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About Us

The following organisations are beneficiaries to the Synth-Ethics project.

The scientists responsible for the work are listed below their respective organisation.

 

Delft University of Technology (TUD)

Delft University of Technology (TUD) is a multifaceted institution offering education and carrying out research within the technical sciences at an internationally recognised level. Education, research and designs are strongly oriented towards applicability. TUD develops technologies for future generations, focusing on sustainability, safety and economic vitality. At TUD we work in an environment where technical sciences and society converge. TUD comprises 8 faculties, a supporting University Corporate Office, unique laboratories, research institutes and schools.

Two departmental groups are involved from TUD:

  • Section Philosophy of Technology (at the school of Technology, Policy and Management), an internationally esteemed research groups in engineering ethics and the philosophy of technology. The section was assessed as “excellent” (the highest score) on all criteria by an international committee during the last philosophy visitation in the Netherlands. The research will be embedded in the 3TU.Centre for Ethics and Technology of the three technological universities in the Netherlands.
  • Department of Biotechnology and Section Biotechnology and Society (of the Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Applied Sciences). The Department is involved in delivering the expert opinions from engineering and science in synthetic biology. The Department maintains close collaborations with the international community of synthetic biology, including those in the Netherlands Biotechnology Society and those in international industry. The Section of Biotechnology and Society is responsible for research and education in ethical, legal and social issues of biotechnology and leads the Programme on Genomics and Society of the Centre of Excellence Kluyver Centre for Genomics of Industrial Fermentation which was recently assessed as of excellent quality, viability and relevance.

Some relevant previous experience includes:

  • For the Dutch research Council a so-called ethical parallel research project has been carried out in which ethical issues were discerned and analysed in a technological area in close cooperation with the natural scientists. This project has led to a methodology that will also be applied in this project in WP 1 (e.g. GDR session).
  • The Section Biotechnology and Society works on development of scientists’ engagement in public communication as part of academic accountability and has ample experience in science communication and stakeholder relations. The group also focuses on law and ethics and has experience in identifying, qualifying and addressing (upcoming) ethical and societal issues, such as in industrial biotechnology and nanobiotechnology (see: http://nanobio-raise.org/ and www.kluyvercentre.nl). The group is specialised in integrating dissemination of results in innovative communication activities, paying attention to latest insights in science communication studies.
  • Julian Kinderlerer has been involved in a wide range of pertinent activities, for example, as the specialist adviser to a House of Lords Select Committee investigation into modern biotechnology with particular reference to European Law and in several projects in relation to bioethics and biosafety in developing countries.

Julian Kinderlerer

Julian Kinderlerer has a PhD in biochemistry and is Professor of Intellectual Property Law and head of the new Research Unit on IP Law and Policy in the Department of Private Law, University of Cape Town and Professor of Biotechnology and Society in TUD, The Netherlands. He is also Honorary Professor of Biotechnology Law and former Director of the Sheffield Institute of Biotechnological Law and Ethics in the University of Sheffield. Julian is a member of the prestigious European Group on Ethics in Science and new Technologies (EGE) that reports to the President, Council and Parliament of the European Union. Until mid 2006 he was Secretary of the International Society for Biosafety Research, and remains Chair of the European Federation of Biotechnology’s Task Group on Public Perceptions of Biotechnology. Until January 2007 he was a member of the Bioscience for Society Strategy Panel for the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC). BBSRC had recently reviewed its decision-making structure and has decided to create 7 Strategy Panels, which are responsible for providing strategic advice directly to the Strategy Board and Council. He has since long been involved in advising (inter)national governments in regulation, biosafety, IPR and ethics in developing new technologies. He has worked in many continents and for many organisations, most notably for the United Nations global programmes.

