Synbiosafe

Documents

Here you can find selected publications on different aspects of synthetic biology and its societal and ethical implications.

SYNBIOSAFE publications: Safety, Security and Ethical Aspects of Synthetic Biology 

2013
• Guan Z, Schmidt M, Pei L, Wei W, Ma K. (2013). Biosafety considerations of synthetic biology in the international Genetically Engineered Machine (iGEM) competition. Bioscience. Vol. 63 (1):25-34

2012

• Acevedo-Rocha CG, Fang G, Schmidt M, Ussery DW, Danchin A. 2012. From essential to persistent genes: a functional approach to constructing synthetic life. Trends in Genetics. doi: 10.1016/j.tig.2012.11.001.
• Guan Z, Pei L, Schmidt M, Wei W. 2012. Assessment and management of biosafety in synthetic biology. Biodiversity Science. 20(2):138-150. In Chinese (合成生物学生物安全风险评价与管理)
• Schmidt M, de Lorenzo V. 2012. Synthetic constructs in/for the environment: Managing the interplay between natural and engineered Biology. FEBSLetters. Vol. 586: 2199-2206
• Schmidt M. (ed.) 2012. Synthetic Biology: Industrial and Environmental Applications. Wiley-VCH 

2011

• Pei L, Gaisser S, Schmidt M. 2011. Synthetic Biology in the view of European public funding organisation. Public Understanding of Sciences. Vol.1: 1–14
• Schmidt M, Pei L. 2011. Synthetic Toxicology: Where engineering meets biology and toxicology. Toxicological Sciences. 120(S1), S204–S224
• Schmidt M, Giersch G. 2011 DNA Synthesis and Security. In: DNA Microarrays, Synthesis and Synthetic DNA. Editor: Marissa J. Campbell. Nova Publishers
• Schmidt M. 2011. Synthetic biology: planning for a secure future. American Institute for the Biological Sciences.
• Schmidt M, Dando M, Deplazes A. 2010. Dealing with the outer reaches of synthetic biology. Biosafety, biosecurity, IPR and ethical challenges of chemical synthetic biology. In: Luisi PL (Ed) 2011. Chemical Synthetic Biology. Wiley Publishing

2010

• Schmidt M, Torgersen H, Schneider-Voss S, Gaszo A. 2010. Perception of Complexity, Trust, Knowledge, and Communication Skills in Gene Science: A Survey among Different Stakeholders in Austria. In Lavino JG and Neumann RB (eds). 2010. Psychology of Risk Perception. Nova Science Publishing
• Schmidt M. 2010. Xenobiology: A new form of life as the ultimate biosafety tool BioEssays Vol.32(4): 322-331

2009

• Schmidt M. 2009. Special issue: societal aspects of synthetic biology. Systems and Synthetic Biology. Vol.3(1-4): 1-2
• Schmidt et al. 2009. A priority paper for the societal and ethical aspects of synthetic biology. Systems and Synthetic Biology. Vol.3(1-4): 3-7
• Schmidt M. 2009. Do I understand what I can create? Biosafety issues in synthetic biology. Chapter 6 in: Schmidt M. Kelle A. Ganguli A, de Vriend H. (Eds.) 2009. Synthetic Biology. The Technoscience and its Societal Consequences. Springer Academic Publishing
  
• Schmidt M. Kelle A. Ganguli A, de Vriend H. (Eds.) 2009. Synthetic Biology. The Technoscience and its Societal Consequences. Springer Academic Publishing (published in June 2009)
• Torgersen H, 2009. Synthetic biology in society: learning from past experience? Systems and Synthetic Biology. Vol.3(1-4):9-17
• Kelle A. 2009. Ensuring the security of synthetic biology—towards a 5P governance strategy. Systems and Synthetic Biology. Vol.3(1-4): 85-90
  
• Marliere P, 2009. The farther, the safer: a manifesto for securely navigating synthetic species away from the old living world. Systems and Synthetic Biology. Vol.3(1-4):77-84
• Deplazes A, Huppenbauer M. 2009. Synthetic organisms and living machines: Positioning the products of synthetic biology at the borderline between living and non-living matter. Systems and Synthetic Biology. Vol.3(1-4): 55-63
• Kelle A. 2009. Synthetic biology and biosecurity. From low levels of awareness to a comprehensive strategy. EMBO reports 10, S1, S23–S27
  
• Deplazes A. 2009. Piecing together a puzzle. An exposition of synthetic biology. EMBO reports 10: 428-432. 
• Ganguli-Mitra A, Schmidt M, Torgersen H, Deplazes A & Biller-Andorno N. 2009. Of Newtons and heretics. Nature Biotechnology. Vol 27(4):321 - 322
  

