iGEM Calgary Ethics Project: Why? Synthetic Biology is quickly - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Team in the iGEM 2008

iGEM Calgary Ethics Project: Why?  Synthetic Biology is quickly advancing  Local and global implications  The public are the intended beneficiaries  The iGEMers/synbio practitioners, have to engage the public and groups who see themselves as impacted by synbio’s vision and products in a proactive way and take concerns seriously  If not then…

http:// www.greenpeace.org/international/photosvideos/photos/greenpeace-activists-today-occ

“ An upstream engagement which incorporates diverse social values into the research and development and governance of science and technology, citizen juries and participatory governance are just some mechanisms envisioned to make the nano- engagement useful for the public at large and others ”. (DEMOS)

The Project: Output  Survey for non-high school participants  Survey for high school students  Collaboration with the Guelph iGEM Team: E3LS of Vitamin A Delivery System  Collaboration with the Calgary Wetware team  Collaboration with Laura Dress a University of Maryland student: poster on a synbio regulatory framework, which won “best social issues in synthetic biology” at synbio 4.0  13 week online undergraduate and graduate course

Perception and Vision of Synthetic Biology: A Global issue The survey was filled by 254 individuals, living in 19 countries http://www.greenpeace.org/international/photosvideos/photos/bolivian-villager-digs-up-pota

88% of the general sample wanted more information “The general public need to be educated, informed and participate in the decision making process of the adoption of synthetic biology.” (survey comment ) http://www.gmcontaminationregister.org/img/head.jpg

Concern Comparison General iGEM General 50.30% 26.70% Social more 57.10% 33.30% Legal concerned 66% 26.70% Ethical iGEM more 30.40% 60% Economic concerned 52% 53.30% Environmental Technological feasibility 28.40% 40% Concern 62.80% 40% Health was Security (biosafety/ relatively 56.20% 33.30% biosecurity) the same 37.10% 53.30% Open source 41.10% 6.70% Political 43.20% 14.30% Cultural http://tuberose.com/Graphics/Genetic%20Engineering.GIF 56.80% 26.70% Regulation

Key Concern Comparison General iGEM Political 41.10% 6.70% Cultural 43.20% 14.30% Regulation 56.80% 26.70%

Should synbio be regulated? iGEM General: sample Yes (%) University 86.1 Government 95.7 NGO 92.9 Industry 100 High School 86.8

High School Survey: Main Research Questions

The sample  Shad Valley  HYRS-Heritage youth researcher summer program  Programs for students interested in science

Do you believe a high school curriculum should include a unit on synthetic biology?

Therapeutic Benefits “It is a big step towards a better world” “It may be a cost-effective solution to many problems” Agriculture, health, the environment

Potential Products from Synbio  Nutrient-fortified food sources  Cures for illness or disease  Vaccines, medications  Organs  Bionic body parts  Artificial blood, tissue  Alternative fuels  Artificial insulin  Oil eating bacteria

Specific to Higher Income Countries  Cancer  Obesity  Depression  Allergies http://flickr.com/photos/flipmovie/2978557256/

Specific to Lower Income Countries  Increase, improve food supplies  Clean water supplies  Biosensors  Treatment for:  Malaria  HIV/AIDS http://www.greenpeace.org/international/photosvideos/ photos/bolivians-with-their-home-grow http://www.greenpeace.org/international/photosvideos/ photos/a-bangladeshi-farmer-using-org http://flickr.com/photos/islamicaid/2346679525/

 International organizations  International agreements  Provide incentives to manufacturers (ex. Tax breaks)  Do not allow patents  Make sure they are affordable http://www.american.com/archive/2007/october-10-07/ Rice_IRRI_1.jpg

PERCEPTION OF HUMAN ENHANCEMENT SYNTHETIC BIOLOGY: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/e/ee/X-Ray_Spex_-_Germ_Free_Adolescents_album_cover.jpg

“There is enough pressure on people, particularly teens, to be perfect and maybe resort to desperate measures to be more like some artificial idol. I’m worried people could be led to believe that [they] aren’t good enough the way they are born and always need to be ‘improved’.” - (high school survey quote)

Conclusions  iGEM is a grass roots movement in synthetic biology  Discourse should be built from the ground up  Address the implications of the synbio field and to communicate with the people around us  Understand the concerns put forward by others in order for the field to flourish

After iGEM  Analyze OCA survey responses (n=692)  Focused surveys covering different topics tailored to different demographics  Write up for publications: surveys, Guelph work, iGEM experience  Further work with our University of Maryland collaborator

Thank You To: Andrew Hessel for suggesting such a team to our convener Our Convener: Dr. Gregor Wolbring Our Collaborators: Guelph iGEM Team, Laura Dress University of Maryland; Tom Keenan University of Calgary, Marion Hutchins Alberta Heritage Foundation for Medical Research, the Calgary Wetlab and Software team and their conveners Sonja Georgijevic, Dr. Christian Jacob