About this Research Topic
Rapid scientific and technological advances are fueling a 21st-century biotechnology revolution. Unfortunately, these advances can be accidentally or deliberately misused to cause significant harm. Biosafety and biosecurity address the relationship between bioengineering and biotechnology and assessing and managing risk to humans, agriculture, and the environment. This relationship includes both the dangers posed by research advances and their application and potential misuse and the benefits of research for its potential application to reduce risk.
This Research Topic encompasses human, agricultural, and environmental and occupational risk assessment of bioengineering and biotechnology advances when used as a tool in basic research or as the technology underlying product development. Risk management includes decision-making in research and development by regulatory authorities, performing risk assessments, and monitoring the use of products developed using advances in bioengineering or biotechnology. Examples include Artificial Intelligence, Synthetic Biology, and Genome Editing and their implications for biosafety and biosecurity. Minimizing the deliberate misuse of these technologies to harm society without unduly hindering scientific advances is also an important goal. Articles covering conceptual advances in risk assessment and associated decision-making are welcome provided they apply to bioengineering and biotechnology.
Application of bioengineering and biotechnology to increase biosafety and biosecurity could include the development of methods to detect or reduce exposure to pests, pathogens, toxins, chemicals, and other agents harmful to public health, agriculture, or the environment. Articles covering public policy are welcome if relevant to bioengineering and biotechnology.
1. Risk assessment and management of technological advances in bioengineering and biotechnology
● Biomaterials
● Nanotechnology
● Artificial intelligence
● Industrial biotechnology
● Gene therapy
● Biopharmaceuticals
● Safety-by-design
● Containment of bioengineered organisms
● Risk perception and ethics of biotechnology
● Bioengineered crops and livestock
● Synthetic Biology
● Gene Editing
● Policies and Practices
● Biological Risk Assessments
2. Application of bioengineering and biotechnology solutions for risk reduction
Bioengineered vaccines
● Biotechnology for surveillance, detection, and diagnostics
● Antimicrobial biomaterials
● Antiviral biomaterials
● Bioengineering for disease vector control
● Modelling the effects of biotechnological interventions
This Research Topic encompasses human, agricultural, and environmental and occupational risk assessment of bioengineering and biotechnology advances when used as a tool in basic research or as the technology underlying product development. Risk management includes decision-making in research and development by regulatory authorities, performing risk assessments, and monitoring the use of products developed using advances in bioengineering or biotechnology. Examples include Artificial Intelligence, Synthetic Biology, and Genome Editing and their implications for biosafety and biosecurity. Minimizing the deliberate misuse of these technologies to harm society without unduly hindering scientific advances is also an important goal. Articles covering conceptual advances in risk assessment and associated decision-making are welcome provided they apply to bioengineering and biotechnology.
Application of bioengineering and biotechnology to increase biosafety and biosecurity could include the development of methods to detect or reduce exposure to pests, pathogens, toxins, chemicals, and other agents harmful to public health, agriculture, or the environment. Articles covering public policy are welcome if relevant to bioengineering and biotechnology.
1. Risk assessment and management of technological advances in bioengineering and biotechnology
● Biomaterials
● Nanotechnology
● Artificial intelligence
● Industrial biotechnology
● Gene therapy
● Biopharmaceuticals
● Safety-by-design
● Containment of bioengineered organisms
● Risk perception and ethics of biotechnology
● Bioengineered crops and livestock
● Synthetic Biology
● Gene Editing
● Policies and Practices
● Biological Risk Assessments
2. Application of bioengineering and biotechnology solutions for risk reduction
Bioengineered vaccines
● Biotechnology for surveillance, detection, and diagnostics
● Antimicrobial biomaterials
● Antiviral biomaterials
● Bioengineering for disease vector control
● Modelling the effects of biotechnological interventions
Keywords: Risk Assessment, Biosafety, Biosecurity, Biotechnology Applications.
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