Team:HKUST-Rice/Practices

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Human Practices

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The Black Swan

In scientific investigations, black swans pop up every now and then, not alone iGEM and synthetic biology. The idea of microbial detection of soil nutrient concentrations would bring much controversies.

Whilst risk assessment is a possible way to determine potential hazards, public communication is another good practice in knowing how people think of our ideas. This year, we work beyond the bench and inquire about the stakeholders’ opinions about microbial biosensor. The collaboration of two universities expanded our focus group in the study of stakeholders’ perceptions on the use of microbial biosensor. We are curious if they feel discomfort with synbio applications and if they will perceive an in-field microbial biosensor as a Pandora’s box.

Future iGEMers may consider how a biosensor is designed for a safe use. In government and international organisations’ shoes, they may consider how these applications should be regulated to reassure the public that the use of microbial biosensor is safe.

Playing God

Human intelligence supremacy impacted the nature for at least 10,000 years. Agricultural development was a watershed in human civilisation. Since then, human have been attempting to tame the nature and their environment. However, the poor agricultural management brought us to the highway to death.

Now, human proceed to another watershed in which we are manipulating microorganisms to offset the harms we brought about along the history. Ethical issue on treating microorganism as a machine for the betterment of our lives popped out in recent years. It is time to consider whether we are the creatures specially fashioned by God or playing God is simply a meaningless cliché.