Department of Biotechnology has released a draft foresight paper on synthetic biology. In its paper, department has stressed on the need for a national policy to consolidate India’s stand on the issue.

Highlights

• This 70-page document also notes that, India should avoid conflicting stands on science and policy.
• It looks not only at global policies and protocols that must be refer to develop such a policy but also defines synthetic biology and how intellectual property rights will be applicable in resulting processes and products.
• The paper was developed through a consultative process with experts from several organisations, non-profit organisations, and some people from the industry.
• It will help in creating a national policy.

What is Synthetic Biology?

Synthetic Biology refers to “science of using genetic sequencing, modification and editing, in order to create unnatural organisms or organic molecules which can function in living systems. Synthetic biology helps the scientists in designing and synthesising new sequences of DNA from scratch.

By: Brijesh Kumar