GES Center Publications

Press Release, April 15, 2021 | A newly published special issue of Conservation Science and Practice makes the case for rebalancing the risk–benefit equation in conservation.

A Focus on "Intended Consequences" to Drive Conservation Action | Conservation Science and Practice

Hannah Burrack and Matt Shipman, Feb. 15, 2021 | The finding raises questions about how the flies can tell whether a piece of fruit is virgin territory – and what that might mean for pest control.

Invasive Flies Prefer Untouched Territory When Laying Eggs

Biodesigned, Jan. 21, 2021 | Environmental scientist Todd Kuiken weighs the pros and cons of deploying biotechnology to protect vulnerable ecosystems. Can altering the DNA of species save them from the impacts of human induced climate change, or will it wreak a new form of havoc?"

Biotech: An Environmentalist's Dilemna

Press Release, December 17, 2020 | As genetically engineered organisms ramp up, a multidisciplinary coalition offers a framework for ethical, socially engaged and transparent field practices

Scientists Set a Path for Field Trials of Gene Drive Organisms | Science

Press Release, November 19, 2020 | New government regulations for biotechnology will create gaps in oversight of gene-edited crops and the provision of information to consumers.

Researchers Recommend More Transparency for Gene-Edited Crops | Science

Margaret Huffman, Nov. 11 2020 | Choosing to plant genetically engineered seed that will grow insect-resistant corn (Bt corn) is more expensive at the time of planting but is common practice in places like the United States and the Philippines. This study takes a closer look at those who do not plant genetically engineered seed because their neighbors use of Bt corn eliminated the local pest pressure.

The ‘Public Good’ of Controlling Mobile Pests with Genetically Engineered Crops

Jennifer Kuzma, September 1, 2020 | This article explores attitudes of stakeholders involved in biotechnology towards the Responsible Innovation (RI) framework.

Responsible Innovation in Biotechnology: Stakeholder attitudes and implications for research policy | Elementa

Rosemary Brandt, July 21, 2020 | Nicknamed the "billion-dollar beetle" for its enormous economic costs to growers in the United States each year, the western corn rootworm is one of the most devastating pests farmers face.

Returning to Farming’s Roots in the Battle Against the ‘Billion-Dollar Beetle’ | Agricultural and Resource Economics

Todd Kuiken, June 11, 2020 | The following reflection was part of a special GES colloquium held on June 5, 2020, discussing the new USDA regulations on GM crops. Which was held in the midst of national protests against police brutality. They are my personal reflections in support of #blacklivesmatter and the systemic racism and inequalities seen throughout our institutions.

Blog: We must do better...

Jennifer Kuzma, June 3, 2020 | Release of GM mosquitoes in Florida is imminent. But a multidisciplinary team of scientists believe that more studies are needed first. They encourage a publicly accessible registry for GM organisms.

Genetically modified mosquitoes could be released in Florida and Texas beginning this summer – silver bullet or jumping the gun?

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Article

Keywords

Barriers to responsible innovation of nanotechnology applications in food and agriculture: A study of US experts and developers

Cummings Christopher L., Kuzma Jennifer, Kokotovich Adam, Glas David, Grieger Khara (2021). Barriers to responsible innovation of nanotechnology applications in food and agriculture: A study of US experts and developers. NanoImpact, 100326, ISSN 2452-0748. doi:10.1016/j.impact.2021.100326. PDF		Responsible Innovation, Nanotechnology, Nano-agrifood

New Bioengineered (aka GM) Food Disclosure Law: Useful Information or Consumer Confusion?

Gregory Jaffe and Jennifer Kuzma. "New Bioengineered (aka GM) Food Disclosure Law: Useful Information or Consumer Confusion?" Food and Drug Law Institute. https://www.fdli.org/2021/04/new-bioengineered-aka-gm-food-disclosure-law-useful-information-or-consumer-confusion. Accessed 28 April 2021. PDF		Bioengineered food, Regulation, Governance, Transparency, Labeling

Whose intentions? What consequences? Interrogating “Intended Consequences” for conservation with environmental biotechnology

Barnhill-Dilling, SK and Delborne, JA. Whose intentions? What consequences? Interrogating “Intended Consequences” for conservation with environmental biotechnology. Conservation Science and Practice 2021; e406. doi: 10.1111/csp2.406. PDF		Biotechnology, Conservation, Responsible Research and Innovation

Intended consequences statement

Phelan, R, Baumgartner, B, Brand, S... Delborne, JA, Saah, JR, et al. Intended consequences statement. Conservation Science and Practice 2021; e371. doi: 10.1111/csp2.371. PDF		Biodiversity, Public engagement, Conservation, Emerging technologies

Ugandan stakeholder hopes and concerns about gene drive mosquitoes for malaria control: new directions for gene drive risk governance

Hartley, S., Smith, R.D.J., Kokotovich, A. et al. Ugandan stakeholder hopes and concerns about gene drive mosquitoes for malaria control: new directions for gene drive risk governance. Malar J 20, 149 (2021). doi: 10.1186/s12936-021-03682-6 PDF		Malaria control, Gene drive mosquitoes, Uganda, Stakeholders, Risk governance, Risk assessment, Target Malaria

