Medicines produced by synthetic bacteria. Genetically modified algae that produce clean energy. New DNA material to order. Our expectations of synthetic biology are high.
Artificial life?
In synthetic biology scientists use genetic material as building blocks to design new biological systems. This opens up a world of possibilities, in healthcare, for example. But it also raises concerns. Modifying existing bacteria or viruses could create new pathogens. And synthetic biology can also be used to produce biological weapons. The developments also raise questions about intellectual property and ethics. Can you patent a new organism? Is it appropriate to create artificial life?
Rathenau Institute activities
The Rathenau Institute is making an active contribution to the debate on synthetic biology, and monitoring national and international developments (SynBio docs). We organised a workshop entitled ‘Biosecurity at the science-policy nexus’ where experts discussed how the abuse of knowledge to produce weapons can be prevented, and how we in the Netherlands can contribute to biosecurity. We are also working with COGEM, a committee that advises the Dutch government on regulations to ensure genetic modification and synthetic biology are safe. COGEM has published a report on the subject entitled Biologische Machines (Biological Machines).
Towards a broader public debate
To contribute to the broader public debate on synthetic biology, we produced future scenarios for potential applications and implications of synthetic biology (SynBio futures). This debate is not merely about regulation, it is also about synthetic biology’s usefulness to society and the question of how far we want to go with producing artificial life forms. We invited youth members of Dutch political parties to debate the issue at a meeting in Amsterdam with students taking part in the annual international Genetically Engineered Machines (iGEM) competition. The result was a lively Meeting of young minds.
International projects
We are taking part in two European research projects on the societal aspects of synthetic biology. The SYBHEL project is concerned with the legal and ethical issues raised by likely future medical applications of synthetic biology. In the GEST project, we are looking at how Europe, China and India are dealing with the societal aspects of synthetic biology. We also attended a workshop project in the US, organised by the J. Craig Venter Institute, which explored the possible future societal significance and implications of synthetic biology.
Converging technologies
Synthetic biology is one example of a converging technology where several fields of science come together, enhancing our ability to shape life. The Rathenau Institute has published a book on the subject, ‘Constructing Life’. We also coordinated the Making Perfect Life project on behalf of the European Parliament.
