Collaborating with biology and each other!

_{Jane Calvert traced almost two decades of involvement in engineering biology. © Robert Reich / TUM} 

BioSysteM recently welcomed science and technology studies scholar Jane Calvert from the University of Edinburgh as guest speaker. Over 50 researchers from various backgrounds gathered to engage with social science perspectives on engineering biology.  

In her talk, Jane Calvert traced almost two decades of involvement in engineering biology, exploring themes of control, contingency, and collaboration. Some of her conclusions:  

• Improving scientific control over biological systems is a central orientation in engineering biology. Yet, control is limited by the complexity and unpredictability of biological systems.  
• Directed evolution can be one way of working productively with this challenge: Releasing some control and using unpredictable change can allow scientists and biological systems to “collaborate” to achieve design goals.  
• Interdisciplinary collaboration between natural and social scientists often flourishes especially at the periphery of formal events: during coffee breaks, in the pub (or beer garden) or when travelling in and out together.  

With Ruth Müller and Amy Clare on the team, BioSysteM aims to foster further research at the intersection of science and technology studies, ethics, and biosystems.