Guidelines for the appropriate risk governance of synthetic biology
Author: Heather Lowrie
Publisher:
Published: 2010
Total Pages: 51
ISBN-13: 9782970067269
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Synthetic Biology 2020: Frontiers in Risk Analysis and Governance
Author: Benjamin D. Trump
Publisher: Springer Nature
Published: 2019-11-28
Total Pages: 421
ISBN-13: 3030272648
DOWNLOAD EBOOKSynthetic biology offers powerful remedies for some of the world’s most intractable problems, but these solutions are clouded by uncertainty and risk that few strategies are available to address. The incentives for continued development of this emerging technology are prodigious and obvious, and the public deserves assurances that all potential downsides are duly considered and minimized accordingly. Incorporating social science analysis within the innovation process may impose constraints, but its simultaneous support in making the end products more acceptable to society at large should be considered a worthy trade-off. Contributing authors in this volume represent diverse perspectives related to synthetic biology’s social sciences, and reflect on different areas of risk analysis and governance that have developed for the field. Such perspectives include leading scholarly discussion pertaining to risk assessment, governance, ethics, and communication. The chapters of this volume note that while the first twenty years of synthetic biology development have focused strongly on technological innovation and product development, the next twenty should emphasize the synergy between developers, policymakers, and publics to generate the most beneficial, well governed, and transparent technologies and products possible. Many chapters in this volume provide new data and approaches that demonstrate the feasibility for multi-stakeholder efforts involving policymakers, regulators, industrial developers, workers, experts, and societal representatives to share responsibilities in the production of effective and acceptable governance in the face of uncertain risk probabilities. A full consideration of such perspectives may prevent a world of draconian regulations based on an insufficient or incomplete understanding of the science that underpins synthetic biology, as well as any hesitancy or fear by the public to adopt its eventual products.
Emerging Threats of Synthetic Biology and Biotechnology
Author: Benjamin D. Trump
Publisher: Springer Nature
Published: 2021
Total Pages: 233
ISBN-13: 940242086X
DOWNLOAD EBOOKSynthetic biology is a field of biotechnology that is rapidly growing in various applications, such as in medicine, environmental sustainability, and energy production. However these technologies also have unforeseen risks and applications to humans and the environment. This open access book presents discussions on risks and mitigation strategies for these technologies including biosecurity, or the potential of synthetic biology technologies and processes to be deliberately misused for nefarious purposes. The book presents strategies to prevent, mitigate, and recover from 'dual-use concern' biosecurity challenges that may be raised by individuals, rogue states, or non-state actors. Several key topics are explored including opportunities to develop more coherent and scalable approaches to govern biosecurity from a laboratory perspective up to the international scale and strategies to prevent potential health and environmental hazards posed by deliberate misuse of synthetic biology without stifling innovation. The book brings together the expertise of top scholars in synthetic biology and biotechnology risk assessment, management, and communication to discuss potential biosecurity governing strategies and offer perspectives for collaboration in oversight and future regulatory guidance.
Risk Governance of Synthetic Biology
Author:
Publisher:
Published: 2009
Total Pages: 27
ISBN-13: 9782970067238
DOWNLOAD EBOOKRegulation of Synthetic Biology
Author: Alison McLennan
Publisher: Edward Elgar Publishing
Published: 2018-04-27
Total Pages: 283
ISBN-13: 178536944X
DOWNLOAD EBOOKThis book explores the interplay between regulation and emerging technologies in the context of synthetic biology, a developing field that promises great benefits, and has already yielded fuels and medicines made with designer micro-organisms. For all its promise, however, it also poses various risks. Investigating the distinctiveness of synthetic biology and the regulatory issues that arise, Alison McLennan questions whether synthetic biology can be regulated within existing structures or whether new mechanisms are needed.
