Synthetic biology, “which aims to apply standardized engineering techniques to biology and thereby create organisms or biological systems with novel or specialized functions to address countless needs,”* offers the potential for tremendous benefit, alongside a range of possible risks. How should these benefits and risks be balanced, from a scientific, ethical, and policy perspective? This panel engaged a leader in the field of synthetic biology and an expert in risk regulation and policy in discussion of these issues.

This event was free and open to the public.

Panelists

• George Church, Professor of Genetics, Harvard Medical School and Director, PersonalGenomes.org
• Adam Finkel, Senior Fellow and Executive Director, Penn Program on Regulation, University of Pennsylvania Law School and Clinical Professor of Environmental Health Sciences, University of Michigan School of Public Health
• Moderator: Holly Fernandez Lynch, Executive Director, the Petrie-Flom Center for Health Law Policy, Biotechnology, and Bioethics at Harvard Law School

Learn More

• George Church, “Biology, Policy, & Ethics”
• Adam Finkel, “Two Complementary ‘Solution-Focused’ Approaches to Maximizing Net Societal Benefit from Synthetic Biology”

Recording

Sponsored by the Petrie-Flom Center for Health Law Policy, Biotechnology, and Bioethics at Harvard Law School and the Center for Bioethics at Harvard Medical School, with support from the Oswald DeN. Cammann Fund.