About the project
DNA is no longer something we ‘discover’ but something we create. Artificial Intelligence (AI) enables us to generate and “print” synthetic DNA sequences unrelated to anything found in nature.
This technology can be used to create entirely new genetic sequences and has been proposed as a strategy to preserve endangered species. Synthetic DNA may also allow for the replication and reproduction of human genetic material in unprecedented ways.
These possibilities force us to reconsider fundamental questions about our relationship with nature, responsibility, and the moral status of living systems:
- Who, if anyone, has the authority to design DNA, and on whose behalf?
- What is responsible experimentation when the subject matter is future life?
The project “WritingLife” brings together philosophers, legal scholars, biologists, and AI experts to examine the ethics of synthetic DNA.
Objectives
WritingLife examines how AI‑driven DNA design is transforming ideas of nature, conservation and human heredity, and the risks and promises this creates.
The project’s interdisciplinary team will analyse real use cases and build new conceptual and ethical tools for responsible “writing” of DNA and future life.
The final output of the project will be a report detailing our findings and recommendations for the future.
Open positions
We are currently hiring for two postdoc fellowships: one fellowship will focus specifically on the interplay between AI and synDNA (AI SynDNA), and the other on the use of synDNA for data storage (Data SynDNA). See details here.