Biodefense in the Age of Synthetic Biology
Author: National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine
Publisher: National Academies Press
Published: 2019-01-05
Total Pages: 189
ISBN-13: 0309465184
DOWNLOAD EBOOKScientific advances over the past several decades have accelerated the ability to engineer existing organisms and to potentially create novel ones not found in nature. Synthetic biology, which collectively refers to concepts, approaches, and tools that enable the modification or creation of biological organisms, is being pursued overwhelmingly for beneficial purposes ranging from reducing the burden of disease to improving agricultural yields to remediating pollution. Although the contributions synthetic biology can make in these and other areas hold great promise, it is also possible to imagine malicious uses that could threaten U.S. citizens and military personnel. Making informed decisions about how to address such concerns requires a realistic assessment of the capabilities that could be misused. Biodefense in the Age of Synthetic Biology explores and envisions potential misuses of synthetic biology. This report develops a framework to guide an assessment of the security concerns related to advances in synthetic biology, assesses the levels of concern warranted for such advances, and identifies options that could help mitigate those concerns.
Governance of Dual Use Research in the Life Sciences
Author: National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine
Publisher: National Academies Press
Published: 2018-11-26
Total Pages: 211
ISBN-13: 0309478022
DOWNLOAD EBOOKContinuing advances in science and technology offer the promise of providing tools to meet global challenges in health, agriculture, the environment, and economic development; some of the benefits are already being realized. However, such advances have the potential to challenge the oversight systems for responsible conduct of life sciences research with dual use potential â€" research that may have beneficial applications but that also could be misused to cause harm. Between June 10 and 13, 2018, more than 70 participants from 30 different countries and 5 international organizations took part in an international workshop, The Governance of Dual Use Research in the Life Sciences: Advancing Global Consensus on Research Oversight, to promote global dialogue and increased common understandings of the essential elements of governance for such research. Hosted by the Croatian Academy of Sciences and Arts in Zagreb, Croatia, the workshop was a collaboration among the InterAcademy Partnership, the Croatian Academy, the Croatian Society for Biosafety and Biosecurity, and the U.S. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. This publication summarizes the presentations and discussions from the workshop.
Synthetic Biology Analysed
Author: Margret Engelhard
Publisher: Springer
Published: 2016-04-15
Total Pages: 223
ISBN-13: 3319251457
DOWNLOAD EBOOKSynthetic biology is a dynamic, young, ambitious, attractive, and heterogeneous scientific discipline. It is constantly developing and changing, which makes societal evaluation of this emerging new science a challenging task, prone to misunderstandings. Synthetic biology is difficult to capture, and confusion arises not only regarding which part of synthetic biology the discussion is about, but also with respect to the underlying concepts in use. This book offers a useful toolbox to approach this complex and fragmented field. It provides a biological access to the discussion using a 'layer' model that describes the connectivity of synthetic or semisynthetic organisms and cells to the realm of natural organisms derived by evolution.Instead of directly reviewing the field as a whole, firstly our book addresses the characteristic features of synthetic biology that are relevant to the societal discussion. Some of these features apply only to parts of synthetic biology, whereas others are relevant to synthetic biology as a whole. In the next step, these new features are evaluated with respect to the different areas of synthetic biology. Do we have the right words and categories to talk about these new features? In the third step, traditional concepts like “life” and “artificiality” are scrutinized with regard to their discriminatory power. This approach may help to differentiate the discussion on synthetic biology. Lastly our refined view is utilized for societal evaluation. We have investigated the public views and attitudes to synthetic biology. It also includes the analysis of ethical, risk and legal questions, posed by present and future practices of synthetic biology.This book contains the results of an interdisciplinary research project and presents the authors’ main findings and recommendations. They are addressed to science, industry, politics and the general public interested in this upcoming field of biotechnology.
Safe, Secure and Ethical?
