FLICKR, DULLHUNKAmateur biologists working in community do-it-yourself (DIY) laboratories—or even their own garages—are unlikely to pose a serious threat to society, according to a report released today (November 19) by the Synthetic Biology Project at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars in Washington, DC.
“There’s been a lot of debate in the biosecurity community about what DIYers may or may not be doing, from making narcotics to pandemics to viruses that kill heads of state (I’m not joking),” Wilson fellow Daniel Grushkin, a coauthor of the new report, wrote in an e-mail to ScienceInsider. Indeed, many have debated the need for greater oversight of such DIY efforts. But the Synthetic Biology Project’s survey of the DIYbio community suggests that such fears are unfounded, and Grushkin hopes researchers will start to focus on the opportunities that the DIY community represents, including improving science education and awareness, and perhaps even advancing technology and research.
“[Some] believe DIYbio can inspire a generation of bioengineers to discover new medicines, customize crops to feed ...