Patricia Osseweijer

Patricia Osseweijer is Managing Director of the Centre of Excellence Kluyver Centre for Genomics of Industrial Fermentation and Programme Leader of its Genomics and Society programme. She has a MSc degree in molecular biology and education and a PhD in science communication. She has organised many international workshops and courses in the field of biotechnology and society such as the advanced workshop on Bioethics and Public Perceptions of Biotechnology in Oxford. As coordinator of many EC-funded projects and member of several European networks such as the European Federation of Biotechnology Task Group on Public Perceptions of Biotechnology she maintains a large network of international contacts and has organised many multi-stakeholder events. Her research focuses on scientists’ engagement in public communication, and the role of ethics and emotions in public opinion forming and trust.

Ibo van de Poel

Ibo van de Poel is the managing director of the 3TU.Centre of Ethics and Technology and assistant professor in ethics and technology. During the last few years, he has done research and published in the following areas: the dynamics of technological development, codes of conduct and professional ethics of engineers, the moral acceptability of technological risks, ethics in engineering design, ethics and responsibility in R&D networks, and ethics of nanotechnology.

David Koepsell

David Koepsell is an author, philosopher, and attorney whose recent research focuses on the nexus of science, technology, ethics, and public policy. He is an Assistant Professor at the Delft University of Technology, Faculty of Technology, Policy, and Management, Philosophy Section and a senior fellow of the 3TU Centre for Ethics and Technology.  He previously taught ethics, research ethics, and critical thinking at the University of Buffalo.  He is the author of The Ontology of Cyberspace: Law, Philosophy, and the Future of Intellectual Property (Open Court 2000) and Who Owns You: The Corporate Gold Rush to Patent Your Genes (Wiley-Blackwell 2009) as well as numerous scholarly and popular articles on ethics, science, ontology, and civil rights.  His full CV is here: http://davidkoepsell.com

Laurens Landeweerd

Laurens Landeweerd has a PhD in philosophy, ethical theory and bioethics and worked as a postdoc the Genomics and Society programme of the Kluyver Centre for Genomics of Industrial Fermentation. He is also affiliated to the Maastricht University's department of Health, Ethics and Society. He has been involved in several European projects on ethics and biotechnology (BioTethics, BioTethed, ENHANCE, Ethicsweb, Values & Isobars). His main area of interest lies in establishing a connection between the theory of ethics and practical moral issues associated with emerging biotechnologies. He has published on subjects such as the problem of identity with regard to bioethic methodology (in ‘red’ but also in ‘green’ bioethics) and with regard to to human enhancement technologies, eugenics is specific, as well as on issues of stakeholder debates with regard to biofuels and on problems of public participation. Landeweerd currently works on issues of cultural identity, global land use, poverty and neo-colonialism in the development and implementation of white, or industrial biotechnologies applied to biomass-crops for biofuels and on issues of privacy and human identity with regard to biometrics. He has organised several workshops and courses on moral theories and bioethics.

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Forschungszentrum Karlsruhe (FZK)

The Institut für Technikfolgenabschätzung und Systemanalyse (ITAS) is an institute within Forschungszentrum Karlsruhe GmbH, the Karlsruhe Research Centre (FZK). FZK is member of the Hermann von Helmholtz Association of National Research Centres and concentrates on the research areas Structure of Matter, Earth and Environment, Health, Energy, and Key Technologies. Recently, FZK and Karlsruhe University have formed the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology. The Institut für Technikfolgenabschätzung und Systemanalyse (FZK-ITAS) analyses, evaluates and conducts foresight studies on the development and application of technologies and their interrelationships with processes of socioeconomic and cultural change. Currently, FZK-ITAS is active in the areas: New Technologies, Innovation Processes and Technology Impacts; Environmental and Resources Management; and Knowledge Society and Knowledge Policy. The high degree of interdisciplinary expertise at ITAS is essential for its research.

