Ethical and social insights into synthetic biology: predicting research fronts in the post-COVID-19 era

Abstract

As a revolutionary biological science and technology, synthetic biology has already spread its influence from natural sciences to humanities and social sciences by introducing biosafety, biosecurity, and ethical issues to society. The current study aims to elaborate the intellectual bases and research front of the synthetic biology field in the sphere of philosophy, ethics, and social sciences, with knowledge mapping and bibliometric methods. The literature records from the Social Sciences Citation Index and Arts & Humanities Citation Index in the Web of Science Core Collection from 1982 to 2021 were collected and analyzed to illustrate the intellectual structure of philosophical, ethical, and social research of synthetic biology. This study profiled the hotspots of research focus on its governance, philosophical and ethical concerns, and relevant technologies. This study offers clues and enlightenment for the stakeholders and researchers to follow the progress of this emerging discipline and technology and to understand the cutting-edge ideas and future form of this field, which takes on greater significance in the post-COVID-19 era.

Evolutionary Algorithms in a Bacterial Consortium of Synthetic Bacteria

“…In this regard, in the post-COVID-19 era, there is a growing concern about this issue, as reported in a recent article [45]. Let us hope that the advances in synthetic biology will be for the good of all, helping to solve many of the problems facing humankind in the 21st century.…”