Are the Ethics of Synthetic Biology Fit for Purpose? A Case Study of Artemisinin [Point of View]

Synthetic biology (SB) applies the engineering cycle of ‘design-build-test-learn’ to create new living systems. It is a multidisciplinary practice drawing on molecular biology, genetics, engineering, computing, biochemistry among other disciplines, linked by an underlying commitment to the design approach. The foundational premise of SB is seductively appealing: work with biological organisms as if their parts are or can be standardized, in order to understand how they work and engineer them to serve human purposes. SB thus offers a vision of navigating and controlling the otherwise-chaotic complexity of living biological systems.