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Team:Newcastle/Ethics
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= Ethics = | = Ethics = | ||
| - | Ethics is an important issue to think about, especially when we are considering working with toxic materials and modifying a life form. | + | Ethics is an important issue to think about, especially when we are considering working with toxic materials and modifying a life form. The iGEM2009 Newcastle team participated at an ethics brainstorming exercise at the iGEM-UK meeting at Edinburgh on the 24th of June 2009. Here are the main points that came out of this exercise: |
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| - | iGEM-UK meeting | + | |
| + | =Ethical, Legal, Social Aspects of Synthetic Biology — Brainstorming exercise= | ||
| - | + | ==What can engineering bring to biology?== | |
| + | * Further understanding of systems that are not understood | ||
| + | * Make useful organisms (e.g. electricity) [?] | ||
| + | * Make standards (+tick) | ||
| + | * Prediction/verification tools (+tick) | ||
| + | * Make biology more powerful, maybe uncontrollable | ||
| + | * Feedback – design & modelling | ||
| + | * Maths | ||
| + | * Callout charges. Help desks. Linux. | ||
| + | * Predictable outcomes | ||
| + | * Unrealistic expectations (+tick) | ||
| + | * A creative process | ||
| + | * Objective overview of the system | ||
| + | * Optimization | ||
| + | * The design process | ||
| + | * Problems/misunderstandings | ||
| + | * Mindset focusing on solving problems instead of gaining knowledge | ||
| + | * Solutions ☺ | ||
| + | * Complex designs | ||
| + | * Innovation | ||
| + | * Mass production | ||
| + | * Bioart | ||
| - | What | + | ==What features of biology could be exploited by synthetic biology ?== |
| - | + | * Adapts | |
| - | + | * Replication | |
| - | + | * Species homology | |
| - | + | * Communication | |
| - | + | * Exploits standard parts within and between species ? | |
| - | + | * Can create a feature in a bug by using/mixing parts from other species | |
| - | + | * Synthetic organisms (e.g. plants) might outcompete wildtype ones | |
| - | + | * Exponential growth | |
| - | + | * System regulation | |
| - | + | * Self-preservation instinct | |
| - | + | * Mini-elephants & purple kittens | |
| - | + | * Molecular recognition | |
| - | + | * Self-assembly | |
| - | + | * Parallel processing | |
| - | + | * Evolution | |
| - | + | * Precise (molecular) control systems | |
| - | + | * Dinosaurs | |
| - | + | * Targeted solutions (e.g. to solve growing antibiotic resistance) | |
| - | + | * Stochasticity | |
| - | + | * Natural instinct to live | |
| - | + | * Neuroscience principles (e.g. neural networks) | |
| + | * Harnessing biological reactions that chemistry cannot yet accomplish | ||
| - | What | + | ==What kinds of applications could you imagine for synthetic biology in 50 years’ time?== |
| - | + | * Medical: | |
| - | + | * Vaccines | |
| - | + | * Transplantation /stem cells / making organs | |
| - | + | * Pushing human physical/mental abilities to new levels | |
| - | + | * Release of drugs by bacteria / enzymes by failed organs? | |
| - | + | * Destruction of malignant cells | |
| - | + | * No more ageing of humans. Eternal life? | |
| - | + | * A cure for flatulence | |
| - | + | * Personal activatable fluorescence | |
| - | + | * Biocomputing [linked to] | |
| - | + | * [linked with] living systems | |
| - | + | * Oxygen producing bugs | |
| - | + | * Outer space colonization [linked to] | |
| - | + | * [linked with] air recyclers + waste recyclers | |
| - | + | * Terraforming [with comment ‘Yes! ☺’] | |
| - | + | * Biofuels + biofuel cells | |
| - | + | * Biocomputers | |
| - | + | * Bio-diagnosers | |
| - | + | * Pets with logos | |
| - | + | * Superbugs! | |
| - | + | * Improved desalinisation | |
| - | + | * Houses grown from seeds | |
| + | * Artificial immune system | ||
| + | * ‘super’ humans with more abilities? | ||
| + | * Art | ||
| + | * Food production | ||
| + | * Anti-ageing. Anti-wrinkle. No more botox | ||
| + | * Sleep button on kids | ||
| + | * Remote control wake-up button for students | ||
| + | * Military applications? (with funny face :|) | ||
| + | * Dinosaurs! | ||
| + | * Synthetic biology diseases [?] | ||
| - | What | + | ==What broader social challenges or questions face the synthetic biology community?== |
| - | + | * Public understanding of biology [annotated to include ‘misconceptions’] [with arrow drawn to] | |
| - | + | * [with arrow from] Commercial awareness of synthetic biology applications | |
| - | + | * Religion (sanctity of life) | |
| - | + | * Copyright (intellectual property) | |
