Fwd: [biocurious] Synthetic Biology: Threat or Menace?
Bryan Bishop
Date: Thu, Mar 29, 2012 at 4:13 PM
Subject: [biocurious] Synthetic Biology: Threat or Menace?
To: BioCurious <biocu...@googlegroups.com>
There's been a bit of a shrill alert raised about the dangers of local
biotech labs, focusing on synthetic biology.
http://www.mercurynews.com/news/ci_20278049/critics-raise-safety-concerns-biotech-labs-at-berkeley
I take this with a grain of salt, as the groups that are doing this
are the same ones that shut down the freshman genetic testing program
at Berkeley, and seem to have an agenda. And I'm sure community
hackerspaces like BioCurious will eventually find their way into the
crosshairs of these groups.
But there is a discussion happening at Berkeley tonight (mentioned at
the end of the article). If anyone is going, and will report back to
the group, that'd be great. If anyone does go, I'd suggest this is not
a good event at which to waive the BioCurious banner; better to listen
more, talk less.
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Jason Bobe
On Thursday, March 29, 2012 2:21:19 PM UTC-7, Bryan Bishop wrote:
From: raymondmccauley <raymond...@gmail.com>
Date: Thu, Mar 29, 2012 at 4:13 PM
Subject: [biocurious] Synthetic Biology: Threat or Menace?
To: BioCurious <biocu...@googlegroups.com>
There's been a bit of a shrill alert raised about the dangers of local
biotech labs, focusing on synthetic biology.http://www.mercurynews.com/news/ci_20278049/critics-raise-safety-concerns-biotech-labs-at-berkeley
I take this with a grain of salt, as the groups that are doing this
are the same ones that shut down the freshman genetic testing program
at Berkeley, and seem to have an agenda. And I'm sure community
hackerspaces like BioCurious will eventually find their way into the
crosshairs of these groups.But there is a discussion happening at Berkeley tonight (mentioned at
the end of the article). If anyone is going, and will report back to
the group, that'd be great. If anyone does go, I'd suggest this is not
a good event at which to waive the BioCurious banner; better to listen
more, talk less.
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Bryan Bishop
From: AlgaeNymph <algae...@gmail.com>
Date: Thu, Mar 29, 2012 at 5:31 PM
Subject: Re: [biocurious] Synthetic Biology: Threat or Menace?
To: biocu...@googlegroups.com
On 3/29/12 3:23 PM, Adam Perrotta wrote:
Nevertheless, we should be prepared for when we do find our way into
the crosshairs.
Unfortunately, most pro-tech types prefer political bickering to
public relations.
To paraphrase what I said in response to Al Jazeera's Engineering
human evolution video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CXGY2o6GJPA),
enhancement won't inevitably happen when the public thinks it's evil,
which it will when opponents use slick scare tactics, or when
proponents aren't careful about what they say and make us look bad.
Market-based solutions won't work when there's no demand.
The most articulate opponents of H+ go on about how controlling
biology enables evil, proponents need to invalidate those claims with
evidence rather than ideals.
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Nathan McCorkle
now reading about her now, but I can't tell if this woman just didn't
understand good sterile technique. If you're a competent scientist,
you should understand the risks you're accepting.
At 12:30 here she says HIV has DNA inside the protein coat... that
could be an easy slip-up, but a little sloppy I guess:
http://blip.tv/laborvideo/pfizer-injured-biotech-molecular-biologist-becky-mcclain-biotech-workers-and-the-public-under-threat-3978946
>> biocurious+...@googlegroups.com
>> For more options, visit this group at
>> http://groups.google.com/group/biocurious?hl=en
>>
>>
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>> - Bryan
>> http://heybryan.org/
>> 1 512 203 0507
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Nathan McCorkle
Rochester Institute of Technology
College of Science, Biotechnology/Bioinformatics
Bryan Bishop
> This woman Becky McClain is mentioned in the first article. I'm just
> now reading about her now, but I can't tell if this woman just didn't
> understand good sterile technique. If you're a competent scientist,
> you should understand the risks you're accepting.
Becky McLain, a molecular biologist who won a 2010 lawsuit against her former employer, pharmaceutical giant Pfizer, said the safety risks that may face workers in Richmond will be even more volatile than those she encountered in an embryonic stem cell lab. A federal jury awarded McLain $1.37 million in damages after she was exposed to a genetically engineered virus that caused her recurring paralysis and other illnesses.
drllau
1) one option is to use dialectic techniques (see www.rbutr.com) when the sensationalism gets too shrill
2) another is to be proactive to address FrankenMonster concerns - www.quora.com anyone?
3) promote bioethical behaviours including (sterile techniques, non-horizontal transfer, documented kill switches etc).
> we should be prepared for when we do find our way into the crosshairs.
Lawrence
http://www.linkedin.com/in/drllau
On Friday, 30 March 2012 11:32:16 UTC+13, Bryan Bishop wrote:
---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Thu, Mar 29, 2012 at 5:31 PM
Subject: Re: [biocurious] Synthetic Biology: Threat or Menace?
To: biocu...@googlegroups.com
On 3/29/12 3:23 PM, Adam Perrotta wrote:Nevertheless, we should be prepared for when we do find our way into
the crosshairs.
Unfortunately, most pro-tech types prefer political bickering to
public relations.To paraphrase what I said in response to Al Jazeera's Engineering
human evolution video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CXGY2o6GJPA),
enhancement won't inevitably happen when the public thinks it's evil,
which it will when opponents use slick scare tactics, or when
proponents aren't careful about what they say and make us look bad.
Market-based solutions won't work when there's no demand.The most articulate opponents of H+ go on about how controlling
biology enables evil, proponents need to invalidate those claims with
evidence rather than ideals.
--
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- Bryan
http://heybryan.org/
1 512 203 0507
On Friday, 30 March 2012 11:32:16 UTC+13, Bryan Bishop wrote:
---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Thu, Mar 29, 2012 at 5:31 PM
Subject: Re: [biocurious] Synthetic Biology: Threat or Menace?
To: biocu...@googlegroups.com
On 3/29/12 3:23 PM, Adam Perrotta wrote:Nevertheless, we should be prepared for when we do find our way into
the crosshairs.
Unfortunately, most pro-tech types prefer political bickering to
public relations.To paraphrase what I said in response to Al Jazeera's Engineering
human evolution video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CXGY2o6GJPA),
enhancement won't inevitably happen when the public thinks it's evil,
which it will when opponents use slick scare tactics, or when
proponents aren't careful about what they say and make us look bad.
Market-based solutions won't work when there's no demand.The most articulate opponents of H+ go on about how controlling
biology enables evil, proponents need to invalidate those claims with
evidence rather than ideals.
--
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google
Groups "BioCurious" group.
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