ࡱ> TVS l-bjbj .<!&R:#,OOOccc8$c0^OO***=0?0?0?0?0?0?0$2T5pc0O*****c0OOOOx0*OOOO=0*=0-D/OX9 Rc.&)0000/5r|5L//5O0$*******c0c0***0****5********* :  Human Practices project: Synthetic biology and bioethics The E.ncapsulator project is a direct application of synthetic biologys theories. For that matter, it is important to analyze it from an ethical perspective: first of all, to make sure that the project is done according to the main principles of bioethics announced in the Belmont Report and especially the principles of autonomy and beneficence. Moreover, it should also respect the idea of bio-safety: genetically engineered products should not interfere with the environment and especially with human health - to the point where it degrades it. In addition of those basic ethical issues that apply to other fields such as genetic engineering, synthetic biology raises moral and philosophical issues: does using DNA and genes, which are to some people the very core of life, as tools change the definition of life? Does it not blur our conceptions of what life is? * The scientist and the layman Synthetic biology is a new field. As such, its productions have not yet arrived in everyday life, nor has it changed ityet. But already, many scientists talk about its potential; synthetic biology is seen by many as something that would change the world we live in. A European Commission report has tried to sum up all the fields synthetic biology could be used in and according to the report, applications could change the fields of medicine, pharmaceutical products, chemical industry, energy Thus, it is fair to assume that synthetic biology will change our lives during the next decades, and that it will have an impact in reality itself. Such promises creates hopes, but fears as well: the same reluctance that exist in some countries towards GMO whether they are legitimate or not will come towards synthetic biology as soon as its products will be available to everyday life. We can even say that this reluctance will be more important, since some people already see synthetic biologists as God-playing scientists. As the European Commission Report puts it, to some, this is sure to seem like playing God. Therefore, it is important that scientists explain to the public what synthetic biology is, and explain both its risks and benefits. We believe that the importance of taking Human Practices into account in the iGEM is to create awareness of this among young scientists. Not only is it important to be capable of explaining their project in lay terms, but also it is crucial that they fully understand why ethics are an important part of scientific life especially with regard to the link between science and society. The E.ncapsulator and bio-safety One of the major themes in bioethics is the issue of bio-safety. Ever since Dr. Eckard Wimmer announced that him and his team had artificially created the polio virus, fears were stirred among civil society. Incidentally, one of the main fears concerning synthetic biology is that a dangerous living organism could accidently or even intentionally escapes from a laboratory and cause a biological catastrophe. Perhaps it is that fear can be reduced to an over-reaction from people who dont know synthetic biology. As a matter of fact, most scientists will argue that the organisms used in laboratories would not resist a normal environment as in fact they lack important components that would allow they to live in non-laboratory envinronment. However, asking for precaution from the synthetic biologists is a legitimate request. Thus, it falls naturally to ask that the International Bio-safety Protocol is applied to synthetic biology. Being aware of such matters, the people working on the E.ncapsulator project have decided from the beginning to use cells that could not hurt the environment and human health. Although some strains of Escherichia coli (commonly known as E.coli) can affect human health (e.g.  HYPERLINK "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enterotoxigenic_Escherichia_coli" \o "Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli" Enterotoxigenic E. Coli), the strain used for the E.ncapsulator (TOP10) was consciously chosen to be harmless. Thus, even if it did escape, however unlikely that event is, there would be no risk for the environment whatsoever: the E.ncapsulator is biosafe. Moreover, the E.ncapsulator team is aware of what their project would look like to the eyes of people who do not know much about biology: eating an genetically engineered living pill can be repulsive for some people. In fact, not only can they fear a catastrophe, but they can also be reluctant to eating alive bacteria. For that reason, the E.ncapsulator team added a module to their project. Module 3 is the genomic neutralisation of the bacteria a phenomenon where the bacteria commit suicide by chopping up their DNA. That way, the team assessing the publics potential fears makes sure that these are minimized and the public reassured. On a bioethical level, the E.ncapsulator respects the notion of bio-safety and also the principles of the Belmont Report. Indeed, its aim is to