Synthetic Biology Project

Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars (http://www.synbioproject.org)

The Synthetic Biology Project was established as an initiative of the Foresight & Governance Program of the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars. The Project aims to foster informed public and policy discourse concerning the advancement of synthetic biology – an emerging interdisciplinary field that uses advanced science and engineering to make or re-design living organisms, such as bacteria, so they can carry out specific functions. Synthetic biology involves making new genetic code, also known as DNA, which does not already exist in nature. 

The Synthetic Biology Project provides independent, rigorous analysis that can inform critical decisions affecting the research, commercialization and use of synthetic biology. Its objective is to help ensure that, as synthetic biology moves forward, possible risks are minimized and benefits maximized. The Synthetic Biology Project has produced a number of informative reports about Synthetic Biology.
Trends in American & European Press Coverage of Synthetic Biology
Tracking the last five years of media coverage
New Life, Old Bottles
Examines the benefits and drawbacks of using the existing U.S. regulatory framework for biotechnology to cover the new products and processes enabled by synthetic biology.