FZK-ITAS contributes expertise in technology assessment and foresight, analysis of public and academic discourse, stakeholder involvement, ethics, and regulation and public policy. Previous experience includes research on biotechnologies, ICT, nanotechnology, converging technologies, bionics, brain research, and their societal, ethical, and safety implications. FZK-ITAS coordinates the European Technology Assessment Group (ETAG) which is conducting pertinent projects on behalf of European Parliament’s Scientific Technology Options Assessment (STOA). Other EU-funded projects (largely FP6) include: CONTECS (Converging Technologies and their Impact on the Social sciences and Humanities), FISTERA (Foresight on Information Society Technologies in the European Research Area), INDICARE (Informed Consumer Dialogue Project on Digital Rights Management), KNOWLEDGE NBIC (Knowledge Politics and New Converging Technologies), NanoRoadSME (Development of Advanced Technology Roadmaps in Nanomaterial Sciences and Industrial Adaptation to Small and Medium-sized Enterprises), and TAMI (Technology Assessment in Europe. Between Method and Impact). FZK-ITAS is also active within the EPTA network (European Parliamentary Technology Assessment), the International Association for Technology Assessment and Forecasting Institutions (IATAFI), the European Science and Technology Observatory (ESTO), and the European Techno- Economic Policy Support Network (ETEPS). Relevant national activities include the operation of the Office of Technology Assessment at the German Parliament (TAB) since 1990 and government-funded projects such as NanoCare (on safety aspects of nanotechnology).

Armin Grunwald

Armin Grunwald is director of FZK-ITAS and professor at Karlsruhe University (philosophy and ethics of technology). He studied physics in Münster and Cologne (1984 diploma, 1987 dissertation at Cologne University). 1987-1991 software engineering specialist, studies of mathematics and philosophy at Cologne University (1992 Staatsexamen); 1991-1995 scientist at the German Aerospace Center (technology assessment), 1996 vice director of the European Academy Bad Neuenahr-Ahrweiler, 1998 habilitation at Marburg University (social sciences and philosophy). Since October 1999 professor at Freiburg University, since 2007 at Karlsruhe University. Working areas: ethics of technology, philosophy of science; theory and methodology of technology assessment; sustainable development.

Christopher Coenen

Christopher Coenen studied political science, history and sociology in Heidelberg and Berlin (1998 diploma in political science). Since 2002 at FZK-ITAS. He participated in several national and EU projects and other activities on nanotechnology and related fields. Main research areas are the governance and societal implications (including cultural und economic aspects) of emerging and key technologies. Current research focuses on ethical and societal aspects of new and emerging technologies and the analysis of related political, societal and academic discourses (e.g. on converging technologies and “human enhancement”).

Leonhard Hennen

Leonhard Hennen studied sociology and political sciences (Dr. in sociology from Technical University Aachen). After five years as a social researcher at the department of "Technology and Society" at the National Research Centre Jülich (projects on "Technology and Everyday Life", "Risk-Communication"), he was project manager at the Office of Technology Assessment at the German Parliament (TAB). He has been responsible for TA projects on Genetic Testing, Pre-implantation Diagnostics, and Brain Sciences as well as for projects on public acceptance of technologies and technology controversies and others. Since 2006 he has been coordinator of the European Technology Assessment Group (ETAG). Research interests: Sociology of Technology, Technology Policy, Concepts and Methods of Technology Assessment, TA in the field of Biomedicine.

Hans-Jürgen Link

Hans-Jürgen Link studied philosophy and education in Karlsruhe. Since 2003 he works at the department of philosophy at the University of Karlsruhe and since 2009 also at the FZK-ITAS. His main area of interest lies in the field of ethics. He participated in a project of the German Research Association (DFG) addressing the foundations of ethics (2005-2007) and also wrote his PhD thesis in this field.

