Synthetic biology refers to the design and construction of new biological systems not found in nature. Advances in this area offer great promise in areas such as healthcare, manufacturing and energy production. However, there is also the prospect of potentially catastrophic results if this technology is misused, whether maliciously or inadvertently.
Emerging biosecurity threats (2019)
Concerns are intensifying about the need for robust governance arrangements, to maximise the benefits and minimize the risks from synthetic biology research. With this in mind, in July 2019, we collaborated with the US Army Engineer Research & Development Center to bring together scientists, national and international regulators, security agencies and private actors to consider the security implications of synthetic biology. Under the auspices of NATO’s Science for Peace and Security Programme, the workshop sought to clarify the causes and potential consequences of biosecurity risks, and to explore potential response strategies.
- Book: Emerging Threats of Synthetic Biology and Biotechnology
- Security for emerging synthetic biology and biotechnology threats, 2019, Workshop proceedings
- EPFL News: “Evaluating the risks posed by synthetic biology”