Regulation of Synthetic Biology

BioBricks, Biopunks and Bioentrepreneurs

Alison McLennan (Autor)

Buch | Hardcover

424 Seiten

2018
Edward Elgar Publishing Ltd (Verlag)
978-1-78536-943-8 (ISBN)

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This book explores the interplay between regulation and emerging technologies in the context of synthetic biology, a developing field that promises great benefits, and has already yielded fuels and medicines made with designer micro-organisms. For all its promise, however, it also poses various risks. Investigating the distinctiveness of synthetic biology and the regulatory issues that arise, Alison McLennan questions whether synthetic biology can be regulated within existing structures or whether new mechanisms are needed.

Adopting an interdisciplinary approach, McLennan draws on diverse areas of law, the science of synthetic biology and the history and sociology of science. She concludes that synthetic biology presents novel regulatory challenges relating to environmental risk, biosafety, biosecurity and intellectual property. These challenges arise from the uniqueness of the science, the nature of its communities of scientists (including citizen scientists or 'biobunks') and the uncertainty surrounding possible hazards. Some scientists see intellectual property protection as a way to push innovation forward (bioentrepreneurs), while others openly share synthetic biology tools such as BioBricks. By understanding the range of regulatory challenges, the book make a case for enhanced regulation that protects us from synthetic biology's risks, whilst capturing its potential to improve our world.

Regulation of Synthetic Biology will be essential reading for academics and students in the social sciences and law, as well as for scientists working in synthetic biology, and policymakers in innovation, science and the regulation of these fields.

Alison McLennan, Assistant Professor, School of Law and Justice, Faculty of Business, Government and Law, University of Canberra, Australia

Contents: Part I: The new world of synthetic biology: Possibilities, challenges and debates 1. Introduction 2. Making biology easy to engineer: The science of synthetic biology, the emergence of the field and its major applications 3. Science meets politics, activists and governance: Evaluating key positions in synthetic biology debates 4. New Directions? The United States Presidential Commission’s investigation of synthetic biology’s risks, benefits and oversight Part II: Regulating for the Risks 5. Environmental Risk: Uncertainty, precaution, prudent vigilance and adaptation 6. Synthetic Biology, Biosafety and ‘Biopunks’ 7. Biosecurity: Potential for deliberate misuse of synthetic biology Part III Regulating for the Benefits 8. How will patents affect synthetic biology? 9. Building with BioBricks: a commons for sharing synthetic biology research 10. Conclusion and Future Directions Bibliography Index

Erscheinungsdatum	12.07.2018
Reihe/Serie	Elgar Studies in Law and Regulation
Verlagsort	Cheltenham
Sprache	englisch
Maße	156 x 234 mm
Themenwelt	Medizin / Pharmazie ► Pharmazie
	Recht / Steuern ► Arbeits- / Sozialrecht ► Sozialrecht
	Recht / Steuern ► EU / Internationales Recht
	Technik
ISBN-10	1-78536-943-1 / 1785369431
ISBN-13	978-1-78536-943-8 / 9781785369438
Zustand	Neuware