Public Debate

Beyond the Genome: the Challenge of Synthetic Biology

A panel discussion hosted by the BIOS Centre for the Study of Bioscience, Biomedicine, Biotechnology and Society and the Royal Society of Arts, London, in association with Penguin Books.

Date: Wednesday 24 October 2007
Time: 7pm
Venue: Old Theatre, Main Building, LSE, Houghton Street, London WC2A 2AE

The 1970s introduced genetic modification, the 1990s cloning and GM food, and the human genome was sequenced in 2000. Synthetic biology is heralded as the next frontier. But what is synthetic biology and how do we imagine its future directions? What are the implications of this new field for scientists, lawyers, regulators and ethicists? What social and political challenges does it pose and what role will the social sciences, the humanities and the public play in shaping the direction of this new field? The expert Panel debated these issues with the audience.

• Dr Craig Venter, genome scientist, J Craig Venter Institute
• Dr Chris Mason, tissue scientist, UCL, on the translational challenges
• Professor Peter Lipton, philosopher, University of Cambridge, on the ethical challenges
• Professor Sarah Franklin, sociologist, London School of Economics and Political Science,
• Chair: Professor George Gaskell, social psychologist, London School of Economics and Political Science

Available as: mp3 (23 mb; approx 100 minutes). To download to Windows, right click and select 'save target as'.
Event Posting: Beyond the Genome: the challenge of synthetic biology

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