To discuss current developments in synthetic biology from a variety of perspectives, the Schering Stiftung, in cooperation with the Leopoldina – German National Academy of Sciences and the Berlin-Brandenburg Academy of Sciences and Humanities (BBAW), organizes a symposium entitled “Evolution Made by Man? Synthetic Biology in the Lab and the Studio.”

Since antiquity, human beings have dreamed of creating life artificially. The enormous progress in DNA sequencing and genetic synthesis has stimulated the emergence of synthetic biology, a discipline that makes it possible to reprogram the genetic code of organisms and create living systems whose combination of traits had previously not existed in nature. This holds the promise of finding future solutions to pressing problems in fields such as health, environment and energy. At the same time, synthetic biology brings with it not only scientific, but also political, legal and ethical challenges.