2008

• Schmidt M, Torgersen H, Ganguli-Mitra A, Kelle A, Deplazes A, Biller-Andorno N. 2008. SYNBIOSAFE e-conference: online community discussion on the societal aspects of synthetic biology. Systems and Synthetic Biology. Vol.2(1-2):7-17
• Schmidt M, Biller-Andorno N, Deplazes A, Ganguli-Mitra A, Kelle A, Torgersen H. 2008. Background document for the SYNBIOSAFE e-conference. Organisation for International Dialogue and Conflict Management, Vienna, et al.
• SYNBIOSAFE (2008) Compilation of all SYNBIOSAFE e-conference contributions.
• Schmidt M, 2008. Diffusion of synthetic biology: a challenge to biosafety. Systems and Synthetic Biology. Vol.2(1-2):1-6
• Schmidt M, 2008. Microbesoft? Biomaschinen und ihre Auswirkungen. Transkript. Nr. 7, 14. Jahrgang

2007

• Kelle A. 2007. Synthetic Biology & Biosecurity Awareness In Europe. Bradford Science and Technology Report No.9
  
• Meinhart C, Schmidt M. 2007. Interviews with 15 key synthetic biology experts. 3-5 minutes each.  

2006

• Schmidt M. 2006. Public will fear biological accidents, not just attacks. Nature. Vol 441(7097): 1048
  

Other publications: Societal Aspects of Synthetic Biology

• Calvert J, Martin P. 2009. The role of social scientists in synthetic biology. EMBO reports 10, 3, 201–204
  
• Bedau M, Parke, EC. 2008. The Ethics of Protocells. Moral and Social Implications of Creating Life in the Laboratory. MIT Press
• Pauwels E. 2008 Trends in American and European Press Coverage of Synthetic Biology.Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars
• Boldt J and Müller O. 2008. Newtons of the leaves of grass, Nature Biotechnology 4, 387-389.
• O'Malley M, Powell A, Davies JF, Calvert J. 2008. Knowledge-making distinctions in synthetic biology. BioEssays 30(1): 57
• Bernauer H, et al. 2008. Technical solutions for biosecurity in synthetic biology. IASB Industry Association Synthetic Biology
• Garfinkel M, Endy D, Epstein GL, Friedman RM 2007. Synthetic Genomics - Options for Governance
• Selgelid M. 2007. The tale of two studies: Ethics, Bioterrorism, and the Censorship of Science. Hastings Center Report 37, no. 3:35-43.
• van Est R, de Vriend H, Walhout B 2007. The world of synthetic biology. Rathenau Institute, The Hague Netherlands
• Rai A, and Boyle J. 2007. Synthetic Biology: Caught between Property Rights, the Public Domain, and the Commons. PLoS Biol. 13;5(3):e58
• ETC Group. 2007. Extreme Genetic Engineering: ETC Group Releases Report on Synthetic Biology
• Tucker JB and Zilinska,s RA. 2006. The Promise and Perils of Synthetic Biology. The new Atlantis. Spring 2006, p.25-45
• Check E. 2006. Synthetic biologists try to calm fears. Nature. Vol. 441, Vol. 7092, p. 388-389
• Bhutkar A. 2005. Synthetic Biology: Navigating the Challenges Ahead. J. BIOLAW & BUS., Vol. 8, No. 2, p.19-29
• Tumpej TM et al. 2005. Characterization of the Reconstructed 1918 Spanish Influenza Pandemic Virus. Science Vol. 310(5745):77-80
• Sharp P.A. 2005. 1918 Flu and Responsible Science. Science. Vol. 310(5745):17
• Church G. 2005. Let us go forth and safely multiply. Nature. Vol. 438:423

Find more scientific articles on PubMed and CiteULike

Background documents on societal issues of synthetic biology

• Balmer A, Martin P. 2008. Synthetic Biology. Social and Ethical Challenges. Institute for Science and Society. University of Nottingham
• IRGC 2008. Concept note: Synthetic Biology. Risks and opportunities of an emerging field. International Risk Governance Council, Geneva
• De Vriend, H. 2006. Constructing Life. Early social reflections on the emerging field of synthetic biology. The Hague: Rathenau Institute;Working Document 97.
• European Commission. 2005. Synthetic Biology: Applying Engineering to Biology (Report of a NEST High-Level Expert Group). Report 21796

Introduction to synthetic biology:

• Serrano L. 2007. Synthetic biology: promises and challenges. Molecular Systems Biology 3:158
• Luisi P.L. 2007. Chemical Aspects of Synthetic Biology. Chemistry and Biodiversity Vol. 4 (4):p.603 - 621
• Heinemann, M. and Panke, S. 2006. Synthetic biology-putting engineering into biology. Bioinformatics. Vol. 22 (22): p.2790-9.
• Benner, SA. and Sismour, AM. 2005. Synthetic biology. Nature reviews Genetics. Vol. 6: 533-543
• Endy, D. 2005. Foundations for engineering biology. Nature. Vol.438, No.7067, p.449-453

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