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Synthetic biologists need to think bigger to bring out the regenerative potential of our technologies.
We are rushing to grow a new private industry of for-profit corporations developing living technologies. This has traditionally been the business model of choice incentivized in the United States. During the pandemic, we have seen the strengths and weaknesses of this model. On the one hand, they were able to develop, test, and manufacture a novel vaccine in less than a year. On the other, the patents for these vaccines were not waived, leading to vaccine inequity between the Global North and South. The profit motive produced a great social good then undermined its potential. To learn from this misstep, we must think expansively about how we organize and deploy our efforts as synthetic biologists in the face of the capital-intensive nature of our field. Think of this newsletter as a space to discover new, old, and emerging ideas about a revolutionary approach to practicing synthetic biology.
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Who is writing this?
I’m Leon Elcock, a synthetic biologist looking to contribute meaningfully to regenerating the Earth. I believe that we can develop synthetic biology to spur systemic change, but I fear that is not how it will play out. Beginning my career in the COVID-19 pandemic, I lost hope in the will of our institutions and the individuals operating them to act in this prelude to the climate disaster. Overwhelmed by depression and anxiety, I became unresponsive. This is not an uncommon occurrence.
These conditions born from racial traumas and exacerbated by negative climate emotions have proved recalcitrant. I’ve spent the past year completely focused on my interests and goals (+therapy!). My main priority was to learn to see clearly. I needed to know how the world worked to see how I could change it. Through reading and networking, I gained a greater understanding of the context that our science is produced. I shifted the concentration of my biotechnology MS from regenerative medicine and tissue engineering (which was why I chose my program to begin with) to entrepreneurship and enterprise to start thinking about launching a synthetic biology company in the future. This was more based on faith that synthetic biologists actually want to spur change than anything.
Having shifted focus from benchside to business, I started reading about politics and public policy. This disillusioned me even more. To try to gain a sense of control, I applied to the Public Policy Fellowship with Ginkgo Bioworks in an attempt to synthesize all this new information. My stint with the Sociotechnical Studio was transformative yet stilling. Getting access to their organization and the experts we met with broadened my perspective on the policy aspects of synthetic biology. My project was about workforce development and culminated in a handbook that I will likely share in the future. We all knew it was bigger than that, though. One of the most important things I learned during that time was how limited we are as individuals, an industry, and a community right now.
Another period of overwhelming depression and anxiety followed my fellowship. I had at some point entered an existential crisis about what my role is in all of this. It felt like I had no power. I ended up being invited to speak on a panel for the Global Community Biosummit, an experience that reminded me that I’m already input into communities seeking to live solutions like myself.
Since then, I’ve been stewing on what my role should be within the community. My depression and anxiety have only been picking up steam (especially with grad admission worries). I’m trying to hold space for myself by letting my voice be heard. I hope that others are open to learning in community with me as we cobble together a regenerative practice for synthetic biology.
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