SBPWG:Gaps/Gaps Draft v3
Below is a gap list presented for discussion at the Synthetic Biology Practices Working Group meeting July 27th 2011. This is a rough draft and should be considered a living document to be revised (or re-conceived!) as the contributors see fit. Edit ruthlessly, add comments, references, examples, questions - anything that will be helpful. Don't worry about messing anything up - the wiki allows us to revert to old versions!
Questions for Discussion
- What is a gap list good for? Who should contribute? Who should read? In what form should a gap list exist/adapt?
- How do you mind/close a gap? How do we organize amongst ourselves and with others to mind/close each gap? What information/tools/resources do we need to continue exploring and addressing these gaps?
- Are we missing/misrepresenting gaps?
Additional Concerns
From SynBERC SAB call 7/22/11:
- How do we make sure that this gap list is intimately connected with the technology, and not seen as peripheral
- Can we classify these gaps into (1) structural/capacity gaps and (2) maturity gaps? How many of these are 'blind spot' gaps vs those reflecting on the maturity of the field?
Gap Seed List v3
(draft form; not prioritized)
A. A strategy for biosecurity in a world in which we sustain incremental improvement in our capacity to engineer biology
B. Building trust regarding biosecurity across secrecy gaps due private or classified work
C. Cultivating wisdom and leadership in biosafety within the next generation of practitioners
D. Transcending a cultural and political framing wherein synthetic biology will simultaneously destroy and save the world
E. Teaching and learning from broad audiences about being a citizen w/r/t synthetic biology
F. Avoiding regurgitation of other's concerns without critical thinking
G. Sustaining and improving integration of practices throughout a diverse synthetic biology research community
H. Sustaining an investment in foundational tools development that makes biology easier to engineer
I. Understanding and acting on how to best structure and balance relationships between common and private access/ownership of information/technologies so as to best advance the future of biotechnology (Edited by Jay Vowles)
J. Adapting and coordinating governance/regulation across diversity of newly emerging applications enabled by the tools of synthetic biology to best promote continued innovation while minimizing risk (Added by Megan Palmer)
K. Establishing synthetic biology as a legitimate field in its own right by researchers in related disciplines (Add by Kevin Costa)
L. Demonstrating the commercial transition of Synthetic Biology products. (suggested by Marten Rosenberg or SAB)
