ABSTRACT
This chapter details four general themes emerging in the current political economic landscape of synbio as a result of this transformation. Despite widespread hopes to produce novel pharmaceuticals, biofuels, and medical innovations, recombinant molecular technologies are limited by their source materials. Synthetic biology firms seek to remedy commercial shortcomings of the recombinant era through more efficient genetic modification technology. Instead of relying on genetic information and material from currently existing organisms, synthetic biology is centered on writing, editing, designing, and producing customized organisms. Gene editing firms have emerged to serve as technical base for more efficient design of synthetic genomes and organisms. The development of CRISPR-Cas and other gene editing tools has opened up biology to radical rearrangements and creations. Synbio firms are still seeking to develop a competitive fossil fuel alternative, since the ramifications would be incredible. While few synthetic products have become commercially viable, the emergence of gene editing technologies has allowed biologists to streamline their design approach.
