Bio-tech, NanoBio-Tech, SynBio-tech, NanoSynBio-tech? The changing face of biotech law? (Part I)

• Published in: Journal of International Biotechnology Law
• Main Author: Wolbring, Gregor
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: unknown
• Published: Walter de Gruyter GmbH 2007
• Subjects: General Medicine; Ilulissat
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1515/jibl.2007.026; https://www.degruyter.com/document/doi/10.1515/JIBL.2007.026/pdf

Abstract For everyone involved in the governance and economics of science and technology the subject becomes more and more complicated. Today's scientific news is increasingly faster replaced by even more astonishing news. New science and technology (S&T) fields and new S&T ‘buzzwords’ appear at an ever-increasing speed. ‘Biotech’ and genetic engineering are buzzwords for many decades with 43,000,000 and 2,230,000 Google hits respectively. In the last few years nanotechnology joined the rank of buzzwords with already 16,300,000 Google hits. The nano-visibility increase influenced the appearance of nano-bio fusion terms and vice versa. Nanobiotechnology generates 538,000; nanobiotechnology 603,000 and nanobio-technology 539,000 Google hits. DNA-Nanotechnology produces 35,700 hits. ‘Synthetic biology’ (synbio) stormed onto the scene in the last two years with already 964,000 Google hits. As the popularity of synbio increases one can expect ‘Nano-synthetic biology’, ‘Nano-synbiotechnology’ or similar terms to increasingly appear. In June 2007 a meeting created the ”Ilulissat Statement Synthesizing the Future a vision for the convergence of synthetic biology and nanotechnology”. The increasing appearance of fusion terms fits the increased move towards and discourse about converging different sciences and technologies. One influential event in this regards was the 2001 National Science Foundation and Department of Commerce (USA) workshop ””Nanotechnology, Biotechnology, Information technology and Cognitive science (NBIC): Converging Technologies for Improving Human Performance”. which coined the term NBIC. The workshop stated: ”The integration and synergy of the four technologies (nano-bio-info-cogno) originate from the nanoscale, where the building blocks of matter are established.”