Venter Institute-Led Team Details Synbio Policy Challenges and Options

May 30, 2014

(Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology News) – Policy specialists from the J. Craig Venter Institute (JCVI), the University of Virginia, andEMBO released a report that details the challenges faced by regulators with the increased use of more sophisticated synthetic biology techniques to engineer plants and microbes along with some options for dealing with these challenges. The authors conclude that while the U.S. governmental agencies charged with overseeing products derived through synthetic biology have adequate legal jurisdiction to address most, but not all, environmental, health, and safety concerns, several key issues could challenge these agencies.