“Governing Synthetic Biology: A Food Policy Approach” is a doctoral research project which began in January 2020, at Newcastle University.
Natalie Partridge is the lead investigator, supervised by Prof. Simon Woods and Dr. Kenneth Taylor.
Synthetic biology (sometimes called ‘engineering biology’) is a rapidly developing, interdisciplinary area of research. Synthetic biology combines engineering principles, biological engineering tools and techniques, and information and computer technologies.
Background
The UK is a major global hub for synthetic biology research, and food and agriculture is one sector in which synthetic biology can be applied. However, little is known about attitudes towards this in the UK.
To address this knowledge gap, this study explores views towards the governance of synthetic biology applied to food and agriculture.
What will this study do?
Taking an exploratory approach, this research scans the horizon for synthetic biology in UK agrifood, and situates the field within the landscape of UK food policy.
The study involves interviews and group discussions with stakeholders from industry, policymaking, the research community, consumer groups, non-governmental organisations and funding bodies.
The study aims to:
- Build a picture of views towards the governance of synthetic biology in food and agriculture
- Highlight some of the opportunities and challenges for regulating synthetic biology through UK food policy
Funding
The research is jointly funded by the EPSRC and Newcastle University, as part of the interdisciplinary Portabolomics project in synthetic biology. The Portabolomics project takes a novel approach to standardise the connection between a given genetic circuit and the chassis organism by the development of a ‘bio-adapter’.