Author: Pernilla Christina Regårdh
Publisher:
Published: 2011
Total Pages: 127
ISBN-13:
DOWNLOAD EBOOKSynthetic biology is an emerging field, with a rapidly developing academic-industrial base and the promise of extensive product launches over the next few years. An intense debate over the risks and benefits of synthetic biology has developed even before commercialization. Nongovernmental organizations and official commissions have published over a dozen reports on the potential pitfalls and promise of synthetic biology, with widely varying analytic assumptions, assessment methods, definitions of values, and policy recommendations. How should governments go about developing regulatory policies to govern synthetic biology? This thesis begins by outlining the synthetic biology academic-industrial base, and then describes and critiques official and unofficial assessments of synthetic biology risks and the regulatory policies now in place to regulate risks. It differentiates among risks to security, safety and environment, and ethics, and finds that regulations in each of these areas suffer from significant deficits. Regulations are not well grounded on technical understanding of synthetic biology, lack methodologies for risk assessment of organisms without close natural counterparts, frame risk assessment as a technocratic process without substantial input from stakeholders, and emphasize physical risks to safety and security over non-physical threats to ethics and values. The thesis suggests that the US government and European Union modify existing regulations governing risks associated with synthetic biology and, more fundamentally, processes for developing such regulations to mitigate some of the deficits identified above.
Synthetic Biology
Author: Gigi Gronvall
Publisher: Createspace Independent Publishing Platform
Published: 2016-10-08
Total Pages: 198
ISBN-13: 9781539336839
DOWNLOAD EBOOKSynthetic biology aims to make biology easier to engineer and to program. Thanks to advances in computing power, the ability to make long tracts of DNA, new tools like CRISPR that can be used to edit genomes, and the enthusiasm of young scientists and even amateurs who want to enter the field, synthetic biology is poised to change the future of medicine, agriculture, and manufacturing. Yet, while this new field promises vast opportunities and benefits, there are also risks. There are biosecurity risks that these technologies will be deliberately used for harm; safety risks to people and the environment; ethical and social considerations for how to apply these technologies; and there are risks to the competitiveness of nations that do not invest in these technologies that are likely to spur economic growth. This volume is dedicated to a discussion of what can be done to minimize risks and maximize the benefits of synthetic biology. Praise for Synthetic Biology: Safety, Security, and Promise "There can be no doubt that advances in the life sciences, including new insights and tools provided by synthetic biology, place us in a position to create exciting and novel products and approaches for patients in need. Gigi Gronvall describes that promise but also lays forth critical policy concerns that need to be addressed so that we don't risk safety, security, or the competitiveness of US science." - Margaret Hamburg, MD, Former FDA Commissioner and Foreign Secretary, National Academy of Medicine "Synthetic biology gives us tools that can help tackle global problems that affect humanity-but for that to happen, the risks of bioterror or bio-error need to be dealt with and managed, as well. Gronvall clearly describes the policy challenges that must be addressed and concludes with steps to enhance US leadership and competitiveness in the global bio-economy." - J. Craig Venter, PhD, founder, chairman, and CEO of the J. Craig Venter Institute and co-founder, executive chairman and co-chief scientist of Synthetic Genomics, Inc. "For those of us working in the lab, it is important to embrace conversations with those who aren't - including strategies for biological security, to create new synthetic biology products - with respect for facts about GMO risk/benefit balances, creating a culture of safe lab practices and norms worldwide. Gigi Gronvall dissects such issues at stake in synthetic biology and presents a pragmatic and scientifically responsive path forward for anyone in a position to influence, regulate, decide upon, or benefit from the science to follow." - George Church, PhD, Professor of Genetics Harvard Medical School and Director of PersonalGenomes.org "Synthetic biology presents some of the greatest challenges and opportunities of the 21st Century. Gigi Gronvall navigates a path to follow, to make sure risks are addressed and opportunities are not squandered. It should be read by all concerned about national security." - The Honorable Andrew Weber, head of global partnerships for Metabiota and former Assistant Secretary of Defense for Nuclear, Chemical, and Biological Defense Programs
