Synthetic biology: is humanity ready to ‘play God’?

The computer in all its iterations has transformed the way we live and work. From IBM’s wall-sized System/370 (its 1970 premium 1MB memory version that retailed for a cool $4,674,160 — that’s $37,728,261.47 in today’s money) to the Atari home computers of the 1980s and the now-ubiquitous internet and smartphones: modern society is the result of computing technology, for better or worse. 

Now, synthetic biology (or SynBio) is shaping up to become the largest disruptor of technology of all time. But is its rapid development and the increasingly realistic prospect of the widescale programming of artificial life a dream for humanity, or a living nightmare? 

Science fiction or SynBio fact? 

“SynBio is a combination of genomics, computing and engineering that synthesizes the design and editing of genetic code on a PC and subsequently implants it into empty living cells,” explains Xavier Ferràs Hernandez from Esade’s Department of Operations, Innovation and Data Sciences. 

“We can then program these cells with a new, different purpose, so new life forms and biological processes that don’t currently exist in the natural world are created.” 

For the uninitiated, this may sound a lot like science fiction. But the applications of SynBio are real and they’re happening now.  

Biopharmaceuticals, technology and manufacturing hardware, smart factories, smart cities, waste management, food and consumer goods are all benefitting from SynBio. 

Life, but not as we know it 

“The language of life is built on four basic chemical compounds: A, T, G and C,” continues Ferràs. “Basically, a four-letter software program governs nature. Cells are nothing more than mini-factories processing chemical information, executing its instructions like a silicon chip reads and executes its digital software.  

“The metabolisms of all living beings, from amoebas to mammals, obey the orders written in a biochemical code dictated by natural evolution. Today, through a process called sequencing, it is possible to know the order of these four basic components.  

“With molecular scissors we can cut DNA sequences and paste them to other sequences, in a copy-paste similar to that of Word applied to molecular biology. You can design gene strings that have never existed before, manufacture artificial genetic code, and put it to work in real cells. We can create new forms of life, edited on our PC.” 

Rushing into repercussions 

Unsurprisingly, the rapid development of this technology is ringing alarm bells. For every life form created to digest waste and secrete clean fuels, each animal organ adapted to be suitable for human transplant, or new nanorobot that can identify and attack tumor cells in our bodies, there are an equal number of nefarious applications with the potential to cause devastation.  

Perhaps the most well-known conspiracy theory, and one which continues to be debated by global scientists and government investigators, is that covid was the result of lab-based SynBio experiments.  

“Is the covid the result of a virus edited in the laboratory? Experts assure me not,” says Ferràs.  

From technological dream to dystopian nightmare 

But Bryan Wells, NATO's chief scientist, urges caution. Speaking to La Vanguardia, he warned: “With [SynBio] opportunities come threats, and it could be used against our civil society. We must be alert.” 

Quoted in the same article, originally published in Spanish, Kenneth Wickiser from Columbia University’s Center for Infection and Immunity is rather more direct.  

“The democratization of technology also allows those with nefarious intentions to do their jobs more easily, cheaply and quickly,” he warns.  

“A bioterrorist is capable of creating existing viruses from scratch. But most likely, because it is easier, he is capable of altering the natural viral sequences to develop new variants with the desired effects, such as transmissibility or lethality.” 

Transforming markets 

It’s impossible to limit the use of any technology — new or old — to those with only good intentions. The first sparks of fire kept humans warm and fed, but also provided the means to wipe out whole rival tribes. Modern humanity was built on industry and the climate is paying the price – but SynBio has the potential to make reparations. 

“Are we playing God?” asks Ferràs. “Every technology has its heads and tails. A simple stone axe could be a carpentry tool or a murder weapon. And yes, SynBio is a technology with great potential for combating climate change. 

“But there is no doubt that a new disruptive new technology is coming to market, with massive transformative power. The new generation of digital giants, the Apple or Tesla of the future, will be SynBio companies. Its applications are only limited by imagination and ethics.” 

Support progress with policies 

And it’s here where governments need to catch up. The speed with which SynBio is progressing, the huge amount of investment it’s receiving — “Investments in venture capital are growing at rates of 250% per year” says Ferràs — and its positive impact on the economy should be harnessed, not suppressed. 

“Innovation policy should reduce barriers for institutional technologies and focus on the distribution of rent, power and other benefits,” advises Ferràs.  

“At a policy level, holistic development should support the emergence of the entrepreneurial ecosystems that are growing around SynBio, balanced by democratic institutions.”