SYBHEL

Synthetic Biology for Human Health: Ethical and Legal Issues

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 Obiettivo del progetto (Objective)

'Synthetic Biology (SynBio) is a relatively new field of scientific endeavour. Rather than seeking to understand living organisms, SynBio researchers aim to design and build entirely new living systems at the molecular, cellular, tissue and organism level. SynBio uses methods and tools from many disciplines, notably engineering, genetics, biotechnology and biochemistry; but also nanotechnology, physics and computational modelling. A key attribute is the use of principles of engineering with components from the life sciences to build or exploit living organisms rather than machines. Applications of SynBio research include environmental and health benefits, for example bio-fuels, biosensors and therapeutics. Researchers in SynBio are keen to address the ethical, legal and social aspects of their work. To date, however, ELSI considerations of SynBio have targeted safety and regulatory aspects of the field as a whole. No studies have focussed specifically on the ethical implications of SynBio for human health. The SYBHEL project will address this gap to provide the first detailed analysis of one of the key global applications of SynBio. SYBHEL will examine several aspects of SynBio as it applies to human health including: philosophical and social understandings of life (including new human-like entities); appropriate methodology for bioethical analysis in SynBio for health; ethical issues arising in utilising SynBio for health; regulatory and commercial aspects and public policy in SynBio for health care. The RTD work-packages will be underscored by several cross-cutting themes to ensure maximum flexibility and relevance of outcomes. SYBHEL will therefore be informed by existing work on: the definition and scientific state of the art of SynBio; safety aspects and issues of distributive justice. SYBHEL will adopt an approach that recognises the non-reductionist, non-essentialist, dynamic and integrative nature of SynBio and will develop a comparable ethics response.'

Introduzione (Teaser)

Synthetic biology (SynBio) designs help build new living systems from the molecular to the organism level. The need to explore and analyse the ethical and legal implications is paramount.

Descrizione progetto (Article)

Prior to the 'Synthetic biology for human health: Ethical and legal issues' (http://www.sybhel.org. (SYBHEL)) project, no study had focused specifically on the ethical implications of SynBio for human health. A multi-disciplinary team of experts from ethics, philosophy, theology, law, genetics, sociology, biology, biotechnology, and biochemistry have provided the first detailed analysis of the key ethical issues and the important global applications of this exciting but highly controversial field.

SynBio aims to re-engineer biological processes to achieve specific targeted outcomes. As medicine aims to repair malfunctions in the body, SynBio can be harnessed to treat diseases such as cancer, antibiotic resistant infections and genetic disorders. This also includes further honing the effectiveness of the beneficial elements of the human body such as beneficial gut bacteria and the immune system.

Throughout the three-year term, SYBHEL held conferences and workshops to air and disseminate the immense scope and implications of SynBio. The final conference was held in June 2012 at the British Library in London. The meeting's objective - to discuss and revise the http://sybhel.org/?p=893 ("SYBHEL Report and Policy Recommendations").

The report is available online along with other interesting features such as the SYBHEL short story. The project ran a competition and the result is a collection of short-listed stories available as a free kindle e-book. Readers can vote for their favourite.

Other ingenious ways of opening up the forum and increasing awareness on SynBio included videos and podcasts of interviews and discussions, blogs, open days, a call for papers, discussions and a brainstorming series. The project's videos feature on the http://vimeo.com/user5259198 (Vimeo channel) and YouTube.

The examination of ethical, legal and social implications research so far has used a simplistic 'tick box' or check list approach. This reduces the whole issue to a risk assessment exercise of under analysed principles and concepts. SYBHEL recommends moving away from individual biotechnologies, frameworks and subsections. The project has made considerable progress and promoted a more thoughtful, imaginative holistic approach towards potential issues with emerging technologies in the future.