Responsible innovation in synthetic biology in response to COVID-19: the role of data positionality
- PDF / 615,460 Bytes
- 9 Pages / 595.276 x 790.866 pts Page_size
- 108 Downloads / 175 Views
ORIGINAL PAPER
Responsible innovation in synthetic biology in response to COVID‑19: the role of data positionality Koen Bruynseels1
© The Author(s) 2020
Abstract Synthetic biology, as an engineering approach to biological systems, has the potential to disruptively innovate the development of vaccines, therapeutics, and diagnostics. Data accessibility and differences in data-usage capabilities are important factors in shaping this innovation landscape. In this paper, the data that underpin synthetic biology responses to the COVID19 pandemic are analyzed as positional information goods—goods whose value depends on exclusivity. The positionality of biological data impacts the ability to guide innovations toward societally preferred goals. From both an ethical and economic point of view, positionality can lead to suboptimal as well as beneficial situations. When aiming for responsible innovation (i.e. embedding societal deliberation in the innovation process), it is important to consider hurdles and facilitators in data access and use. Central governance and knowledge commons provide routes to mitigate the negative effects of data positionality. Keywords Positionality · Synthetic biology · Responsible innovation · Data frictions · Knowledge commons · Pandemic · COVID-19
Introduction Synthetic biology is a bio-engineering field that pursues the data-driven design of biological systems (Freemont 2019). It combines molecular biology and lab automation with in silico design techniques that are fueled by biological data. In silico design refers to the computer-aided design of biological molecules and biological processes, for example, the modeling of proteins or the modeling of pathways that allow for the biochemical synthesis of compounds. Synthetic biology was highlighted in a report from the European Parliament as one of the emerging technologies that can fight the COVID-19 pandemic (Kritikos 2020). The National Institute of Health in the USA also identified synthetic biology as one way to speed up vaccine development (Begley 2020). Its potential to revolutionize the development and production of vaccines, therapeutics, and diagnostics underpins this hope. The techniques developed in the synthetic biology community open up radical new possibilities and allow for a more * Koen Bruynseels [email protected] 1
Philosophy Department, Technology Policy & Management, T.U. Delft, Jaffalaan 5, 2628 BX Delft, The Netherlands
rapid exploration of such possibilities than with established processes. Synthetic biology labs and firms actively started applying their technologies to contribute solutions for the COVID-19 pandemic. Although probably not part of the first wave of drugs and vaccines, such innovations can shape future responses to this and all future pandemics. For example, DNA- and mRNA-based vaccine technologies can ease the development and production of vaccines. These vaccines consist of synthetic nucleotide strands that trigger the formation of proteins via the individual’s own cells, thereby inducin
Data Loading...
