Science champions to cement UK leadership in safe, responsible biology breakthroughs
Summary
Ahead of chairing the Council’s inaugural meeting, George Freeman, Minister of State at the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology said: “We are on the cusp of an engineering biology revolution, from therapies for previously untreatable illnesses to entirely new ways of recycling. “The inaugural meeting today shows we are already delivering on the Biological Security Strategy I announced just a few months ago, and that we are committed to keeping the public safe from bio-threats and maximising the benefits from our thriving life sciences industry.” To begin with, the UK Biosecurity Leadership Council will support work on how the responsible development of DNA-based technology should be governed. Steve Bates OBE, CEO of the UK BioIndustry Association (BIA), said: “Engineering biology has great potential and the diverse applications, making it a decisive force in tackling our world’s biggest challenges, from climate change to environmental degradation and feeding the growing global population. “UK biotech companies have long understood the power that lies in combining biology with modern technology, driving our world-class life sciences sector, and leading advances in developing novel therapeutics and cell and gene therapies, and creating vaccines to fight the COVID-19 pandemic. Sophie Rose, Senior Biosecurity Policy Advisor at the Centre for Long-Term Resilience, said: “We praise the Government’s commitment to ensuring the UK set the example for empowering responsible innovation across emerging technology sectors, which is particularly crucial as life sciences and artificial intelligence advance at rapid paces.