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Review

Synthetic Biology Brings New Challenges to Managing Biosecurity and Biosafety

Andrew Jin  1 , Igor Linkov  1
Benjamin D. Trump  1 , Marie-Valentine Florin  2 , Edward Perkins  3 , Igor Linkov  1
, editors.
In: Emerging Threats of Synthetic Biology and Biotechnology: Addressing Security and Resilience Issues [Internet]. Dordrecht (DE): Springer; 2021. Chapter 8.
.
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Review

Synthetic Biology Brings New Challenges to Managing Biosecurity and Biosafety

Andrew Jin et al.
Free Books & Documents

Excerpt

Novel biology technologies like gene editing and genetic engineering are creating a proliferation of breakthroughs in engineered biological systems that will change our world in areas ranging from medicine, to textiles, to energy. New developments in gene editing technologies, especially CRISPR-Cas9, have shown early signs of extraordinary potential in a variety of fields, including from basic research, applied biotechnology, and biomedical research. While the possibility of directly targeting and modifying genomic sequences in almost all eukaryotic cells could significantly improve standards of living, these technologies have the potential to pose serious biological hazards.

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