Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Lucy Carter, Aditi Mankad
Summary: Discussions on the responsible advancement of synthetic biology science are in full swing, with calls for greater science investments and inclusive governance processes worldwide. The article shares experiences from Australia and suggests four key actions to pivot synthetic biology towards a more integrated scientific endeavor. These actions include formalizing inclusivity, valuing differing philosophical positions, accepting the persistence required for integration, and promoting meaningful interactions within the scientific community.
FRONTIERS IN BIOENGINEERING AND BIOTECHNOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Mirco Plante
Summary: Synthetic biology is an emerging research field that aims to understand, modify, and create new biological entities by adopting a modular and systemic approach. This discipline has generated diverse approaches, bringing together practices and conceptualizations from various disciplines, which can lead to confusion within the field. This manuscript provides an epistemological analysis of synthetic biology to better define its objects of study and specific objectives.
FRONTIERS IN BIOENGINEERING AND BIOTECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Review
Psychology, Multidisciplinary
Edoardo Datteri, Thierry Chaminade, Donato Romano
Summary: Robots are used as scientific tools to study animal behavior and cognition in fields such as ethorobotics and robot-supported social cognitive neurosciences. Despite differing in robots and research questions, these fields share a common methodology that differs from previous approaches. This article discusses the methodological novelty, research opportunities, and challenges that arise, focusing on the peculiarities of the two research fields. It also identifies and discusses broad methodological issues related to generalizing results on robot-animal interaction to theoretical conclusions on animal-animal interaction.
FRONTIERS IN PSYCHOLOGY
(2022)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Gregor P. Greslehner
Summary: The disciplinary identity of molecular biology has been questioned, but through historical research and philosophical analysis, it can be seen as a viable interdisciplinary program, even without strict boundaries.
News Item
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Philip Ball
Summary: A pair of studies highlight ethical and legal concerns surrounding the status of lab-grown human embryo models.
Article
Education & Educational Research
Justice T. Walker
Summary: Despite limited knowledge of synthetic biology, middle school students have well-formed attitudes towards the field, indicating potential for further learning and engagement. The perspectives among this group are still developing and flexible, presenting opportunities for support and education in this emerging field.
JOURNAL OF SCIENCE EDUCATION AND TECHNOLOGY
(2021)
Article
History & Philosophy Of Science
S. Andrew Schroeder
Summary: This article compares two different arguments for the importance of bringing new voices into science: arguments for increasing the representation of women and arguments for including the public or citizen science. It suggests that diversifying science can improve the quality of scientific results in epistemic, ethical, and political aspects. However, there are important differences between efforts to include the public and efforts to bring more women into science, requiring difficult trade-offs.
Article
History & Philosophy Of Science
Daphne Broeks, Yogi Hendlin, Hub Zwart
Summary: Synthetic biology challenges the boundaries between organic and inorganic, as well as natural and artificial, from a philosophical perspective. This article focuses on the impact of synthetic cells on our experience of the living world and draws on Walter Benjamin's theory to argue that the aura of life will also be eroded in the era of synthetic lifeforms.
Editorial Material
Neurosciences
Timothy Daly
Summary: The Journal of Alzheimer's Disease (JAD) is not only a platform for cutting-edge science and ethical reflection but also for philosophical discussions in science. It is suggested that interdisciplinary researchers should publish their innovative questions and findings about Alzheimer's disease in JAD.
JOURNAL OF ALZHEIMERS DISEASE
(2023)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Lucy Carter, Aditi Mankad, Elizabeth V. Hobman
Summary: Engaging diverse publics on the acceptability of large-scale biology applications such as gene drives is highly regarded by the international research community. However, evidence of applied research organizations integrating the knowledge acquired from social research is hard to find. Concrete mechanisms to ensure public perspectives affect science decision-making are yet to emerge. We offer avenues for making inroads in public engagement research in the fields of synthetic biology and bioengineering.
OMICS-A JOURNAL OF INTEGRATIVE BIOLOGY
(2023)
Review
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Kangsan Kim, Minjeong Kang, Byung-Kwan Cho
Summary: In recent years, there has been increasing interest in gut commensal engineering for therapeutic applications. Recent advancements in synthetic biology and systems biology have enabled effective utilization of gut commensals for therapy and diagnosis, including the rational design of synthetic microbial consortia and the construction of synthetic cells that can detect specific signals in the intestine and deliver therapeutic drugs in real-time.
