SYNTH-ETHICS
Ethical and regulatory challenges raised by synthetic biology
| Coordinatore | TECHNISCHE UNIVERSITEIT DELFT
Organization address
address: Stevinweg 1 contact info |
| Nazionalità Coordinatore | Netherlands [NL] |
| Totale costo | 770˙608 € |
| EC contributo | 531˙276 € |
| Programma | FP7-SIS
Specific Programme "Capacities": Science in society |
| Code Call | FP7-SCIENCE-IN-SOCIETY-2008-1 |
| Funding Scheme | CP |
| Anno di inizio | 2009 |
| Periodo (anno-mese-giorno) | 2009-03-01 - 2011-08-31 |
Partecipanti
| # | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
TECHNISCHE UNIVERSITEIT DELFT
Organization address
address: Stevinweg 1 contact info |
NL (DELFT) | coordinator | 290˙017.00 |
| 2 |
Karlsruher Institut fuer Technologie
Organization address
address: Kaiserstrasse 12 contact info |
DE (Karlsruhe) | participant | 151˙426.00 |
| 3 |
NEDERLANDSE ORGANISATIE VOOR TOEGEPAST NATUURWETENSCHAPPELIJK ONDERZOEK TNO
Organization address
address: Schoemakerstraat 97 contact info |
NL (DEN HAAG) | participant | 51˙843.00 |
| 4 |
UNIVERSITA DEGLI STUDI DI PADOVA
Organization address
address: VIA 8 FEBBRAIO 2 contact info |
IT (PADOVA) | participant | 37˙990.00 |
| 5 |
THE AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL UNIVERSITY
Organization address
address: Director, Research Office, Chancelry Bld, East Road 10B contact info |
AU (ANU) | participant | 0.00 |
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Obiettivo del progetto (Objective)
SYNTH-ETHICS addresses the ethical, legal and social implications of the emerging field of synthetic biology, with a special focus on biosafety and biosecurity and on notions of life. The project starts with discerning relevant ethical issues in close collaboration with the synthetic biology community. Next, the public debates around these issues are analysed. The current ethical and regulative frameworks existing in synthetic biology and closely related fields like nanobiotechnology and genetic engineering will then be reconstructed and assessed for their ability to deal adequately with existing and newly emerging ethical issues in synthetic biology. On that basis, challenges for current regulatory and ethical frameworks will be identified and recommendations for dealing with these challenges will be formulated targeted at three relevant groups: 1) the synthetic biology community, 2) EU policy makers and 3) NGOs/the public The project is at the intersection of ethics, technology assessment and foresight, law, and new technologies, and expertise from all relevant fields is included in the project team. The project will build on insights and discussions from other fields such as biotechnology and nanotechnology. It will also try to assess which aspects of synthetic biology might give rise to ethical problems of a different nature, specific to the field. In turn, it will contribute significantly to a more adequate and proactive broadly applicable approach to the ethical aspects of new technology. It will contribute to a common understanding of synthetic biology and the ethical, legal and social issues involved in EU member states, and to the shaping of a distinct European approach without ignoring the discussions and developments in the US and elsewhere. Stakeholders’ views will be solicited during the project and will be taken into account, and the project will help to prepare for a rational and informed public dialogue on synthetic biology. Finally, the project p
Introduzione (Teaser)
A recent EU-funded project looked at the ethical, legal and social implications of synthetic biology (SB) research.
Descrizione progetto (Article)
A vibrant scientific field, SB has significant potential for practical applications and public benefit. Although known to combine engineering and biology, its exact definition is still unclear due to overlapping of several disciplines. A question for consideration is whether a new set of research ethics should be defined for the field.
An EU-funded project called 'Ethical and regulatory challenges raised for synthetic biology' (SYNTH-ETHICS) aimed to answer this question. The team included experts in the areas of ethics, technology assessment and law. They took into consideration the needs of end users, policymakers, scientists, engineers and the general public.
The ethical issues associated with SB overlap in part with other biotechnology fields. These issues include dealing with risk, safety and security. Analyses revealed that frameworks associated with genetically modified organisms (GMOs) are also applicable to SB, although they may need slight modifications.
One of the major problems associated with SB is dual-use research, where research intended to be beneficial could also be used for harmful purposes. Recommendations to address this issue include introducing incentives to refrain from and report dangerous activities. In addition, strict monitoring through the establishment of governmental clearing houses to check databases for DNA sequence requests and surveillance institutions may prove effective.
This SYNTH-ETHICS investigation has encouraged the development of a better informed public when it comes to SB. It has also contributed significantly to a more adequate and practical approach to the ethical aspects of new technologies.