Security in the New Era of Synthetic Biology

Synthetic biology rapidly advanced genetic engineering, yet existing regulatory frameworks largely rely on inherited existing GMO legislation from the 90's and 00's that was never designed with Synthetic Biology's unique capabilities in mind.
In the thesis, I examine the legal, security, and social issues created by that gap, including dual-use research risks, biocontainment challenges, and the intellectual property landscape governing synthetically modified organisms. Paradoxically, at the time of writing (2015), the field’s own technical complexity and economic barriers act as natural constraints on misuse, while open-source platforms like BioBricks simultaneously accelerate innovation and raise biosecurity concerns.
The thesis concludes that synthetic biology’s most transformative potential lies in strengthening global food, energy, and health security, from engineering bacteriophages to combat antibiotic resistance, to producing next-generation biofuels.