FRONTIERS IN BIOENGINEERING AND BIOTECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Zikun Wang, Zhansong Zhang, Wanjun Zhao, Paramasivam Sivaguru, Giuseppe Zanoni, Yingying Wang, Edward A. Anderson, Xihe Bi
Summary: The authors synthesized previously thought to be unstable sulfonyl sulfones and demonstrated their broad use as sulfinyl radical precursors in disulfurizations of alkenes and alkynes. Experimental and theoretical investigations suggest that these reactions proceed through sequential sulfonyl and sulfinyl radical addition.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2021)
Article
Biology
Emily C. Parke
Summary: The impact of microbiome research on human existence is a topic that is increasingly discussed, but often without adequate explanation or justification. This article provides a guide on how to approach these discussions with greater caution and clarity. Different interpretations of ambiguous claims regarding the microbiome's significance for humanity can range from trivial to controversial and overhyped, highlighting the need for more careful consideration in ongoing discussions.
Article
History & Philosophy Of Science
Gabe Dupre
Summary: This research introduces a methodology for linguistics called the 'explanatory economy', which evaluates multiple models/theories based on their complementarity in data coverage. It resolves concerns about generative linguistics by demonstrating key methodological distinctions and explaining the push for simplicity in generative grammar throughout history.
Review
Education & Educational Research
Wencheng Liu, Xiaofei Li, Gaofeng Li
Summary: The philosophy of science has made significant contributions to science education, particularly in enhancing conceptual understanding and knowledge of the nature of science. However, implementing it in education faces challenges such as unclear teaching objectives and a lack of perspective in textbooks.
SCIENCE & EDUCATION
(2023)
Article
History & Philosophy Of Science
Maureen A. O'Malley
STUDIES IN HISTORY AND PHILOSOPHY OF SCIENCE
(2016)
Review
Ecology
Maureen A. O'Malley, Jeremy G. Wideman, Inaki Ruiz-Trillo
TRENDS IN ECOLOGY & EVOLUTION
(2016)
Article
Biology
Maureen A. O'Malley
JOURNAL OF THE HISTORY OF BIOLOGY
(2018)
Article
Biology
Maureen A. O'Malley
JOURNAL OF THEORETICAL BIOLOGY
(2017)
Article
Microbiology
Katarzyna B. Hooks, Maureen A. O'Malley
Article
History & Philosophy Of Science
Maureen A. O'Malley, Emily C. Parke
STUDIES IN HISTORY AND PHILOSOPHY OF SCIENCE
(2018)
Article
Psychology, Biological
Katarzyna B. Hooks, Jan Pieter Konsman, Maureen A. O'Malley
BEHAVIORAL AND BRAIN SCIENCES
(2019)
Editorial Material
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Emily C. Parke, Brett Calcott, Maureen A. O'Malley
Review
Ecology
Maureen A. O'Malley, Michelle M. Leger, Jeremy G. Wideman, Inaki Ruiz-Trillo
NATURE ECOLOGY & EVOLUTION
(2019)
Editorial Material
Evolutionary Biology
Russell Powell, Maureen A. O'Malley
JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL ZOOLOGY PART B-MOLECULAR AND DEVELOPMENTAL EVOLUTION
(2019)
Article
History & Philosophy Of Science
Kate E. Lynch, Emily C. Parke, Maureen A. O'Malley
BIOLOGY & PHILOSOPHY
(2019)
Review
Microbiology
Katarzyna B. Hooks, Maureen A. O'Malley
JOURNAL OF EUKARYOTIC MICROBIOLOGY
(2020)
Article
History & Philosophy Of Science
Kate E. Lynch, Emily C. Parke, Maureen A. O'Malley
BIOLOGY & PHILOSOPHY
(2020)
Article
History & Philosophy Of Science
Daniela K. Helbig, Maureen A. O'Malley
Summary: Ilse Rosenthal-Schneider, a refugee immigrant to Australia in 1938, was a student of Nobel Prize-winning physicists, Einstein, Planck, and von Laue. She combined a background in physics with a philosophical focus on the nature of knowledge. She not only taught science students at the University of Sydney but also conducted science outreach programs in regional towns of New South Wales, where she was highly acclaimed as a science communicator.
HISTORICAL RECORDS OF AUSTRALIAN SCIENCE
(2022)
Review
Microbiology
Maureen A. O'Malley, David A. Walsh
Summary: The principle of microbial infallibility, which states that microorganisms will always find a way to utilize environmental resources for energy gain, has a long history in microbial physiology. Recent discoveries have reignited interest in this principle and highlighted its importance in contemporary metagenomics research. Hypothesis-driven metagenomics can benefit from the assumptions of microbial infallibility, allowing for the formulation and testing of hypotheses with the help of enrichment cultures and other strategies.
FEMS MICROBIOLOGY ECOLOGY
(2021)