| - | + | * Safety (products and methods) | |
| - | + | * Unethical use of technology (like any other technology) | |
| - | + | * Changing habits | |
| - | + | * Eventual creation of a sentient being? | |
| - | + | * Press! | |
| - | + | * Funding | |
| - | + | * Politics | |
| - | + | * X-Men Homo betterthanus | |
| - | + | * Acceptable range of colours for kittens/dinosaurs | |
| - | + | * Acceptability of creating new life forms which must be destroyed at the end of the experiment | |
| - | + | * Alteration of ecosystems | |
| - | + | * Non-compatible biologies (e.g. not DNA-based) | |
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| - | What | + | ==What legal and regulatory issues face synthetic biology?== |
| - | + | * Patents. Ensuring that BioBrick parts are free to the public | |
| - | + | * Creative commons law | |
| - | + | * Health & safety | |
| - | + | * DIY biology. Genetic transformations at home | |
| - | + | * Bioterrorism Act/legislation | |
| - | + | * Synthetic biology affecting medicine | |
| - | + | * Coordination between countries | |
| - | + | * Establishment of trust in biological products | |
| - | + | * Biological certificates | |
| - | + | * Proper education programs | |
| - | + | * Selection of model organisms | |
| - | + | * Eventual use in humans | |
| - | + | * What are the limits? Are there any limits? | |
| - | + | * Synthetic biology black market | |
| - | + | * Differing laws between countries | |
| - | + | * Absence of applicable laws in some (eg. 3rd world/nations.) | |
| + | * Legal status of synthetic organisms | ||
| + | * Government legislation – misconceptions of synthetic biology and how we would use it | ||
| - | What | + | ==What ethical questions are raised by synthetic biology?== |
| - | + | * Is synthetic life still life? | |
| - | + | * What is life? | |
| - | + | * Do synthetic organisms have rights? | |
| - | + | * Should you patent synthetic life? | |
| - | + | * Is it ok to make a synthetic species extinct? | |
| - | + | * How synthetic is synthetic? | |
| - | + | * Who is responsible? | |
| - | + | * Who has the right to benefit from the advantages of synthetic organisms? | |
| - | + | * Are we prepared to take responsibility? | |
| - | + | * Should synthetic organisms be introduced into human physiological systems? | |
| - | + | * What organisms are we allowed to synthesize? | |
| - | + | * Are we ready to be replaced by synthetical forms of lives? (synthetical humans) | |
| - | + | * Are they actually alive? | |
| - | + | * Are you ready to treat them the same way as ‘naturals’? | |
| - | + | * Who can and cannot work in synthetic biology? | |
| - | + | * Can you stop them once created? No switch! | |
| - | + | * Are we trying to play ‘God’? | |
| - | + | * Is it right to have lab strains? | |
| + | * Is it ok to create synthetic weapons? | ||
| - | + | ==Please write down one word to describe how you feel about synthetic biology== | |
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| - | + | * Complicated | |
| - | + | * Zeitgeist | |
| - | + | * Object oriented Gen. Eng. | |
| - | + | * The science of 21st century | |
| - | + | * Awesome | |
| - | + | * Promise | |
| - | + | * Fun and creativity | |
| - | + | * Worthy | |
| - | + | ||
{{:Team:Newcastle/Footer}} | {{:Team:Newcastle/Footer}} | ||
{{:Team:Newcastle/Right}} | {{:Team:Newcastle/Right}} | ||
Latest revision as of 03:42, 22 October 2009
Project
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Ethics
Ethics is an important issue to think about, especially when we are considering working with toxic materials and modifying a life form. The iGEM2009 Newcastle team participated at an ethics brainstorming exercise at the iGEM-UK meeting at Edinburgh on the 24th of June 2009. Here are the main points that came out of this exercise:
Ethical, Legal, Social Aspects of Synthetic Biology — Brainstorming exercise
What can engineering bring to biology?
- Further understanding of systems that are not understood
- Make useful organisms (e.g. electricity) [?]
- Make standards (+tick)
- Prediction/verification tools (+tick)
- Make biology more powerful, maybe uncontrollable
- Feedback – design & modelling
- Maths
- Callout charges. Help desks. Linux.
- Predictable outcomes
- Unrealistic expectations (+tick)
- A creative process
- Objective overview of the system
- Optimization
- The design process
- Problems/misunderstandings
- Mindset focusing on solving problems instead of gaining knowledge
- Solutions ☺
- Complex designs
- Innovation
- Mass production
- Bioart
What features of biology could be exploited by synthetic biology ?
- Adapts
- Replication
- Species homology
- Communication
- Exploits standard parts within and between species ?
