Neha attended the BWC working group as part of the Nuclear Threat Initiative's (NTI) 2023 youth delegation. In this article, she summarized insights from formal and informal discussions, as well as side events held during the meeting

At iGEM, people can freely think about the future, and most importantly, how they want to get there. We invite you to join us at the second edition of the Responsibility Conference at the 2023 iGEM Grand Jamboree. The conference offers a platform for multi-stakeholder engagement to deliberate ongoing initiatives and emerging concerns in the realms of biorisk, biosecurity, and biosafety. 

Synthetic biology holds tremendous promise for addressing global challenges, but like all powerful technologies, there also are risks of accidental or deliberate misuse that could cause harm. In honor of the 20th year of iGEM, I’d like to take a look back on some of the highlights of iGEM’s history in building a strong culture of responsibility for biosafety and biosecurity.

Yeast spores are typically not considered a problem in most situations. However, yeast spores can become problematic under certain circumstances. To help mitigate this risk, all teams who want to work with spore-forming fungi, including Saccharomyces cerevisiae, must first complete a Check-In Form to get permission from iGEM’s Safety and Security Committee.

The future of synthetic biology has been debated among diplomats and academics, in government boardrooms and conference center hallways and, over the past few years, in countless zoom webinars. This year, iGEM is offering a new place for these discussions: the Responsibility Conference on the margins of the 2022 Grand Jamboree.

iGEM teams have an impressive record for creating new innovations to help manage risk and advance the field of synthetic biology. To encourage progress on this problem, iGEM’s Responsibility Program once again will award up to 5 grants of $5000 to teams working on technical advances in biosafety and biosecurity.

Animals are used in research for many different purposes, including as models for the human body and as test subjects for food or medicine intended for animals. Unfortunately, one of the most common reasons that teams are disqualified from the iGEM Competition is for violations of our Animal Use Policy. The policy requires that teams get approval from the Safety & Security Committee before beginning experiments involving animals or animal samples.

There is nothing new about information (info) hazards. We are all familiar with the national security implications of information. Widespread knowledge of certain information can change our risk environment. For example, we keep the precise schedule of our leaders out of the public domain to make it harder for anyone planning them harm to be able to act on it. It is the knowledge of where they will be, when, and what steps we are talking to protect them that poses an information hazard.

iGEM’s new purpose is to make sure synthetic biology gets developed everywhere by everyone. Yet, how can we talk about “synthetic biology” all around the world when most scientific papers (and podcasts, blog posts, et cetera) are still developed and shared only in English?

At iGEM, we don’t see safety and security as just a set of rules to follow or a list of dangers to avoid. Rather, we think you can’t know whether you’re engineering biology to be good for the world if you haven’t thought about engineering it to be safe and secure. Who is supposed to think about it? We expect everyone in our community, especially teams themselves, to take responsibility for identifying and managing risks from iGEM projects.

Inside iGEM we have a strict Do Not Release policy that keeps our projects inside the lab. If these projects are ever going to be part of real-world solutions then – sooner or later – they will need to work outside of the lab. In 2021, we are substantially increasing the time and effort we devote to considering how to do that safely, securely, and responsibly.

All synthetic biology and modern biotechnology come with some potential to cause harm. Most of the time, especially for those still studying, these risks are managed by someone else.

In 2016, iGEM Foundation started the After iGEM Delegate Program, for iGEMers to engage in the international policy dialogue on synthetic biology, experience the setting, and learn about treaties and protocols which influence how scientists conduct, share, access, and support research.

As iGEMers, we participate in the iGEM Competition because we believe that synthetic biology is going to change the world. By harnessing the power of biology, we are attempting to disrupt conventional business and manufacturing practices and create new value in medical therapeutics and diagnostics, energy and environment, food and nutrition, and developing new technologies to unlock the full potential of living systems.

It was through attending the Biological Weapons Convention as an iGEM Delegate that I realized how neglected biosecurity issues were and fully embraced the duty that scientists have to engage with policy-makers.

Even though there is a lack of legislation around the world governing biosafety and biosecurity, some teams have taken it upon themselves to make improvements and conduct science responsibly, safely, and securely.

The iGEM competition should be a challenging, fun, and rewarding experience. But like all science and engineering, every iGEM project has some potential to cause harm. And so iGEM has a number of policies in place, as well as dedicated committees, to help teams do the best science and engineering possible – maximizing benefits for the world while at the same time minimizing any chance of harm.

We know that many teams this year will want to work on COVID-19, and we believe you have much to contribute. In this exceptional year, we want you to be able to do the most important science and engineering possible … AND … we want to make sure you can do that safely and securely.

The crisis was completely fictional, but the responses necessary for developing clear containment and communication strategies to address that crisis were real. And the insights, knowledge and training shared at that conference are prescient as we face the global COVID-19 pandemic today.

An opportunity for iGEMers to immerse themselves in the world of policy

by Piers Millett, iGEM Vice President of Safety and Security

Synthetic biology has unveiled a world of potential for improving the society around us. In recent years, genetic engineering tools have enabled the development of low-cost diagnostics platforms, personalized medicines, and environmentally-friendly chemical manufacturing processes. However, it is not always straightforward to know what societal problems to tackle or how to tackle them.

If you want to solve a real-world problem using synthetic biology, you can’t just study microbes. At some point, you’ll need to study people―their diverse values, opinions, and priorities―too. In addition to the basic requirement of “don’t break the rules or the law” set out in our human subjects research policy, it’s important for your team to take some time to think about how to treat every person participating in your research with respect.

You are probably familiar with Mary Shelley’s novel, Frankenstein, the archetypal cautionary tale for science experiments that are not responsible or good for the world. Did you know that Mary Shelley conceived of the idea when she was 18 years old and forced inside all summer with a small circle of family and friends?

Although surveys may seem simple and straightforward, they are often challenging to execute well. Surveys are a form of experiment, and like any experiment, they can be designed and implemented poorly.

What is required of us in the social sciences, as in natural sciences, is to not just take someone’s word but instead analyze and evaluate the data that is presented so as to form our own judgement. This is the essence of critical thinking.

The iGEM competition should be a challenging, fun, and rewarding experience. But like all science and engineering, every iGEM project has some potential to cause harm. And so iGEM has a number of policies in place, as well as dedicated committees, to help teams do the best science and engineering possible – maximizing benefits for the world while at the same time minimizing any chance of harm.

It feels especially important, right now, to think about how to be a responsible synthetic biologist, the sort who deserves the trust of these friends and family members.

by Tessa Alexanian on behalf of the Human Practices Committee