New project: SynGovernance [03.02.2013]

Through its Initiative for Synthetic Biology, the Helmholtz Association - Germany's largest scientific organization - is now providing funding for this emerging field of research. The initiative can be seen as the first major national effort to promote synthetic biology research in Germany. ITAS is responsible for the entire accompanying research of the initiative, including technology assessment, ethical, and policy aspects. Five Helmholtz Centers and two universities have joined in for this initiative.

Generally speaking, synthetic biology aims to design organisms that have novel functions for specific applications. It combines biological approaches and methods with engineering techniques (for example standardization of "biological parts", computer-aided design and modelling) and integrates various disciplines such as molecular and systems biology, chemistry, physics, and computer science. The initiative will carry out projects in the areas of cancer research, virology, biosensor technology, enzymology, polymer chemistry, and mathematics in order to develop molecular modules ("biobricks") and pathways / circuits with novel biological functions; these will be used in applications in the fields of key technologies and health.

SynGovernance focuses on ethical, legal, and societal aspects raised by the initiative. These include issues of potential hazards to human health and the environment (biosafety), issues of misuse (biosecurity), as well as socioeconomic risks, and public communication. Moreover, it investigates policies of research funding and research strategies.

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Project description SynGovernance