Week 2: Wednesday, 11 May, 15:00 - 16:30
James King (Lead Designer, Science Practice Ltd)
"Designing biotechnology - a new approach to genetics"
"Designing biotechnology - a new approach to genetics"
Abstract: Synthetic Biology is a new approach to genetics which applies engineering principles to biology in the hope of creating medicines, fuels, foods and other useful products. As a designer, James King has worked with three different groups of synthetic biologists over the last two years. He has undertaken these collaborations for two reasons. The first is that synthetic biology is generating technologies which may have a huge impact on our everyday lives. We should therefore begin to understand what sorts of materials and processes will be made possible and how best to use them. The second is that the activity of design is integral to synthetic biology – a field in which researchers quite literally design the objects of their study. In this respect, designers might have something to contribute in an analogous way to the biologists, engineers and computer scientists who have been pivotal in shaping the field so far.
Bio: James King is a designer working in the biological sciences. He imagines what might be possible if technologies developed in the lab become adopted by people in their everyday lives. This results in objects, films and images that are exhibited in order to elicit debate on the desirable and undesirable qualities of future biotechnologies. James' work has been shown widely. Most notably at MoMA and at the
Wellcome Trust and reproduced in many publications such as Wired, SEED and The Guardian.
All welcome. See Seminars page for further information.