We are delighted to publish the final version of the report, Ethical Frameworks for Deployment of Synthetic Biology in the Indo-Pacific, co-authored by members of the InKlude Labs in Bengaluru, the Australian National University in Canberra and Western Sydney University.
This work is part of a project under the Australia-India Cyber and Critical Technology Partnership Grant (SLG087) funded by the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. Across the duration of this project, the team consulted 89 individuals across 19 countries. Within this cohort, 46 were male and 43 were female. The group is composed of 10 government representatives, 18 industry specialists and 61 academic specialists.
A global launch of this report was held on 19th September. This online event consists of a 45-minute panel discussion, followed by a 45-minute Q&A session. The event was chaired by Dr. Dirk van der Kley (National Security College), with panelist input from Dr. Shambhavi Naik (InKlude Labs, External affiliate to GSEJ), Saurabh Todi (InKlude Labs), Dr. Henry Dixson (Western Sydney University).
At the event, GSEJ Director Prof. Joy Zhang applauded the team for their efforts in engaging with diverse stakeholders in the Indo-Pacific region and their commitment to providing practical, adaptable guidance for the fair and sustainable deployment of synthetic biology in less-resourced regions. She noted that, while a one-year project has its limitations, the research, authorship, and launch of the report are undoubtedly important steps in inviting and empowering broader contributions, not only from the Indo-Pacific region but also from around the world.
The event was co-hosted by the Centre for Global Science and Epistemic Justice (GSEJ) at the University of Kent, the National Security College at the Australian National University and the InKlude Labs in Bengaluru. An audio recording of the event can be found here, starting with an introduction from Dr. Dirk van der Kley.