RR944 – Synthetic biology: A review of the technology, and current and future needs from the regulatory framework in Great Britain

Synthetic biology has been described as “the design and construction of new biological parts, devices, and systems, and the re-design of existing, natural biological systems for useful purposes”. Potential applications include more efficient or inexpensive drug production and developing new renewable energy sources, micro-organisms for environmental remediation of pollutants, and biosensors to detect infections in hospital patients. This research project aimed to review the current status and potential applications of synthetic biology and approaches to biological risk assessments.

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