Research news

Professor Adrian Ely is part of a new £62.4 million programme aiming to unlock the power of synthetic biology to future-proof our agricultural systems, fulfilling needs from food to pharmaceuticals. The Advanced Research + Invention Agency (ARIA) has announced the research teams receiving funding in their latest initiative. The Synthetic Plants programme aims to catalyse a new generation of productive, major crops. Professor Ely from our Science Policy Research Unit (SPRU), is part of a team led by the University of Edinburgh and involving colleagues from the University of Exeter, focusing on the social and ethical dimensions of these innovations.  

Many agricultural systems in the UK currently rely on practices that are harmful to the environment, like carbon-intensive fertiliser inputs and pesticides, among others. Alongside other approaches, synthetic biologycould help to address these sustainability challenges. A new generation of major crops that are productive, resilient and sustainable, have potential for broad societal benefits, for example in food security, climate change mitigation and sustainable agriculture.  

Understanding the social and ethical aspects of these advancements is crucial for responsible innovation, and the team will be engaging with different stakeholders in this process. Professor Ely introduces some of their focus areas:  

“As with all rapidly emerging technologies, synthetic biology raises important considerations for research, regulation and governance. Two of the issues that we intend to explore are intellectual property approaches and supply chain issues. Intellectual property approaches are important because they will shape investment and access to the technology. Supply chain issues relate to likely future requirements around segregation, labelling and traceability.”  

“I’m excited to be working with such a strong team on the governance of this new scientific field in a rapidly changing global context. This builds upon a long history of work at SPRU on the social and political dimensions of different emerging technologies. We hope that our research will inform better decision making, contributing to environmental sustainability and ensuring that policy aligns with widely held societal views.”  

ARIA funds teams of scientists and engineers to pursue research at the edge of what is scientifically and technology possible. ARIA is an R&D funding agency created by an Act of Parliament and sponsored by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology.