Interview with a Biosafety Expert
In the early stages of the project, we interviewed Professor Li Guofeng to ensure that our project could avoid biosafety risks.
The interview focused on the project "Enzymatic Catalytic Degradation of PET and Starch for Synthesis of Fluorescent Materials," involving Associate Professor Li Guofeng from the College of Life Science and Technology at Beijing University of Chemical Technology. Professor Li Guofeng has long taught courses related to biosafety and ethics, possessing extensive knowledge in biosafety. He analyzed the core safety-related aspects of the project from an engineering ethics perspective.
1."Safety" Risks in the AI-Assisted Design Phase
a. Data and Model Security: When using AI for protein structure prediction and molecular docking, there is a risk of "garbage in, garbage out." If the training data is biased or erroneous, it may lead to distorted prediction results, misleading subsequent research. This is essentially a safety issue at the level of scientific integrity, threatening the foundation of technological development.
b. Responsibility Attribution Safety: If designs based on AI predictions fail in application (e.g., enzyme activity instability or cause harm (e.g., toxic byproducts)), responsibility is difficult to assign fairly and clearly (among algorithm developers, data providers, and engineers making usage decisions). This ambiguity may result in an inability to clearly assign accountability after safety issues arise, affecting problem-solving efficiency and subsequent risk avoidance.
2.Balancing "Safety" in Technical Confidentiality and Academic Openness
The screening and modification methods of the project's core enzyme (PET-degrading enzymes, β-amylase) preparations are key competitive advantages. When publishing papers, participating in competitions, or collaborating, a balance between intellectual property security and academic sharing must be reached. If core sensitive data is leaked, it could lead to replication of the technology, threatening the project's long-term development. Conversely, excessive secrecy may hinder normal academic exchange. Careful planning is needed to ensure both technological and academic development security.
3."Safety" Responsibility Throughout the Technology Lifecycle
Although the project has both positive benefits, such as "degrading plastics and turning waste into treasure," the safety impacts throughout its lifecycle must be considered. For example, when the final fluorescent material is applied in fields such as anti-counterfeiting or coatings, its biosafety, long-term environmental footprint, and potential for malicious use must be preemptively assessed by engineers. This reflects the safety responsibility of engineers at the social level, concerning ecological, health, and overall societal application security.
4.Public "Safety" Perception in Product Promotion
Even if the final product (e.g., clothing made from food waste degradation products) is technically safe, it may still face challenges in public "psychological safety" acceptance. Consumers may resist the idea of raw materials originating from "waste," perceiving them as "unclean." This "psychological cost" is a safety obstacle to product promotion. Engineers must foster positive public perception through transparent science communication, reasonable product narratives, and aesthetically pleasing designs to address psychological safety concerns and ensure the secure market application of the product.
Enzyme-Promoted Recycling: A Synthetic Biology Roadmap and Action Initiative Toward a Closed-Loop Plastics Economy
Current plastic pollution is severe, and enzyme-promoted recycling offers a new direction for a closed-loop plastics economy. We collaborated with various universities to create a white paper on plastic degradation: "Enzyme-Promoted Recycling: A Synthetic Biology Roadmap and Action Initiative Toward a Closed-Loop Plastics Economy". This white paper focuses on enzyme-promoted recycling driving a closed-loop plastics economy. It plans to outline strategies from the points of technical solutions, risks, and action initiatives, incorporating multiple studies to present progress in enzymatic degradation and recycling of plastics from multiple dimensions.
The white paper centers on the core theme of "enzyme-promoted recycling driving a closed-loop plastics economy," with specific chapters delving into safety issues within enzyme degradation systems, helping readers avoid safety risks.
Synthetic Biology Chassis Strains White Paper (Illustrated Edition)
Multiple iGEM teams have collaboratively compiled the first illustrated edition of the "Synthetic Biology Chassis Strains White Paper", which systematically outlines the core characteristics, application cases, and safety protocols of over ten typical chassis strains, including Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Escherichia coli. This white paper serves as a professional yet accessible reference for synthetic biology research, education, and public outreach.
Our team (BUCT-China) was responsible for the sections on Escherichia coli BL21 and Escherichia coli DH5α, which have been completed. These sections primarily introduce the characteristics, applications, prospects, and safety risks of these two strains, providing safety guidelines for other teams or individuals working with chassis strains.