Synthetic Biology: challenges and opportunities for the UK

Wednesday 14 November 2012, 17:30 - 21:00
Chemistry Centre, Burlington House, London

This panel discussion and debate explored the science and ethics of synthetic biology and what it could mean for the UK. For better or worse, synthetic biology is featuring more and more often in the media as scientists make new advances that attract headlines. News stories highlight some of the many ways in which synthetic biology could improve people's lives - from bio-energy and chemicals all the way through to drug delivery and regenerative medicine. But increased attention also raises important issues around ethics, regulation and public acceptance.
 

The event was hosted by the Royal Society of Chemistry. It was also organised in collaboration with BioCentre.

Watch the debate:

You can now watch the debate back at The Reaction. As well as an audience in London, the panel took questions from an audience at the University of Bristol via this live video link.

Reaction:

Darren Smyth has written up his thoughts at The IP Alchemist

We published a brief note at the Science Policy Talking Post

RSC staff Storified the tweets sent by audience members and outside observers

If you have written anything up about the event, please get in contact via email or Twitter
 

Chair:

Ehsan is a science writer, journalist and broadcaster. Since 2009 he has been Editor of Research Fortnight and also teaches a course in international science policy at Imperial College London. As well as writing for Prospect magazine, The Times, Guardian and Le Monde, he writes and presents programmes for BBC Radio.

Lionel chairs a group of independent experts who have set out A Synthetic Biology Roadmap for the UK. Its recommendations include investing in multidisciplinary centres, an annual forum, and funding competitions to support the development of novel applications. It emphasises responsible research to support the UK taking an internationally leading role. Dr Clarke joined Shell in 1981 and has been responsible for planning and delivering strategic research programmes there for more than ten years.

Professor Edwards is the Chief Scientist for FERA and a Chair in Crop Protection in the Centre for Novel Agricultural Products (University of York). His research focuses on countering herbicide resistance in weeds, wheat biotechnology and biorefining. His group have discovered two new classes of plant glutathione transferases and identified their roles in soy, wheat and maize herbicide metabolism.

Alexandra Daisy Ginsberg is a designer, artist and writer, interrogating science, technology and new roles for design in a biotech future. As Design Fellow on Synthetic Aesthetics, an NSF/EPSRC-funded project at Stanford University and the University of Edinburgh, she is curating an international programme researching synthetic biology, art and design, investigating how we might ‘design nature’.

Helena is a co-director of EcoNexus, an organisation analysing developments in science and technology and their impacts on environment and society. She is also involved in the international negotiations of the UN Conventions on Biological Diversity and Climate Change. Dr Paul is currently monitoring UK research on synthetic biology, including consultation with the public and the conduct of scientists in connection with scientific uncertainty.

Dek has been a Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry at the University of Bristol since 2005. His research group’s focus is the prediction and design of protein folds and their application in bionanotechnology and synthetic biology. In 2011 Professor Woolfson won the RSC Protein and Peptide Science group’s Medimmune Protein and Peptide Science award, which is awarded in recognition of excellence in any area of protein and peptide science.