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Nederlandse Organisatie voor toegepast-natuurwetenschappelijk Onderzoek (TNO)

Nederlandse Organisatie voor toegepast-natuurwetenschappelijk Onderzoek (TNO) is one of European largest research organisations (4648 researchers and EUR 570 million turnover for 2006). TNO has clustered a variety of disciplines into five core areas: Quality of Life; Defence, Security and Safety; Science and Industry; Built Environment and Geosciences; Information and Communication Technology. TNO - Quality of Life is divided into six groups of activity: Work and Employment; Chemistry; Innovation Policy; Prevention and Healthcare; Pharmaceuticals; Food and Nutrition. The Innovation Policy Group (TNO-IPG) is a multidisciplinary group working on the problems and challenges of technological, economic and societal innovation. The IPG domain expertise includes: (i) foresight, analysis and evaluation of science, technology and industrial policies; (ii) policies and strategies for life sciences, ICT and sustainable development.

The main task of TNO-IPG is in the analysis of the ethical issues of synthetic biology and in making an inventarisation of the gaps or shortcomings in the current normative frameworks. Anke van Gorp has experience in identifying ethical issues in technology development and the role and shortcomings of normative frameworks in technology development.

Sander van der Molen

Sander van der Molen is researcher/consultant at TNO-IPG. Sander has a background in Science & Policy, with a specialisation in international economics and Regional Innovation Systems. He has additional master’s degrees in Philosophy of Science and in Society, Science and Technology. Sander has working experience in the evaluation of European Commission Framework programs and in regional innovation systems studies. Since June 2005 he works at IPG within TNO and is involved in the evaluation and impact assessment of national and international policies for biotechnology and life-sciences. Furthermore he is involved in foresight of new science and technologies, including the assessment of new industrial biotechnologies.

Miriam Leis

Miriam Leis works as foresight researcher at TNO/IPg since May 2008, specialising in emerging technologies (e.g. NBIC, biomedical engineering, Human Enhancement Technologies (HET), advanced robotics and AI, synthetic biology), future issues (e.g. megatrends, weak signals, EFMN), ELSI/ELSA of emerging technologies and vision assessment. Recent projects include "Robotics for Healthcare", innovations for the food industry, "Megatrends", technological innovations in various areas, ethical issues of synthetic biology and Scanning for Emergubg Science and Technology Issues (SESTI). She studied political sciences (with specialisation in biopolitics) and sociology (specialization: sociology of technology) at University Konstanz (Germany) and got her PhD in sociology with an interdisciplinary-oriented thesis about non-industrial robots. Prior to TNO she worked as a researcher at University Duisburg-Essen and the German foresight consulting firm. Miriam Leis is also involved in the WFUNA Millennium project, European foresight networks and societal/ethical discussions about Human Enhancement Technologies.

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Università degli Studi di Padova (UNIPD)

Università degli Studi di Padova (UNIPD) participates in the project through some members of Comparative Law Department. Scholars of the main legal disciplines belong to this department; private and public comparative law, biolaw, legal theory and legal philosophy are the core research interests of the department, which is very relevant with regard to the topics involved in dealing with the regulatory challenges raised by synthetic biology.

The Comparative Law Department is also part of the "Centre for environmental law decisions and corporate ethical certification" (an interdepartmental centre of Padua University), whose research activity is focused on legal, ethical and social aspects of new technologies. At the present time the Centre is mainly involved in legal and ethical implications of nanotechnologies, especially nanomedicine.

With regard to the project here outlined, Padua University plays its role in work packages 3 (description of relevant normative framework at national, EU law, and international law level) with regard to this phase, the expertise in legal comparison will turn out to be helpful in order to understand state regulation and the potential of EU guide-lines, 4 (Challenges raised by ethical issues and public discourse for current normative frameworks), 5 (Identification of ethical and regulatory challenges and recommendations).

Staff members from Padua University are legal scientists working in different fields, such as legal philosophy and legal theory (Elena Pariotti), public comparative law and environmental law (Sergio Gerotto), private law and biolaw (Maria Assunta Piccinni).

