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Panel Discussion

BaKillus employs synthetic-biological approaches to combat the spread of antibiotic-resistantant pathogens. In July 2014 we organized the panel discussion “Does Germany need Synthetic Biology to improve (personalized) medicine?” inviting citizens to join and learn more about this relatively new field of modern biology. Our project BaKillus touches on the controversial issue of applying engineered bacteria to cure patients in the distant future. Thus, our aim was to discuss the acceptance of using the tools of Synthetic Biology in modern medicine, with a population very critical of genetic engineering.

An introduction to Synthetic Biology was given by Prof. Dr. Thorsten Mascher (LMU Munich, Synthetic Microbiology). He explained the characteristic features of Synthetic Biology, giving examples such as the construction of a synthetic version of the third chromosome of Saccharomyces cerevisae.

The panel discussion itself was moderated by PD Dr. Bernd Giese (University of Bremen, Department of Technology Development and Design). We invited renown academics to debate the top and down sides of Synthetic Biology. At the end, the round of experts was opened to answer questions and discuss concerns raised by the audience.

The following experts honored us by making their attendance:

• Prof. Dr. Ralf Wagner

University of Regensburg, Institute of Medical Microbiology and Hygiene

• Dr. rer. nat. Martin Siemann-Herzberg

University Stuttgart, Germany, Institute of Biochemical Engineering

• PD Dr. Alexander Bogner

Austrian Academy of Science, Institute for Technology Assessment

• Dr. med. Frank Bartram - Unfortunately he had to decline his invitation.

First Chairman of the German Environmental Health Organization (Deutscher Berufsverband der Umweltmedizin)

One aspect of the interactive discussion was the claim that the newly arisen field of Synthetic Biology is still not universally known in the public: Only a small fraction of people is currently affected by Synthetic Biology, and most people have never heard the term before. In addition only a vague gradient from genetic engineering to Synthetic Biology exists. In Germany “Green Genetic Engineering” is generally regarded as a black sheep in the population and was controversially discussed in the last decades. This is not true for Synthetic Biology. One reason might be that the debate concerning genetic engineering has gone hand in hand with rebellion against capitalism and the “police state” in the counterculture of the 1960s and decades that followed. This rebellious phase has now subsided. Thus, Synthetic Biology is either not sufficiently well known in public or not debated yet.

One question of the audience - whether Synthetic Biology could be used in military research to produce bioweapons - was relativized by the statement, that these kinds of weapons can be produced much easier without using the tools of Synthetic Biology. In addition, the request of synthesizing genes is always regulated harshly to prevent the production of potentially harmful genes for criminal use.

To conclude, principally the field of Synthetic Biology has not got further than basic research, but in order to someday have great use, one has to keep on understanding systems, devices and parts and the complexity behind it.

Learn more about our experts:

PD Dr. Bernd Giese
Bernd Giese is a research associate at the Department of Technological Development and Design at the University of Bremen with a focus on Synthetic Biology. In his time as a post-doctoral fellow at the University of Greifswald he studied the molecular mechanisms of intracellular infection with Staphylococci, which are the target of BaKillus, and discovered mechanisms and factors involved in the infection of mammalian cells by these pathogens. He is currently working on the following projects: Innovation and Technology Analysis of Synthetic Biology (SynBioTA) and Attentive Technologies – Guiding principles for an age-appropriate technology design (AttenTech).

Prof. Dr. Ralf Wagner
Ralf Wagner is a university professor at the Institute of Medical Microbiology and Hygiene, University of Regensburg, where he heads the Medical Microbiology and Gene Therapy Unit. He was amongst the first scientists to recognize the value of gene design and synthesis for different areas of biotechnology including vaccine development, thus consequently translating basic research tools into scalable technologies and a quickly emerging business in the field of Synthetic Biology. He was a founder of GENEART AG, which is now part of Thermo Fischer Inc. His current scientific focus lies on merging aspects of Synthetic Biology with state-of-the-art vaccine development.

Dr. rer. nat. Martin Siemann-Herzberg
Martin Siemann-Herzberg is deputy head of the institute of Biochemical Engineering, University Stuttgart with a speciality in Synthetic Biology and Systems Biology, emphasizing the application of science for technical purposes.

PD Dr. Alexander Bogner
Alexander Bogner is a habilitated sociologist working at the Institute of Technology Assessment at the Austrian Academy of Sciences with the main emphasis on science, technology and environment, analysing Green Genetic Engineering and other upcoming technologies, like Synthetic Biology, in the context of policy and the general public. He is currently involved in the SYNENERGENE project, that aims to point the public’s interest to Synthetic Biology and fathom the possibilities of responsible design of technologies.