International
Consortium for Polynucleotide Synthesis (ICPS)
About the ICPS
In the summer of 2006, leading international synthetic biology companies joined together to form the International Consortium for Polynucleotide Synthesis (ICPS). The primary mission of the ICPS is to promote safety and security in the promising field of synthetic biology. As part of this mission, the ICPS member organizations will work together to develop technologies that improve safety and security in synthetic biology. In addition, the ICPS plans to work with governmental organizations to help facilitate the creation of a governance framework and associated safety protocols to foster an appropriate regulatory environment for the synthetic biology industry.
What is Synthetic Biology?
Synthetic biology is the construction of engineered biological components and systems. Fueled by the recent rapid advances in DNA synthesis technology, synthetic biology has tremendous potential to accelerate biological research. The applications of this powerful technology are far and wide and include rapid vaccine development, vastly improved therapeutics, renewable energy production, and many others.
Resources:
A Practical Perspective on DNA Synthesis and
Biological Security
(full text download here)
Authors:
Hans Bugl1,2, John P. Danner1,3, Robert J. Molinari1,4, John Mulligan1,5, David A. Roth1,4, Han-Oh Park6, Bas Reichert7, Ralf Wagner1,2,8, Bruce Budowle9, Robert M. Scripp9, Jenifer A. L. Smith9, Scott J. Steele9, George Church3,10,12, & Drew Endy3,11,12
Affiliations:
1 International Consortium for Polynucleotide Synthesis (ICPS)
2
GENEART GA.
3 Codon Devices, Inc. Cambridge, MA, USA
4 CODA Genomics, Inc. Laguna Hills, CA,
5 Blue Heron Biotechnology, Inc. Bothell, WA,
6 Bioneer Corp., Ltd., & Inc. Daedeok-gu, S. Korea
7 BaseClear, B.V., Netherlands.
8 University of Regensburg Molecular Virology, Germany
9
10 Harvard Medical School, Department of Genetics
11
12
Contacts:
John Mulligan, Chairman, ICPS
Damon Terrill President and COO, ICPS.
Ralf Wagner, European Chairman, ICPS