Project description
Rethinking nature conservation with gene drives
Biodiversity loss and climate change are altering ecosystems, creating a pressing need for innovative conservation strategies. Traditional methods are being challenged by breakthroughs in genomics, computing, and synthetic biology. Supported by the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions programme, the NONA project focuses on one such innovation: engineered gene drives. These technologies offer the potential to influence wild populations on a broader scale, sparking both excitement and debate. NONA examines the complex intersection of science, ethics, and conservation, aiming to clarify how gene drives might be used responsibly for nature conservation. By fostering collaboration across disciplines, the project seeks to refine strategies for integrating new biotechnology into global conservation efforts and policymaking.
Objective
Nature conservation is facing major challenges. Biodiversity loss and climate change will alter ecosystems in ways that are difficult to predict. At the same time, advances in computing, genomics and synthetic biology offer new knowledge and tools for conservation biology. Together, these developments challenge traditional nature conservation strategies.
This project focuses on engineered gene drives as an example of an emerging biotechnology which could be employed for nature conservation purposes. Engineered gene drives could greatly expand the spatial and temporal reach of genetic modification techniques, and thus provide new possibilities for intentional human influence over wild animals and ecosystems. Academic debate about nature conservation biotechnologies is a nexus where scientific and normative notions about human interactions with their natural environments and other living beings are negotiated. NONA explores how connections between ontological, epistemological and normative ideas are drawn in these debates. The aim is to achieve greater conceptual and argumentative clarity within this highly complex and contentious discussion. NONA will address two objectives: 1) to analyze ideas of nature in areas of molecular biology and ecology, which are relevant for the development and evaluation of gene drives; and 2) to analyze current debates in the environmental humanities about the objects, strategies and aims of nature conservation and to develop a conceptual framework for the normative evaluation of gene drives for conservation purposes.
This requires that I gain further competences in the areas of environmental and technology philosophy and the history and philosophy of the life sciences. A further aim of the project is to foster close collaborations with researchers in the natural sciences, conservation practitioners and policy makers. The project has practical implications for international nature conservation and biotechnology governance.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
- natural sciences biological sciences genetics
- medical and health sciences medical biotechnology genetic engineering
- natural sciences biological sciences ecology ecosystems
- natural sciences earth and related environmental sciences atmospheric sciences climatology climatic changes
- humanities philosophy, ethics and religion philosophy
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Keywords
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
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HORIZON.1.2 - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA)
MAIN PROGRAMME
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Topic(s)
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Funding Scheme
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
HORIZON-TMA-MSCA-PF-EF - HORIZON TMA MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
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Call for proposal
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) HORIZON-MSCA-2024-PF-01
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Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.
110 00 PRAHA
Czechia
The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.
The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.