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This exciting field is evolving so rapidly that no widely accepted definitions yet exist. Common to many explanations is the idea of synthetic biology as the application of engineering principles to the fundamental components of biology. But what does that mean, exactly?
Below you will find a variety of resources designed to both help provide context and promote general understanding of where things are…and where they might be going.
Looking for a place to begin? Why not start here:
• Defining Synthetic Biology
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Synbio 101
What is Synthetic Biology?
This exciting field is evolving so rapidly that no widely accepted definitions exist. Common to many explanations is the idea of synthetic biology as the application of engineering principles to the fundamental components of biology.
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Synbio 101 • 11/07/08
Bibliography of Synthetic Biology
This section is intended as a research tool and provides selected references on various aspects of synthetic biology including: governance, public perceptions and an introduction to scientific concepts.
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Synbio 101
Synthetic Biology Resources Online
External online resources.
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Synbio 101
Selected Synthetic Biology Readings
A short list of publications related to synthetic biology both free and online.
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Project News • 07/20/09
Synthetic Biology on the Radio
Synthetic Biology Project director discusses opportunities and challenges of synthetic biology on The Kojo Nnamdi Show (NPR).
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Project News • 06/04/10
Rogue Scientists and an Experiment Gone Wrong
SPLICE is a theatrical depiction of rebellious scientists manipulating DNA. Share your thoughts about the movie.
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Publication • 11/01/08
Trends in American & European Press Coverage of Synthetic Biology
Tracking the last five years of media coverage
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Past Event • 02/20/09
Upcoming Synbio Events around the World
A periodically updated list of synthetic biology events and conferences
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Project News • 07/21/09
Synthetic Biology Project Director speaks at NAS
David Rejeski discusses “Public Perceptions On The Technological Frontier” at the National Academies.
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Past Event • 09/29/09
Nanotechnology, Synthetic Biology, and Biofuels
For the fourth year in a row, Hart Research and the Project on Emerging Nanotechnologies conducted a representative national telephone survey on public awareness of nanotechnology, and for the second year in a row the public was also asked about synthetic biology.
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Publication • 06/24/09
Ethical Issues in Synthetic Biology
A new report presents a framework for addressing the social and ethical issues surrounding the emerging field of synthetic biology.
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Project News • 09/07/10
Select Agents should be defined by DNA sequence in today’s era of synthetic biology
A new report from the National Research Council says that Select Agents should be defined by DNA sequence in today’s Era of synthetic biology.
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Publication • 03/25/09
New Life, Old Bottles
Examines the benefits and drawbacks of using the existing U.S. regulatory framework for biotechnology to cover the new products and processes enabled by synthetic biology.
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Project News • 07/06/10
Project Director Rejeski Testifies before Bioethics Commission
The Presidential Commission for the Study of Bioethical Issues held its first meeting on July 8-9. David Rejeski testified on the ethical issues of synthetic biology.
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Past Event • 06/24/09
Ethical Issues in Synthetic Biology
A new report from the Hastings Center and Synthetic Biology Project calls for a comprehensive approach to addressing ethical and social issues of emerging technologies as a whole so that scarce intellectual resources can be used optimally.
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Project News • 11/07/08
Synthetic Biology on the Nanofrontier?
Mechanical engineers use off the shelf tools and components to create their products, and in Jay Keasling’s vision, genetic engineers will one day soon have similar resources at their disposal.
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Project News • 12/17/08
Importance of Synthetic Biology in the 21st Century
The Synthetic Biology Project is being launched to identify gaps in our knowledge of the potential risks of the field, explore public perceptions towards it, and examine governance options that will both ensure public safety and facilitate innovation. Take the quiz! Winners Announced!
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Publication • 11/29/10
Synthetic Biology Newsletter
The Synthetic Biology Newsletter is an initiative of LIS Consult and the Synthetic Biology Project of the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars.
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Past Event • 03/25/09
Popping the Cork on Synthetic Biology
“Laws like the Toxic Substances Control Act and Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act simply were not designed to handle 21st century advances.,” contends Michael Rodemeyer in his new report, New Life, Old Bottles…
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Past Event • 09/09/10
Synthetic Biology: What does the public think?
Researchers at the J.C. Venter Institute announced the creation of a bacterial cell controlled by a synthesized genome, a significant milestone in the emerging field of synthetic biology. But did anyone in the public listen?
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Project News • 06/24/09
Does Synthetic Biology Need Synthesized Ethics?
A comprehensive ethical approach is needed to more readily identify and address ethical challenges and foster a productive public dialogue about social implications, according to a new report.
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Project News • 11/29/10
Inaugural Synthetic Biology Newsletter Release
The Synthetic Biology Newsletter is an initiative of LIS Consult and the Synthetic Biology Project of the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars. The newsletter is financially supported by the Commission on Genetic Modification and the Rathenau Institute, both in the Netherlands.
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Past Event • 01/08/09
Synthetic Biology: Is Ethics a Showstopper?
Synthetic biology promises to enable cheap, lifesaving new drugs to treat the 350-500 million people who suffer from malaria, and to create innovative biofuels that can help solve the world’s energy problems. But are synthetic biologists playing God? Will synthetic biology’s expected products and profits be stymied by policymakers and the public?
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Past Event • 11/14/08
Synthetic Biology: Coming up Fast!
Synthetic biology is being touted by scientists and venture capitalists as “the next big thing.” Researchers claim to be on the brink of creating artificial life in a laboratory and making the world’s first synthetic microbes. But will the promises and pitfalls of synthetic biology catch governments, ethicists, experts, and the public by surprise?
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Project News • 05/27/09
Synthetic Biology on the Rise
A new interactive map shows a growing landscape of synthetic biology activity throughout the United States and Europe.
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Past Event • 06/17/09
Synthetic Biology: Feasibility of the Open Source Movement
Some synthetic biologists are building their own brand of open-source science in an effort to enable synthetic biology’s potential. Will this open source movement succeed? What level of IP protection is needed?
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Past Event • 09/30/08
Nanotechnology? Synthetic Biology? Hey, What’s That?
Nanotechnology and synthetic biology are two of the most exciting fields in science. They are the focus of venture capitalists, government and university laboratories, major corporations, and startup companies. But how much have Americans heard about these two fields that promise to change virtually every aspect of their lives?
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Project News • 02/29/12
How Do You Stop a Synthetic-Biology Disaster?
A new editorial in the journal Nature is calling for $20 million to $30 million in research over the next ten years to study the potential ecological risks of synthetic biology.
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Project News • 03/25/09
Synthetic Biology: The Next Biotech Revolution Is Brewing
The safety of early applications of synthetic biology may be adequately addressed by the existing regulatory framework for biotechnology, but further advances in this emerging field are likely to create significant challenges for U.S. government oversight, according to a new report.
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