create genetically engineered pills aimed at curing or alleviating conditions such as Phenylketonuria. This project respects in full the principle of autonomy as it provides people with the choice of taking or not the pills. Furthermore, because those pills are meant to cure some malfunctions, it respects the principle of beneficence. Moral and philosophical implications. Beyond those bioethical issues, synthetic biology raises moral and philosophical questions that do not seem to have been answered yet. For that matter, the E.ncapsulator project is not an exception. Our goal here is not to give straight answers to all of these questions, but to raise awareness about some of them. First of all, most philosophers until now tended to define morality in terms of end and means. Immanuel Kant, founder of the modern conception of morality, thought that we should consider other people not as means to our ends, but as ends. When stealing from someone, a thief considers this person as the possessor of money you need, not as a full person whom you should respect. A good way to sum up morality would be : Always recognize that individuals are ends, and do not use them as means to your end.  Some philosophers extended this principle to all living beings. Synthetic biology uses life as a material and therefore are not always considering what we could call the sacred nature of life could be considered as immoral. On the other hand, so would a 16th century peasant building a house out of trees he cuts. This debate concerning synthetic biology and morality is certainly not the most important one, but it leads to a second philosophical perhaps more important- question: how do we define life? According to Edouard Machery, a stable definition of life is impossible and useless. This might be true philosophically speaking, but one cannot deny the fact that synthetic biology will change the way people see life. For decades now, everyone has linked the vague concept of life to DNA and genes. Now however, the limit between life and objects becomes blurred, and we no longer have a scientific theory on which we can build our representation of what life is. Life is no longer in the genes, because the genes have become just another object we use in engineering. It is up to philosophers to redefine/recreate the concept of life or at least to ease the acceptance of the fact that such a thing as life simply might not exist. As Shakespeare said, Life every man holds dear. This might very well mean that by blurring the concept of life, we are stealing life from ourselves as human beings. These issues are due to the very principles of synthetic biology. The E.ncapsulator raises yet another issue: among the possibilities that this product offers, is the delivery of cellulase in the intestine, an enzyme that breaks down cellulose to glucose. In theory, a cellulase capsule would allow people to eat... grass. Although, no precise definition of the human being exists, it does not usually cover grass-eating. One of the issues of synthetic biology is therefore this possibility changing the human being and its very definition. * The E.ncapsulator project is bioethical: it respects core principles such as the principles of autonomy, beneficence, and bio-safety. However it raises a number of philosophical issues. Even though these issues do not interfere with the scientists every day work, the E.ncapsulator team acknowledges them and believes scientists should participate to any future debates concerning the impact of synthetic biology on human conceptions of life or humanity.  HYPERLINK "http://www.hhs.gov/ohrp/humansubjects/guidance/belmont.htm"The Belmont Report  HYPERLINK "ftp://ftp.cordis.europa.eu/pub/nest/docs/syntheticbiology_b5_eur21796_en.pdf"The report of a NEST High-Level Expert Group (European Commission)  Cf. supra, page 21.   HYPERLINK "http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/2122619.stm" BBC News article from June 11th 2002   HYPERLINK "http://www.cbd.int/biosafety/" Bio-safety Protocol homepage  Karl Popper, The Open Society and Its Ennemies (1945)  Hansson M.G, Human Dignity and Animal Well-being : a Kantian Contribution to Biomedical Ethics (1991)   HYPERLINK "http://www.bbsrc.ac.uk/organisation/policies/reviews/scientific_areas/0806_synthetic_biology.pdf" Quoted on page 27  William Shakespeare, Troilus and Cressida (1602)     Guillaume Cot Imperial College London iGEM 2009 The E.ncapsulator =] ^ f g  9:;<ABEFW\fghP],-޿迶˶˱袘~qh{0J>*B*\phh#h{6jh#h{6U h{]h#h{6]hh{] h#h{ h{6h{>*CJaJ h ah{ h{>*hh{>*CJaJ hgih{jh{0JUh{h{CJaJhM0CJaJhM0,:;<g ^BCDEFgh $ a$gd{ $ 8a$gd{ $ & Fa$gd{$a$gd{  23  l m u!w!n""""""G$K$:%>%m%%%&&)))))<*=*>*︫}rj_jjh{Ujh{UhOb h{CJaJ h h{h{6B*^Jphh{B*^Jph jh{0JB*U^Jphh.h{B*^Jph h.h{h.h{H*jh{0JU hVh{ h{6h{Dh{CJaJ h!h{h{jh#h{6U$)   23noo"&"(#()(*()R** +q+++_,,--- $ & Fa$gd{ $ 8a$gd{>*P*Q*R*S*T*U******** + + + +I+J+K+o+p+q+r+s+t++++++++++++++,W,^,_,`,a,b,,,,,,,,,ݳݥݞݥݞݓh.h{0Jjh{U hVh{ h{6h#h{0Jj h{Uhh{0Jj"h{Ujh{Uh{jh{0JU hWFh{jh{U h{0J6,-------- -"-#-%-2-h-j-k-l-hOb h{CJaJhM0jhAUhA h h{h{ h{6----!-"-$-%-L-i-j-k-l- $ 8a$gd{  ! gdM0 ,1h. 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