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.
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iGEM-UK meeting — 24 June 2009
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Ethical, Legal, Social Aspects of Synthetic Biology — Brainstorming exercise
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What can engineering bring to biology?
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• Further understanding of systems that are not understood
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• Make useful organisms (e.g. electricity) [?]
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• Make standards (+tick)
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• Prediction/verification tools (+tick)
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• Make biology more powerful, maybe uncontrollable
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• Feedback – design & modelling
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• Maths
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• Callout charges. Help desks. Linux.
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• Predictable outcomes
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• Unrealistic expectations (+tick)
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• A creative process
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• Objective overview of the system
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• Optimization
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• The design process
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• Problems/misunderstandings
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• Mindset focusing on solving problems instead of gaining knowledge
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• Solutions ☺
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• Complex designs
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• Innovation
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• Mass production
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• Bioart
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What features of biology could be exploited by synthetic biology ?
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• Adapts
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• Replication
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• Species homology
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• Communication
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• Exploits standard parts within and between species ?
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• Can create a feature in a bug by using/mixing parts from other species
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• Synthetic organisms (e.g. plants) might outcompete wildtype ones
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• Exponential growth
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• System regulation
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• Self-preservation instinct
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• Mini-elephants & purple kittens
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• Molecular recognition
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• Self-assembly
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• Parallel processing
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• Evolution
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• Precise (molecular) control systems
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• Dinosaurs
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• Targeted solutions (e.g. to solve growing antibiotic resistance)
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• Stochasticity
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• Natural instinct to live
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• Neuroscience principles (e.g. neural networks)
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• Harnessing biological reactions that chemistry cannot yet accomplish
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What kinds of applications could you imagine for synthetic biology in 50 years’ time?
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• Medical:
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o Vaccines
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o Transplantation /stem cells / making organs
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o Pushing human physical/mental abilities to new levels
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o Release of drugs by bacteria / enzymes by failed organs?
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o Destruction of malignant cells
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• No more ageing of humans. Eternal life?
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• A cure for flatulence
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• Personal activatable fluorescence
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• Biocomputing [linked to]
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• [linked with] living systems
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• Oxygen producing bugs
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• Outer space colonization [linked to]
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• [linked with] air recyclers + waste recyclers
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• Terraforming [with comment ‘Yes! ☺’]
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• Biofuels + biofuel cells
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• Biocomputers
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• Bio-diagnosers
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• Pets with logos
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• Superbugs!
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• Improved desalinisation
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• Houses grown from seeds
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• Artificial immune system
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• ‘super’ humans with more abilities?
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• Art
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• Food production
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• Anti-ageing. Anti-wrinkle. No more botox
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• Sleep button on kids
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• Remote control wake-up button for students
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• Military applications? (with funny face :|)
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• Dinosaurs!
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• Synthetic biology diseases [?]
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What broader social challenges or questions face the synthetic biology community?
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• Public understanding of biology [annotated to include ‘misconceptions’] [with arrow drawn to]
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• [with arrow from] Commercial awareness of synthetic biology applications
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• Religion (sanctity of life)
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• Copyright (intellectual property)
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• Safety (products and methods)
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• Unethical use of technology (like any other technology)
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• Changing habits
 +
• Eventual creation of a sentient being?
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• Press!
 +
• Funding
 +
• Politics
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• X-Men Homo betterthanus
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• 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 (crazy face!!!!!)
 +
• Bioterrorism Act/legislation
 +
• Synthetic biology affecting medicine
 +
• Coordination between countries
 +
• Establishment of trust in biological products
 +
o Biological certificates
 +
o Proper education programs ☺
 +
• Selection of model organisms
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• Eventual use in humans ☺
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• What are the limits? Are there any limits?
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• Synthetic biology black market
 +
• Differing laws between countries
 +
• Absence of applicable laws in some (eg. 3rd world/nations.)
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• Legal status of synthetic organisms
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• Government legislation – misconceptions of synthetic biology and how we would use it
 +
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What ethical questions are raised by synthetic biology?
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• Is synthetic life still life?
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• What is life?
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• Do synthetic organisms have rights?
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• Should you patent synthetic life?
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• Is it ok to make a synthetic species extinct?
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• How synthetic is synthetic?
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• Who is responsible?
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• Who has the right to benefit from the advantages of synthetic organisms?
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• Are we prepared to take responsibility?
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• Should synthetic organisms be introduced into human physiological systems?
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• What organisms are we allowed to synthesize?
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• Are we ready to be replaced by synthetical forms of lives? (synthetical humans)
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• Are they actually alive?
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• Are you ready to treat them the same way as ‘naturals’?
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• Who can and cannot work in synthetic biology?
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• Can you stop them once created? No switch!
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• Are we trying to play ‘God’?
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• Is it right to have lab strains?
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• Is it ok to create synthetic weapons?
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Please write down one word to describe how you feel about synthetic biology (please do this individually; duplications allowed)
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• Complicated
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• Zeitgeist
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• Object oriented Gen. Eng.
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• The science of 21st century
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• Awesome
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• Promise
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• Fun and creativity
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• Worthy
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Revision as of 03:30, 22 October 2009


Ethics

Ethics is an important issue to think about, especially when we are considering working with toxic materials and modifying a life form.

iGEM-UK meeting — 24 June 2009


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: o Vaccines o Transplantation /stem cells / making organs o Pushing human physical/mental abilities to new levels o Release of drugs by bacteria / enzymes by failed organs? o 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 (crazy face!!!!!) • Bioterrorism Act/legislation • Synthetic biology affecting medicine • Coordination between countries • Establishment of trust in biological products o Biological certificates o 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 (please do this individually; duplications allowed) • Complicated • Zeitgeist • Object oriented Gen. Eng. • The science of 21st century • Awesome • Promise • Fun and creativity • Worthy





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