Hazards, Risks, and Low Hazard Development Paths of Synthetic Biology

Abstract

In early stages of research and innovation a precise investigation of technological risks, as well as the analysis of particular beneficial features, is confronted with a lack of knowledge about exact process or product qualities, application contexts and intentions of users. Therefore, an appropriate identification of anticipated risks, accompanied by the achievements of synthetic biology, should rather focus on basic properties and functionalities of the objects of synthetic biology which will be exploited in future products and processes. Accordingly, the aim of this chapter is to determine major risk factors of synthetic biology creations with a focus on the technology itself. In consideration of the demand to cover these risks by appropriate counter measures, the question is raised, whether there are suitable strategies to achieve a high level of safety. In this regard, the discussion will be extended to feasible alternatives, e.g. by introducing trophic and semantic isolation strategies for synthetic organisms as an approach to overcome major drawbacks of classical biosafety mechanisms. Finally, functional reduction, a concept which is already aspiring to achieve efficient biosynthesis, is suggested as a measure for the reduction of risk-related functionalities. This strategy is worth further investigation if the full potential of synthetic biology is to be obtained in a safe and sustainable way.

Technology Characterisation

“…This is the only way to include complete surprises, which means possible events for which currently no scientific approved 'model of effect' exists. 3 However, approaches for an early assessment of potential hazards and exposure as well as an assessment of different dimensions and forms of lacking knowledge regarding hazards and exposure already exist (Ahrens et al 2005;Giese and von Gleich 2015;Linkov et al 2018;Owen et al 2009;Steinfeldt et al 2007). The underlying hypothesis of technology characterisation is, that the range and the forms of non-knowledge are not 'just there', but are to a large extend produced by the characteristics of the technology.…”

Gene drives as a new quality in GMO releases—a comparative technology characterization

“…In the first stages of an innovation process, the outlines of a technology are probably already known, but possible applications and affected systems are usually still vague. However, approaches for an early assessment of potential hazards and exposure as well as an assessment of different dimensions and forms of lacking knowledge regarding hazards and exposure already exist (Ahrens et al, 2005; Steinfeldt et al, 2007; Owen et al, 2009; Giese & Von Gleich, 2015; Linkov et al, 2018). The underlying hypothesis in our approach is, that the range and the forms of non-knowledge are not ‘just there’, but are to a large extend produced by the character of the technology.…”

Peer Review #1 of "Gene drives as a new quality in GMO releases—a comparative technology characterization (v0.1)"

“…In the first stages of an innovation process, the outlines of a technology are probably already known, but possible applications and affected systems are usually still vague. However, approaches for an early assessment of potential hazards and exposure as well as an assessment of different dimensions and forms of lacking knowledge regarding hazards and exposure already exist (Ahrens et al, 2005;Steinfeldt et al, 2007;Owen et al, 2009;Giese & von Gleich, 2015;Linkov et al, 2018). The underlying hypothesis in our approach is, that the range and the forms of non-knowledge are not 'just there', but are to a large extend produced by the character of the technology.…”