Browsing by Author "Elani, Yuval"

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    4.3 Synthetic Cells for Environmental Release
    (Rice University, 2025) Abbott, Zack; Adelman, Zach N.; Elani, Yuval; Freemont, Paul; Kiattisewee, Cholpisit Ice; Molla, Kutubuddin A.; Murray, Richard M.; Rudenko, Larisa
    This report summarizes discussions about the intersection of synthetic cells and beyond-containment biotechnologies, highlighting the need to differentiate between replicating/evolving and non-replicating/non-evolving synthetic cells due to their varying risk profiles and containment challenges. It emphasizes the potential of non-replicating synthetic cells as a safer, more controllable platform with minimized genetic instability and enhanced biosafety features, while still acknowledging the potential for DNA transfer to environmental organisms. The report calls for developing methods to characterize risks associated with synthetic cell deployment, establishing a classification framework based on potential harms, and fostering public trust through proactive engagement, transparency, and appropriate regulatory guidelines.