Synthetic biology as an opportunity for the bioeconomy
The article also places synthetic biology in the larger picture of the bioeconomy and makes reference to, among other things. File on the topic at bioökonomie.de. However, the article only briefly addresses the research and corporate landscape related to synthetic biology. The GASB team here refers, among other things, to the Synbio Research Atlas, which brings together research institutions and working groups for synthetic biology in Germany. As an example of industry players, the specialized society cites life science group Bayer, which supports highly innovative approaches with its Leaps to Bayer program. This also includes the Synbio projects, but not in Germany.
“Synthetic biology is driven by the societal challenges and opportunities presented by modern biotechnology,” said Chase Beisel, Associate Sponsor and member of GASB’s Board of Trustees. However, companies officially involved in synthetic biology and start-ups that publicly mention the use of synthetic biology approaches are underrepresented in Europe and Germany. The article identifies the public perception and the legal regulation of biotechnology as two important reasons for this. U National Bioeconomic Strategy the term synthetic biology does not appear (Editor’s note: the term is mentioned once in the chapter on dialogue and communication and in the glossary). Since synthetic biology is not uniformly defined and the representation in the media is partly characterized by metaphors (playing God, etc.), it is challenging to convey neutral messages. Added to this is the skeptical attitude of part of society towards new approaches in biotechnology and genetic engineering.
A vision for the future
Regardless, a growing community has formed in Germany that wants to promote the research and application of synthetic biology. Common exchange and networking platforms could play a central role in this. “GASB covers the entire diversity of synthetic biology because it is open to anyone, regardless of career level or discipline. GASB is a real hub for scientific exchange, collaboration with the public, government and industry stakeholders, but also for synthetic biology education,” explains Hendrik Cooper, GASB’s current executive director, mission and vision. “We are uniting the community and taking on a representative role for our discipline in Germany.”
M.Sc./Str