Synthetic Biology
The Wilson Center and Synthetic Biology
Stranger Visions: The DNA You Leave Behind
June 03, 2013 // 3:00pm — 5:00pm
Heather Dewey-Hagborg is an information artist who is interested in exploring art as research and public inquiry. In her recent project "Stranger Visions" she creates literal figurative portrait sculptures from analyses of genetic material collected in public places. more
Awareness & Impressions Of Synthetic Biology
Mar 20, 2013
There has been little change in public awareness of either synthetic biology or nanotechnology since previous surveys, according to this 2013 poll of more than 800 U.S. adults. In the poll, 23 percent of adults say they have heard a lot or some about synthetic biology, compared with 31 percent who say the same about nanotechnology. The most common associations that respondents make with synthetic biology are that it is unnatural, man-made, and artificial or that it has to do with reproducing life. more
Awareness and Impressions of Synthetic Biology: Results of the 2013 Poll
March 20, 2013 // 12:00pm — 2:00pm
Presentation of results from the 2013 public poll on synthetic biology. more
The Science Beat: Has Quality of Reporting Improved or Declined?
Feb 28, 2013In a world increasingly driven by scientific and technological breakthroughs, are we getting the information we need to understand the rapid changes and choices we face? And as print space dedicated to science decreases, have online sources emerged to fill the void?
Synthetic Biology Project Director Discusses DIYBio on Kojo Nnamdi Show
Jul 09, 2011Far from multimillion dollar labs at universities, an enthusiastic movement of amateur scientists is changing the field of biology.
Stranger Visions: The DNA You Leave Behind
June 03, 2013 // 3:00pm — 5:00pm
Heather Dewey-Hagborg is an information artist who is interested in exploring art as research and public inquiry. In her recent project "Stranger Visions" she creates literal figurative portrait sculptures from analyses of genetic material collected in public places.
Awareness and Impressions of Synthetic Biology: Results of the 2013 Poll
March 20, 2013 // 12:00pm — 2:00pm
Presentation of results from the 2013 public poll on synthetic biology.
Communicating Synthetic Biology: How the Media Covers Emerging Technology
February 26, 2013 // 12:00pm — 2:00pm
From Neanderthal clones to cheap vaccines, the emerging field of synthetic biology has garnered much mainstream press coverage in recent years – and found itself at the center of a hot debate about our expectations for biotechnology.
Awareness & Impressions Of Synthetic Biology
There has been little change in public awareness of either synthetic biology or nanotechnology since previous surveys, according to this 2013 poll of more than 800 U.S. adults. In the poll, 23 percent of adults say they have heard a lot or some about synthetic biology, compared with 31 percent who say the same about nanotechnology. The most common associations that respondents make with synthetic biology are that it is unnatural, man-made, and artificial or that it has to do with reproducing life.
Trends in American and European Press Coverage of Synthetic Biology: 2008 – 2011
Press coverage of synthetic biology in the United States and Europe increased significantly between 2008 and 2011. This report builds on the project’s earlier study of press coverage in the United States and Europe during the 2003-2008 period. The new report finds an increase in the sheer number of articles about synthetic biology. It further finds that this coverage is driven by high-profile events and that there are growing similarities in how the technology is covered in the United States and Europe. This report also highlights key recommendations from recent reports focused on the press and public engagement.
Beyond the Laboratory and Far Away: Immediate and Future Challenges in Governing the Bio-economy
Today’s bio-economy, where info-, nano-, and biotechnology converge, has the potential to yield great advances in all sectors, including medicine and energy, by using advanced modes of manufacturing at an atomic scale while achieving reproducible results. This creative convergence sounds exciting, but scientific advances and technological innovation do not come without some risks. Policymakers need to adopt a critical perspective on governance approaches regarding the bio-economy, keeping in mind how it affects our intricate sociotechnical system, our regulatory cultures, and the evolving relationships between researchers, funders, industry and the public.
Eleonore Pauwels
Formerly European Commission, Directorate-General for Research and Technological Development, Directorate on Science, Economy and Society
Eleonore Pauwels is a public policy scholar with the Science and Technology Innovation Program at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars. Her primary focus is a comparative and critical analysis of the EU and US approaches towards the societal governance of synthetic biology. She is al...
Todd Kuiken, Ph.D.
Dr. Todd Kuiken is a Senior Program Associate with the Science and Technology Innovation Program at the Woodrow Wilson International Centre for Scholars where he explores the scientific and technological frontier, stimulating discovery and bringing new tools to bear on public policy challenges that...