dual-use governance in synthetic biology
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Dual-use Governance in Synthetic Biology. Promises, Hype and Security Brett Edwards, University of Bath. Back ground. PhD thesis Why do some aspects of Synthetic Biology attract dual-use concern and not others? Case studies: US and UK Qualitative historical/ constructivist approach. - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
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Dual-use Governance in Synthetic Biology
Promises, Hype and SecurityBrett Edwards, University of Bath
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Back ground
• PhD thesis– Why do some aspects of Synthetic Biology attract
dual-use concern and not others?• Case studies: US and UK• Qualitative historical/ constructivist approach.
» Security Studies, Risk, STS
– National level focus
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Overview
1) Studying ‘what isn’t there’2) Synthetic Biology A Case in Point3) Findings
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Studying what isn’t there(1)
- Ethical ‘Gold Standard’?- Existing risk assessment
frameworks?- Contrast stated objectives
with actual achievements in key institutions?
- Contrast experiences ‘on the ground’ with policy/academic literature.
Which approach to adopt for the purposes of the research?
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Studying what isn’t there(2)
• Key aim is to examine political processes which have underpinned the emergence of policy outcomes. – Agency– Institutions/ structures– Ideas
• Want to examine changes in ‘the feasible ’ with regard policy as well as implementation.
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Focus of analysis
Subject and Scope
Politics and Practice
National Approach
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Studying what isn’t there(3)
Key Concepts• Four Domains of Governance
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Studying what isn’t there(3)
Key Concepts (2)
Primary and Secondary Securitization- New channels/ forums- Implementation politics
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Fair Explanation?
Underlying causal mechanisms
Unearthing norms: S&T and risk Provision of a theoretical
lens
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Synthetic Biology A Case in Point
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What is Synthetic Biology (1)?
• Defined initially by funding councils– Fed into ethical framings in Both the US and UK• EU Ethics reports and SynBerc.
• Promissory• Interdisciplinary• Controllable Biology/ Controllable Risks• Applications of Engineering Principles?
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What is Synthetic Biology (2)?
• Six subfields (Lam et al 2009)– DNA circuits
• standard biological parts– Synthetic metabolic pathways
• biological synthesis of chemicals– Proto-cell creation
• model of a cell– Unnatural components
• New proteins, with functions– Synthetic Microbial Consortia
• Cells, working together
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Dual-use concerns about synthetic Biology (1)
• Spread of concern– DNA Synthesis Academic Field Amateur
Community• Key areas of concern. – Scenarios/ and pre-existing concerns with
oversight.
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Dual-use concerns about synthetic Biology (1)
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Key findings
• Roles and successes and failings of specific institutions– NSABB/ ELSI dead zone
• Rhetoric belies little governmental interest• Simularity of US and UK
– ELSI is king• Role of concerns about ‘Top- down’ Securitization• Externalisation of dual-use concerns about biodefense• Patch-work of responses.
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Further questions
• Risk and dual-use• Generalizability– Other fields/ other countries
• Future relevance of ELSI in Synbio?• Militarization
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Thank you!