Scientific research is not a closed system. Political and societal developments will inevitably influence both the content and form of the research. Legislation in areas such as safety (particularly medical safety), security, defence and terrorism will also have certain consequences.
Since the terrorist attacks of 11 September 2001 and the spate of 'anthrax letters' which began just days later, biosecurity has been an issue of particular political and public concern. Governments worldwide have implemented measures to reduce the risk of biological agents being used for criminal purposes. In this project, the Rathenau Institute is researching how the growing body of biosecurity legislation has affected research activities and the research organizations themselves.
Researchers
| Job title: | Head of Department |
| Department: | Science System Assessment |
| Job title: | Junior researcher |
| Department: | Science System Assessment |
| Job title: | Senior Researcher |
| Department: | Technology Assessment |