Project description DEENESFRITPL When law and governance meet biology Synthetic biology is no longer science fiction. This new interdisciplinary area is advancing rapidly, and related regulations have not kept up. The EU-funded SynBioGov project will develop a new framework for the governance of synthetic biology to ensure that fair and responsible innovation responds to global challenges such as sustainable agriculture and environmental protection. The framework will be based on an assessment of the current state of international law and governance. It will also draw from an examination of existing theoretical frameworks on risk management and responsible research and innovation, including gendered approaches. Additionally, the project will develop a typology of actors involved and how they envisage regulation, particularly in the field of agriculture. Show the project objective Hide the project objective Objective Synthetic biology aims to exercise control in the design, characterization and construction of living organisms and biological parts. No longer the domain of science fiction literature, it has progressed by leaps and bounds in recent years, accompanied by great promises and grave risks. Law and governance lag behind. Lab experimentation and field trials take place in a legal vacuum. On top of companies and research institutes, a vibrant do-it-yourself community is engaged in research, claiming to democratize innovation. Global deliberations on the environmental and socio-economic impacts have only recently begun under the auspices of UN multilateral environmental agreements, and policy-relevant academic analysis is urgently needed. Based on my academic record in international environmental law and governance of novel technologies and my empirical knowledge of intergovernmental negotiations, complemented by training in socio-legal methodologies during the fellowship, I will develop a new integrative framework for the governance of synthetic biology. It will be built upon: a) an assessment of the current state of international law and governance, including an analysis of regulatory gaps and novel normative challenges; b) an examination of existing theoretical frameworks on risk management and responsible research and innovation, including gendered approaches to risk that have been understudied to date; and c) a typology of actors involved in synthetic biology research, including an analysis of who does what, why, and how they envisage regulation, with a particular focus on gene editing in agriculture. Aiming at improving accountability and enhancing legitimacy, both of law and governance and of the innovation process, this framework will not only bridge gaps in scholarly efforts but will also facilitate decision making, ensuring that synthetic biology applications promote the global objectives of food security, sustainable agriculture and environmental protection. Fields of science agricultural sciencesagriculture, forestry, and fisheriesagriculturesustainable agriculturenatural sciencesbiological sciencessynthetic biologymedical and health scienceshealth sciencesnutritionsocial sciencessociologygovernancecrisis managementsocial scienceslawinternational law Programme(s) H2020-EU.1.3. - EXCELLENT SCIENCE - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions Main Programme H2020-EU.1.3.2. - Nurturing excellence by means of cross-border and cross-sector mobility Topic(s) MSCA-IF-2020 - Individual Fellowships Call for proposal H2020-MSCA-IF-2020 See other projects for this call Funding Scheme MSCA-IF-EF-ST - Standard EF Coordinator UNIVERSITA DEGLI STUDI DI TRENTO Net EU contribution € 183 473,28 Address Via calepina 14 38122 Trento Italy See on map Region Nord-Est Provincia Autonoma di Trento Trento Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Participation in EU R&I programmes Opens in new window HORIZON collaboration network Opens in new window Other funding € 0,00
