The UK Biosecurity Leadership Council, consisting of leaders from industry and academia, has held its first meeting, with a goal to make the UK a world leader in the responsible use of engineering biology. The Council’s establishment stems from objectives in the UK Biological Security Strategy, which outlined the government’s plan to enhance national resilience to future biological threats while promoting responsible innovation and positioning the UK as a global leader in biosecurity.
Engineering biology applies engineering principles to biology to construct new or redesigned biological systems, and it is expected to deliver breakthroughs in health, environment, economy, and biosecurity risk management. The UK government is investing over £170 million in engineering biology and developing policies to ensure its safe and ethical development, including guidelines on how to govern DNA-based technologies, potential risks, and mitigations.
Click here to read the press release from the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology