The Choice is Yours

A column by Gregor Wolbring

Metagenomics: An application

February 15^th 2010

http://politicsofhealth.org/wol/2010-2-15.htm

I covered Metagenomics and some of it’s issues and applications a year ago.

Since then I had a chance to join a Metagenomics for Greener Production and Extraction of Hydrocarbon Energy project.

I am the leader of the team that looks at the ethical, environmental, economical, legal and social GE3LS issuesm attached to topics related to the project.

Metagenomics itself raises various issues: regulatory concerns about the definition and meaning of microbial species; potential environmental, health and safety risks; the application of the International Convention on Biological Diversity to this type of research; the effect of public perception; and current metagenomics patenting practices (see my last column on metagenomics). This metagenomics study is expected to lead to the discovery of products or processes based on microbial metabolism that may be deployed in hydrocarbon rich environments. The very nature of the field for which this Metagenomics project is employed raises further issues such as of environmental health and safety and as well as questions of public reaction. The GE3LS component of this project will explore public conceptions around energy and investigate issues linked to this project in the areas of; a) metagenomics, b) water use, c) greenhouse gas emissions, d) bioremediation and e)manipulation of microorganisms to enhance hydrocarbon recovery.

There are a number tasks with specified time frames that the GE3LS team must accomplish. The first was to set the stage by making a various literature reviews available. They can be found online:

It is hoped that the literature reviews will lead people to think about research and engagement questions that needs to be answered and act on them.

More useful links may be found over time so check here from time to time.

The Choice is Yours:

New and emerging technologies shape social expectations and vice versa. It’s up to you to be involved to be part of shaping the discourses.

All of the "The Choice is Yours" articles till June 2009 can be found here, after June 2009 here

Gregor Wolbring is an Assistant Professor at the University of Calgary, Faculty of Medicine, Dept of Community Health Science, Program in Community Rehabilitation and Disability Studies. He is Affiliated Scholar, Center for Nanotechnology in Society at Arizona State University, USA; Part Time Professor, Faculty of Law, University of Ottawa Canada; Adjunct Faculty Critical Disability Studies, York University, Canada. He is a science and technology governance scholar, a disability/vari-ability/ability studies scholar, and a health policy and science and technology studies researcher. He is the Chair of the Bioethics Taskforce of Disabled People's International. He publishes the Bioethics, Culture and Disability website, authors a weblog on NBICS and its social implications and on Ableism and Ability Ethics and Governance and contributes to the What Sorts of People blog.