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Public Engagement When Biotechnology Goes “Wild”

Professor Jason Delborne (Department of Forestry and Environmental Resources, North Carolina State University)

Developments in synthetic biology - including advanced gene editing techniques, gene drives, and genetic biocontrol strategies - offer new opportunities for species conservation and ecological restoration. While most of these emerging technologies will trigger oversight by state and federal agencies, there is increasing recognition that their successful deployment will require more than regulatory approval. This presentation will review the theory and motivations for engaging publics on controversial technology with particular attention to two case studies. First, the author has conducted interviews and a stakeholder workshop surrounding the genetically engineered American chestnut tree. This biotech tree has been developed to resist the blight that caused its functional extinction in the twentieth century. The GE chestnut has gone through extensive field trials and is under review by the U.S. EPA, USDA, and FDA – if successful, it will be the first GMO designed to spread and persist in “wild” environments. Second, the author is part of the international consortium “Genetic Biocontrol of Invasive Rodents” (GBIRd), which is exploring the possibility of developing a gene drive mouse for biodiversity protection. The mouse is designed to eradicate populations of invasive mice on oceanic islands. The author has conducted a landscape analysis and a stakeholder workshop to inform the design, development, and safety testing of the gene drive mouse (which does not yet exist).

When: Tuesday, 27^th April 2021, 9-10 AM

Where: Online. Please RSVP to pesta@adelaide.edu.au

 is a researcher in the Department of Forestry and Environmental Resources at North Carolina State University. His research interests include: Science, Technology, and Society (STS), Science & Technology Policy, Genetic Engineering and Society, Politicized Scientific Controversies and Environmental Policy.