Our new paper is out! Abstract Advances in biological engineering are likely to have substantial impacts on global society. To explore these potential impacts we ran a horizon scanning exercise to capture a range of perspectives on the opportunities and risks presented by biological engineering. We first identified 70 potential issues, and then used an …
https://www.technologyreview.com/s/601235/chinese-researchers-experiment-with-making-hiv-proof-embryos/ His team collected more than 200 one-cell embryos and attempted to alter their DNA to install a gene that protects against HIV infection. The study, published two days ago in an obscure reproductive journal, was first spotted by reporters at Nature. The scientists cautioned that they believe making actual genetically modified babies should be “strictly prohibited”—but perhaps only …
Research in genome editing conducted by countries with different regulatory or ethical standards than those of Western countries probably increases the risk of the creation of potentially harmful biological agents or products. Given the broad distribution, low cost, and accelerated pace of development of this dual-use technology, its deliberate or unintentional misuse might lead to …
http://www.nature.com/news/drugs-regulate-home-brew-opiates-1.17563
Biology as a manufacturing technology could well be the key to a more resilient, sustainable development agenda […]Whilst preventing the malign use of such a capacity will be one factor, there are a host of other issues that will need to be address in our national oversight frameworks, including the impact on: energy security; resource …
West-Nile virus and more… http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/01/13/deadly-viruses-beautiful-photos_n_4545309.html
[google-translator] « La démonstration que des virus enfouis dans le sol il y a plus de trente mille ans puissent survivre et être encore infectieux suggère que la fonte du permafrost due au réchauffement climatique et l’exploitation minière et industrielle des régions arctiques pourraient comporter des risques pour la santé publique », souligne Jean-Michel Claverie …
DIY Bioterrorism Part I: The Age for Synthetic Biology and the Threat to Global Security January 27, 2014 By Adam Bernier and Patrick Rose DIY Bioterrorism Part I: The Age for Synthetic Biology and the Threat to Global Security Notes: Many countries have been promoting an economic plan that includes the biotechnology industry as a …
Really good resource on the History of Bioterrorism http://www.dshs.state.tx.us/preparedness/bt_public_history.shtm Extremely complete on 1900 to 2000: W. S. Carus, Bioterrorism and Biocrimes The Illicit Use of Biological Agents Since 1900, vol. 1998, no. February. 2001.