmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Because of its inherent complexity and the context-relatedness of biological functional entities biology-by-engineering is by far not simple. [15,16,44] Thus, complementing disciplines and specifically systemic strategies bear great potential for the development of new synthesis tools. However, systemic approaches partially supported by (bio)informatic algorithms and/or automation provide useful tools to define a landscape for guided experimental navigation towards new synthetic solutions.…”

Section: Challengesmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Sustainable Chemistry – An Interdisciplinary Matrix Approach

2020

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Within the framework of green chemistry, the continuous development of new and advanced tools for sustainable synthesis is essential. For this, multi-facetted underlying demands pose inherent challenges to individual chemical disciplines. As a solution, both interdisciplinary technology screening and research can enhance the possibility for groundbreaking innovation. To illustrate the stages from discovery to the implementing of combined technologies, a SusChem matrix model is proposed inspired by natural product biosynthesis. The model describes a multi-dimensional and dynamic exploratory space where necessary interaction is exclusively provided and guided by sustainable themes.

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Section: Sustainable Chemical Processes – Overcoming the Challengesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Development Of Synthesis Tools By Integrated Systems and Synmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Challengesmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Sustainable Chemistry – An Interdisciplinary Matrix Approach

2020

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“…While SCRaMbLE may be a designed tool, therefore, it is not precisely a design tool in the sense that it does not help bring about the physical instantiation of a conceptually designed object 13 . SCRaMbLE works toward a preconceived effect or outcome—that is, toward a cell able to grow under specified conditions—but it does not make it possible to control the structure of the physical construction—the genome sequence—which satisfies that outcome.…”

Section: Scrambleing Synthetic Yeastmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…And biological complexity is cited as a reason for the gap between the ever-increasing capacities of DNA synthesis and the limited capabilities of functional DNA assembly 9 , 10 . Amidst these challenges, observers have noted that in practice, many successful synthetic biology projects do not appear to involve engineering because they rely too much on random chance and too little on standardized practices in ways “incompatible with canonical engineering” 11 – 13 ; for some, nevertheless, achieving “‘true’ engineering” remains a viable goal 14 .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Designing with living systems in the synthetic yeast project

Szymanski

Calvert

2018

Nat Commun

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Synthetic biology is challenged by the complexity and the unpredictability of living systems. While one response to this complexity involves simplifying cells to create more fully specified systems, another approach utilizes directed evolution, releasing some control and using unpredictable change to achieve design goals. Here we discuss SCRaMbLE, employed in the synthetic yeast project, as an example of synthetic biology design through working with living systems. SCRaMbLE is a designed tool without being a design tool, harnessing the activities of the yeast rather than relying entirely on scientists’ deliberate choices. We suggest that directed evolution at the level of the whole organism allows scientists and microorganisms to “collaborate” to achieve design goals, suggesting new directions for synthetic biology.

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(Re‐)Designing Nature? An Overview and Outlook on the Ethical and Societal Challenges in Synthetic Biology

Braun

Fernau

2019

Adv. Biosys.

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to provide an initial systematization of the ethical and socio-scientific debate on SB by structuring and categorizing issues that have been widely discussed and debated in recent years. The investigation included international ethical and societal research on SB, covering the period from January 2010 to December 2017. Even though we are aware that there have been several developments before it was referred to as SB, [6] this sample period was selected as the experiments of Craig Venter and his team in the year 2010 marked the birth of broader public and scientific attention to SB, as well as the rise and further establishment of SB as a distinct research discipline.We predefined five main fields of ethical research in order to map the scope of the respective debates. These fields were based on theoretical presuppositions informed by our preliminary theoretical and empirical research and the resulting experiences within the field of ethical and societal challenges of SB. The five fields are: 1) the definition and scope of possible applications; 2) questions of biosafety and -security; 3) the impact of SB on taken-for-granted cultural perceptions and values; 4) SB as a new mode of public participation in science; 5) issues of sustainable governance and Responsible Research and Innovation (RRI). With these five fields in mind, we searched for relevant articles on Scopus and PubMed. These are two of the largest international research databases, which cover a broad spectrum of ethical and socio-scientific work within the context of biotechnologies. The selected search term was "synthetic biology" in combination with several distinctive codes, which can be assigned to the aforementioned predefined main fields of ethical research ( Table 1).In general, our literature analysis has several methodological limitations. As it is not a comprehensive systematic literature review, it does not provide a broad set of quantitative data scrutinizing all debates, issues and questions on the ethical and societal challenges in SB. Nevertheless, our analysis provides a structured overview on and an initial systematization of the most relevant topics within the discussion on SB in recent years. Additionally, this article aims to provide an analysis and discussion of the current state of play of ethical and societal issues in SB.The first section is concerned with the question of a possible definition of SB and the issue of how we could describe and analyze its technological progress with regard to ethical and societal challenges. As one frequent debate of the last few This structured literature analysis aims to map the current, emerging, and predicted future of synthetic biology (SB) by putting the focus on the implied conceptual, societal, and ethical challenges. The central objective of the analysis is to provide an initial systematization of the ethical and socio-scientific debate on SB by structuring and categorizing widely discussed issues within the debate in recent years. Starting with the quest for possible definitions, issues ...

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Synthetic biology and its alternatives. Descartes, Kant and the idea of engineering biological machines

Cited by 11 publications

References 24 publications

Sustainable Chemistry – An Interdisciplinary Matrix Approach

Sustainable Chemistry – An Interdisciplinary Matrix Approach

Designing with living systems in the synthetic yeast project

(Re‐)Designing Nature? An Overview and Outlook on the Ethical and Societal Challenges in Synthetic Biology

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