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Safe and effective synthetic biology

Nature Biotechnology volume 28, pages 1010–1012 (2010)Cite this article

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To the Editor:

A letter in your January issue highlights the need for harmonizing biosecurity oversight for gene synthesis1. The US government is currently preparing to publish its final, formal 'guidelines' on the procedures at DNA synthesis companies for screening incoming orders for sequences of potential dual-use concern. As the research community continues to debate the promise and risks of synthetic biology, we report here discussions at two major synthetic biology conferences with important implications for safe and effective progress within the field.

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References

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Materials Science and Engineering Laboratory, National Institute for Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, Maryland, USA

    David A LaVan

  2. Department of Surgery, Division of Thoracic and General Pediatric Surgery, Sheikh Zayed Institute for Pediatric Surgical Innovation, Children's National Medical Center, George Washington University School of Medicine, Washington, DC, USA

    Louis M Marmon

Authors
  1. David A LaVan
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  2. Louis M Marmon
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Correspondence to David A LaVan.

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The authors declare no competing financial interests.

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LaVan, D., Marmon, L. Safe and effective synthetic biology. Nat Biotechnol 28, 1010–1012 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1038/nbt1010-1010

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