- Can create a feature in a bug by using/mixing parts from other species
- Synthetic organisms (e.g. plants) might outcompete wildtype ones
- Exponential growth
- System regulation
- Self-preservation instinct
- Mini-elephants & purple kittens
- Molecular recognition
- Self-assembly
- Parallel processing
- Evolution
- Precise (molecular) control systems
- Dinosaurs
- Targeted solutions (e.g. to solve growing antibiotic resistance)
- Stochasticity
- Natural instinct to live
- Neuroscience principles (e.g. neural networks)
- Harnessing biological reactions that chemistry cannot yet accomplish
What kinds of applications could you imagine for synthetic biology in 50 years’ time?
- Medical:
- Vaccines
- Transplantation /stem cells / making organs
- Pushing human physical/mental abilities to new levels
- Release of drugs by bacteria / enzymes by failed organs?
- Destruction of malignant cells
- No more ageing of humans. Eternal life?
- A cure for flatulence
- Personal activatable fluorescence
- Biocomputing [linked to]
- [linked with] living systems
- Oxygen producing bugs
- Outer space colonization [linked to]
- [linked with] air recyclers + waste recyclers
- Terraforming [with comment ‘Yes! ☺’]
- Biofuels + biofuel cells
- Biocomputers
- Bio-diagnosers
- Pets with logos
- Superbugs!
- Improved desalinisation
- Houses grown from seeds
- Artificial immune system
- ‘super’ humans with more abilities?
- Art
- Food production
- Anti-ageing. Anti-wrinkle. No more botox
- Sleep button on kids
- Remote control wake-up button for students
- Military applications? (with funny face :|)
- Dinosaurs!
- Synthetic biology diseases [?]
What broader social challenges or questions face the synthetic biology community?
- Public understanding of biology [annotated to include ‘misconceptions’] [with arrow drawn to]
- [with arrow from] Commercial awareness of synthetic biology applications
- Religion (sanctity of life)
- Copyright (intellectual property)
- Safety (products and methods)
- Unethical use of technology (like any other technology)
- Changing habits
- Eventual creation of a sentient being?
- Press!
- Funding
- Politics
- X-Men Homo betterthanus
- Acceptable range of colours for kittens/dinosaurs
- Acceptability of creating new life forms which must be destroyed at the end of the experiment
- Alteration of ecosystems
- Non-compatible biologies (e.g. not DNA-based)
What legal and regulatory issues face synthetic biology?
- Patents. Ensuring that BioBrick parts are free to the public
- Creative commons law
- Health & safety
- DIY biology. Genetic transformations at home
- Bioterrorism Act/legislation
- Synthetic biology affecting medicine
- Coordination between countries
- Establishment of trust in biological products
- Biological certificates
- Proper education programs
- Selection of model organisms
- Eventual use in humans
- What are the limits? Are there any limits?
- Synthetic biology black market
- Differing laws between countries
- Absence of applicable laws in some (eg. 3rd world/nations.)
- Legal status of synthetic organisms
- Government legislation – misconceptions of synthetic biology and how we would use it
What ethical questions are raised by synthetic biology?
- Is synthetic life still life?
- What is life?
- Do synthetic organisms have rights?
- Should you patent synthetic life?
- Is it ok to make a synthetic species extinct?
- How synthetic is synthetic?
- Who is responsible?
- Who has the right to benefit from the advantages of synthetic organisms?
- Are we prepared to take responsibility?
- Should synthetic organisms be introduced into human physiological systems?
- What organisms are we allowed to synthesize?
- Are we ready to be replaced by synthetical forms of lives? (synthetical humans)
- Are they actually alive?
- Are you ready to treat them the same way as ‘naturals’?
- Who can and cannot work in synthetic biology?
- Can you stop them once created? No switch!
- Are we trying to play ‘God’?
- Is it right to have lab strains?
- Is it ok to create synthetic weapons?
Please write down one word to describe how you feel about synthetic biology
- Complicated
- Zeitgeist
- Object oriented Gen. Eng.
- The science of 21st century
- Awesome
- Promise
- Fun and creativity
- Worthy
News
Events
- 20 – 21 June 2009 - Europe workshop (London)
- 23 – 24 June 2009 - UK iGEM meetup (Edinburgh)
- 23 October Practice Presentation (Newcastle)
- 23 October T-shirts are ready
- 27 October Practice Presentation (Sunderland)
- 27 October Poster is ready
- 30 October – 2 November 2009 - Jamboree (Boston)
Social Net
- Newcastle iGEM Twitter
- [http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/group.php?gid=131709337641 Newcastle on Facebook]
- [http://www.youtube.com/user/newcastle2009igem Newcastle Youtube Channel]