COVID-19: how a self-monitoring checklist can empower early intervention and slow disease progression

Cummings, C.L., Miller, C.S. COVID-19: how a self-monitoring checklist can empower early intervention and slow disease progression. Environ Syst Decis (2021). doi: 10.1007/s10669-021-09806-2. PDF		COVID-19, Risk, Early Intervention, Risk Response

Social signals mediate oviposition site selection in Drosophila suzukii

Elsensohn, J.E., Aly, M.F.K., Schal, C., Burrack, H.J.. Social signals mediate oviposition site selection in Drosophila suzukii. Sci Rep 11, 3796 (2021). doi: 10.1038/s41598-021-83354-2		Agroecology, Behavioural ecology, Invasive species, Microbial ecology

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Journals and Workshop Reports

Exploring Stakeholder Perspectives on the Development of a Gene Drive Mouse for Biodiversity Protection on Islands: Landscape Analysis and Workshop Report 

Authors: Jason Delborne, Julie Shapiro, Mahmud Farroque, S. Kathleen Barnhill-Dilling, Tyler Ford, Dalton George, and Sonia Dermer (2019)

Mice offer an ideal genetic model for exploring the possibility of developing a synthetic gene drive in mammals. As pests, they pose challenges to human health (through disease transmission), agricultural yields and storage, and biodiversity, especially on islands where they are not native. In line with the guidance of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine report on gene drive research (NASEM, 2016), if research on gene drives in mice were to progress to a field trial, an island ecosystem would offer an additional level of physical containment. Thus, the focal application for the stakeholder landscape analysis and this workshop is the potential for developing and releasing a gene drive mouse on an island to suppress an invasive mouse population that poses a threat to biodiversity endemic to that island (e.g., nesting seabirds).

Biotechnology, the American Chestnut Tree, and Public Engagement: Workshop Report

Authors: Jason Delborne, Andrew Binder, Louie Rivers, Jessica Cavin Barnes, S. Kathleen Barnhill-Dilling, Dalton George, Adam Kokotovich, and Jayce Sudweeks (2018)

In April 2018, a team of NC State faculty and students convened a stakeholder workshop to explore opportunities for public engagement surrounding the development, regulatory review, and potential deployment of a genetically engineered American chestnut tree. As perhaps the first GMO designed to spread and persist in the wild, the tree has the potential to restore a functionally extinct species but also raises important ethical, political, ecological, and cultural questions. This report describes the workshop and its purpose, details the substance of the discussions, and offers the research team’s perspective on lessons learned and ways forward.

Journal of Responsible Innovation: Roadmap to Gene Drives – Research and Governance Needs in Social, Political, and Ecological Context

Edited by: Jason Delborne, Jennifer Kuzma, Fred Gould, Emma Frow, Caroline Leitschuh, and Jayce Sudweeks (2018)

The Genetic Engineering and Society Center at hosted a workshop in February of 2016, supported in part by the National Science Foundation, entitled ‘A Roadmap to Gene Drives: A Deliberative Workshop to Develop Frameworks for Research and Governance.’ (see workshop site)

In order to examine core governance issues and research needs in an anticipatory way, this 3-day workshop brought together over 70 subject matter experts from academia, business, government, and non-profit organizations from 10 different countries in Europe, Australia, and North and South America. Those experts were invited to submit papers for this special issue of the Journal of Responsible Innovation. In total, 13 peer-reviewed papers are included in the special Gene Drive issue of the Journal.

BMC Proceedings: Environmental Release of Engineered Pests: Building an International Governance Framework

Edited by Lucy Carter, Zachary Brown and Fred Gould (2018)

In October 2016, a two-day meeting of 65 academic, government and industry professionals was held at North Carolina State University for early-stage discussions about the international governance of gene drives: potentially powerful new technologies that can be used for the control of pests, invasive species, and disease vectors. (see workshop site)

Presenters at the meeting prepared seven manuscripts elaborating on the ideas raised. This BMC Proceedings issue presents the collection of these peer-reviewed manuscripts.

Synthetic Biology Governance: Delphi Study Workshop Report

Authors: Pat Roberts, Sharon Stauffer, Christopher Cummings, and Jennifer Kuzma (2015)

In order to explore risk governance data needs, opportunities, and challenges for SynBio, we initiated a research project funded by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation in 2013. This project had the overarching goals to “unpack” the broad field of SynBio for more nuanced and productive policy discussions and help set priorities for risk-relevant data collection, organizational and/or legislative readiness for oversight, and public and stakeholder engagement. In doing so, the project chose four case studies of potential applications of SynBio that are not yet in the final stages of research and development. We employed a four-round policy Delphi study to anticipate governance needs upstream of technology development and consumer use. (see Synthetic Biology Sloan Foundation Grant site)

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Annual Reports

GES Center Annual Reports

Annual Reports to the National Science Foundation

GES Blog

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Statement on Productive, Inclusive, and Ethical Communication

Adopted June 28, 2013

Genetic engineering encompasses technologies, practices, and policies that can affect all of society and must be informed by substantial, rigorous, open, and inclusive civic deliberation. The Genetic Engineering and Society (GES) Center at North Carolina State University has adopted the following guidelines to promote productive, inclusive, and ethical communication. Download