Technological advances in genetic engineering and synthetic biology lead to a fast-growing number of purposes such as biofuels, new drugs, replacement organs, and biological threats. The democratisation of such technologies, coupled with the decreasing cost of DNA synthesis, will allow a broader set of actors to generate new organisms, fuelling the need for addressing individual and societal challenges, while raising concerns about the governance of these technology innovations, capacity-building, and benefit sharing. The weaponisation of biology could even lead to high-impact biological attacks that would be difficult to defend against. In this context, it is essential that policymakers and regulators explore the social, environmental, economic, and geopolitical implications of such technology advances.
Welcome remarks:
- Jérôme Duberry, Managing Director of the Tech Hub, Geneva Graduate Institute
Keynote Speech:
- Andrew Hessel, Chairman, Co-Executive Director, Co-founder, Genome Project-write, The Center of Excellence for Engineering Biology
Panel discussion:
- Peter Gluckman, President, International Science Council
- Arancha Gonzalez Laya, Dean, Paris School of International Affairs, Sciences Po
- Jane Metcalfe, Founder of NEO.LIFE and Co-Founder of WIRED (moderator)
- Timothy Swanson, André Hoffmann Chair of Environmental Economics and Professor of International Economics, Geneva Graduate Institute
This panel discussion is organised in partnership with the Geneva Science and Diplomacy Anticipator (GESDA).
Please note that this event can be joined online or in-person and will be recorded and made available on the Institute's YouTube channel.
Crédit image: kjpargeter/Freepik