Elena Pariotti

Elena Pariotti, (degree in Philosophy at Padua University, 1991; Master in “Ethics and Rational Choice", 1992; post-graduate fellowship spent at Oxford University, 1996; PhD in philosophy of Law 1997) is full professor at the Faculty of Political Sciences, where she teaches "Legal Theory", "Human Rights", "Human rights and international justice". Her main research interests have been dealing with the theory of legal interpretation, multiculturalism and human rights, international law and international justice, international economics and human rights. Her contribute to the project will consist in analysing the incidence of the relevant regulation in terms of respect of fundamental rights, environmental protection theories, international social justice. She is work package leader in WP3.

Sergio Gerotto

Sergio Gerotto (degree in law; Ph.D in Comparative Law at Fribourg University, Swiss, 2003) is assistant professor in public law and in environmental law.  His contribution in the project concerns the reconstruction of the environmental law sources relevant for applications of synthetic biology (mainly focusing on toxic waste treatment) and the role which the precaution principle turns out to properly perform. His background in public comparative law could be very useful in order to frame and compare different solution for relevant problems in different member States of European Union.

Maria Assunta Piccinni

Maria Assunta Piccinni (degree in law; Ph.D in "Private law and Constitutional guarantees" 2006) is research assistant at the Comparative Law Department. Its research interests deal with the right to health and with biolaw. She will contribute to the project by individuating the regulatory framework concerning traditional biotechnologies, and assessing whether and to which degree it could be relevant for synthetic biology as well.

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Australian National University (ANU)

The Centre for Applied Philosophy and Public Ethics (CAPPE) is a Special Research Centre funded by the Australian Research Council. It is a joint venture between the University of Melbourne, Charles Sturt University and the Australian National University (ANU). The purpose of CAPPE is to conduct ground-breaking research, provide policy input and promote community discussion and professional dialogue in relation to ethical and other important and pressing matters of public and political concern. CAPPE has a very strong track record in practical research on behalf of and with a wide variety of local and overseas clients and partners. CAPPE’s clients have included: Australian Computer Society; Australian Taxation Office; Department of Defence; Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet; IBM; Independent Commission Against Corruption; Government of India; Professional Standards Council.
Main tasks of CAPPE in the project will be: the normative theoretical framework, nanoethics, bioethics, dual use, risk assessment, public policy in medicine, and scientific and technological responsibilities. The four CAPPE members involved in the project have, between them, researched and published in all of these areas, have had closely related research grants and consultancies.

John Weckert

John Weckert is professor of computer ethics at Charles Sturt University and a professorial fellow at CAPPE. He is the founding editor-in-chief of Nanoethics: Ethics for Technologies that Converge at the Nanoscale, His current research is primarily in the ethics of nanotechnology. He was previously professor of information technology at Charles Sturt University and published widely in the ethics in information and communication technologies.

Seumas Miller

Seumas Miller is Professor of Philosophy at Charles Sturt University and the Australian National University and Director of CAPPE. He is the author of over 100 academic articles and ten books, including Social Action (Cambridge University Press, 2001), Ethical Issues in Policing (with John Blackler) (Ashgate, 2005), Terrorism and Counter-terrorism (Blackwell, forthcoming) and Institutional Corruption (Cambridge University Press, forthcoming).

Michael Selgelid

Michael Selgelid holds a joint appointment between CAPPE and the Menzies Centre for Health Policy at The Australian National University. He was previously the Sesquicentenary Lecturer in Bioethics in the Unit for History and Philosophy of Science and the Centre for Values, Ethics and the Law in Medicine (VELIM) at the University of Sydney. He earned a PhD in Philosophy at the University of California, San Diego and a BSE in Biomedical Engineering at Duke University. He completed an undergraduate Philosophy curriculum at the University of California, Irvine. His current research interests include bioethics, ethics and infectious disease, ethics and genetics, bioterrorism, and “The Dual-Use Dilemma”.

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© Synth-Ethics 2009