Side Event

The Nagoya Protocol and Synthetic Biology Research: A Look at the Potential Impacts

Organizer
Woodrow Wilson Center

Date and Time
23 June 2014 13:15 - 14:45

Meeting
Eighteenth meeting of the Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice

The United Nations is working to ensure that the benefits of genetic resources are shared in a fair and equitable way via the Nagoya Protocol to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). How synthetic biology will be interpreted and whether the CBD will treat synthetic biology separate from the current protocols surrounding genetic engineering is an open question. A new report from the Synthetic Biology Project at the Woodrow Wilson Center looks at how the protocol may affect researchers working in the field of synthetic biology. The report finds significant uncertainty surrounding what sorts of genetic material is covered and when the protocol would go into effect. For example: Would parts or “biobricks” be covered? Would genetic samples collected prior to the ratification of the treaty be covered? Would digital sequences shared over the web be covered? Join legal experts, scientists and others involves in synthetic biology research in a discussion on how the CBD, Nagoya Protocol and other international treaties may interact with one another and impact synthetic biology research. This event will be hosted by the Woodrow Wilson Center.