Synthetic Biology Practices Working Group Meeting

May 10 2011

Agenda

0. Welcome & Practices@SynBERC Update 

1. Discussion of Proposed Working Group Vision, Goals and Formats

2. Breaking Down Practices v1.0 - Informal Presentations and Discussion

3. Drafting of Topic and Invited Guest List for Future Meetings

4. Discussion of Additional Opportunities: Slam & Bay Area Science Festival

5. Next Meeting - Content and Scheduling

0. Welcome

Thanks for coming!

Introduce yourself!

0. Practices Update

0.1 SynBERC Practices Strategy & Deliverables

0.2 Project Opportunities

Practices Strategy v1.2*

1. Core Essentials

(1a) safety & (1b) security

2. Strategic Policy

(2a) innovation & property rights

(2b) beyond the bioreactor

3. Gap Minding

4. Community

* living document

VISION & GOALS: We are working with all SynBERC researchers and partners to ensure that the practice of synthetic biology benefits all people and the planet. We envision that each member of the SynBERC community can help to consider and develop leading examples of responsible synthetic biology in practice.

Deliverables for Spring 2012

Area Deliverables Grade

Safety & Security Safety Learning Module

Security Learning Module

Innovation & Property

Standing Committee on Property Rights (IAB, Community, Outside Experts)

OSI Framework Recommendations

Community Primer on Property Rights & Practices

Beyond the Bioreactor

Beyond the Bioreactor Follow-up Workshop

Manuscript on Historical Lessons, Current Policy & Scientific Basis, Gaps & Needs

Gap Minding

Practices Advisory Board

Utilized Gap Finding Tools

Prioritized List of Gaps ('Top 10')

Community

Listening Tour 2011

Visible Synthetic Biology Working Groups

Leaders in Practice Workshop

Curriculum & Tools in Practices

Practices Opportunities

SynBERC Practices soliciting proposals for projects, fellows (e-mail me!)

Potential for this working group to demonstrate leadership in ‘practices in practice’, contribute to ‘gap minding’

- Learn- Make connections

- Do good work- Develop authority

- Be recognized- Have fun

1. Working Group Vision, Goals

Even though we are compelled to think about how our individual and collective practices in synthetic biology can improve lives while avoiding potential or realized harm, we often lack the knowledge, time and incentives to carefully consider how we interact with society in areas such as safety, security, ethics, policy, law, and communication. 

This working group attempts to address this gap with two broad goals: 

(1) create an ongoing open monthly forum for 'expert' discussion relating to the development of synthetic biology and its societal ramifications

(2) produce materials and activities in which we can share outcomes, conclusions and recommendations from our discussions with both the broader synthetic biology community and the public-at-large, and, through these communications, become an authoritative source for synthetic biology practices 

1. Working Group Format

Model 1: Practices in Practice Meetings: invite community member to discuss instances where they've had to beyond stretch their base technical expertise to propose and address problems in synthetic biology. Output: a short illustrative vignette capturing how practitioners deal with interdisciplinary problems and practices they feel could be improved 

Model 2: Breaking Down PracticesMeetings: 1+ members of the group leads an in-depth discussion through a practices area (e.g. safety, security etc) or case study asking what challenges SB poses. Invite in 'experts' to help guide & inform our discussion. Output: a simple summary of each topic reflecting current practices and open questions.

1. Working Group Project Goals

Mind the Gaps

Use meetings to seed, prioritize and sustain a list of  'Top 10 gaps' in our practice of synthetic biology for this group - and others - to consider, discuss, and work towards addressing.

Maintain the list and associated information and resources as an open online document for ongoing contribution and discussion.

Work with SynBERC Practices to produce from these materials a series of  simple, digestible co-authored papers summarizing each gap, current practices, open questions, and recommendations for moving forward.

1. Working Group Mechanism: Wiki

1. Gaps to Mind

1. Gaps to Mind

Emergence of DIY & Implications for Safety, Security

Preparedness for Syn Bio-Labeled Accidents

Trust in a World of Profits and Secrets

Property Rights Frameworks for Synthetic Biology

Testing Engineered Biological Designs in the Real World

1. Working Group History

1. Working Group History

1. After Tonight

1. Go to OpenWetWare Site and:

- Request addition to listserv

- Add yourself to members page

- Upload notes, slides, materials to meetings/resources page

- Suggest future meeting topics/guests on meetings page

- Add potential gaps to gap page

2. Tell Others

2. Breaking Down Practices v1.0

TopicsOwnership, Sharing and Innovation- Ryan, JosephSafety - Robin (unable to attend; will send materials)Security - MikeEthics - Marlee (unable to attend, will send materials)Philosophy - Reid Communication, Education, Outreach - DanielleApplications - Megan 

In 5-minutes: - what are new, real challenges that SB poses in this domain? - how might this relate to your current or future work? - what case studies might be relevant? - who are people that might help us work through these problems? - can you find articles we might draw upon for background?

4. Bay Area Science Festival

QuickTime™ and a decompressor

are needed to see this picture.

October 29-Nov 6 2011

Hundreds of Public Science Events

Festival Director Interested in SB Event Series - public forum

- science cafes- activities & demos

Let me know if you’re interested

4. Synthetic Biology Slam

Participate!!!

Help/Feedback

- Format

- Mediating Roadmapping

- Data Collection (Slam,Poster, Presentation)

- Follow-up

5. Next Meeting

June 7,8,9 (T,W,Th) ?

Thank you!