Venter creates synthetic life: what does this mean for society?

The big news on the innovation front last month was that scientist Craig Venter and his team had created the world's first synthetic life form. Driven by a collaboration between biologists and engineers, the ‘minimal functional genome’ could pave the way for future organisms that are built rather than having evolved.

This achievement poses major questions about the role of synthetic biology in society. From extreme reactions about scientists ‘playing God’ to more moderate concerns about possible technological applications, academics such as Prof Julian Savulescu, Head of Oxford Uehiro Centre for Practical Ethics, and the public are already asking legitimate questions for society to address concerning Venter’s discovery.

With remarkable timeliness, a major UK public dialogue on synthetic biology run by the BBSRC and EPSRC – and part-funded by Sciencewise-ERC – was completed and the report launched this month.

The dialogue explored the hopes and concerns of the UK public in relation to synthetic biology, and sets out clear questions and duties for research and governance of this and other innovations in the future. As the report states (p 13): “Greater thought needs to be given to the institutional arrangements to create the conditions for synthetic biology to be developed in useful and socially acceptable ways. Coupling these issues together – the need to open debate around innovation with the need for controls to be better at anticipating the future – may be helpful in this regard”.

Let us know what you think Venter’s discovery means for society at the Sciencewise-ERC forum