Friday, April 29, 2005
Printable Skin
href="http://www.livescience.com/technology/050201_skin_printing.html"
target=_blank>By manufacturing human skin cells using a printer similar
to an inkjet, scientists have taken a significant first step toward
generating new skin.
This is from February, but thought it
was interesting in light of artists like href="http://www.symbiotica.uwa.edu.au/research/bioreactor.html"
target=_blank>SymbioticA who have been working with and
manipulating skin cells.
Courting Armageddon: How the Bush Administration's Biological Weapons Buildup Affects You
target=_blank>There's a tricky clause in Chapter 32/Title 50 of the
United States Code (the aggregation of US general and permanent laws)
which states that the Secretary of Defense can conduct a chemical or
biological agent test or experiment on humans in certain cases "if
informed consent has been obtained." So far so good. But check out a
different part of Chapter 32, Section 1515, entitled "Suspension;
Presidential authorization." After November 19, 1969, the operation of
this chapter, or any portion thereof, may be suspended by the President
during the period of any war declared by Congress and during the period
of any national emergency declared by Congress or by the President. You
got it. If the President or Congress decides we're at war then the
Secretary of Defense doesn't need anybody's consent to test chemical or
biological agents on human beings. Gives one pause during these days of
a perpetual "War on Terror."
big biotech comes out in support of Apple's legal maneuverings
href="http://news.com.com/Apple+gets+tech+support+in+court/2100-7348_3
-5689203.html?tag=alert" target=_blank>The potential conflict between
trade secrets and First Amendment rights intensified earlier this week
as Intel, Genentech and the Business Software Alliance filed court
briefs in support of Apple Computer.
Looks like the wagons are circling... biotech stands to benefit from
secrecy as much as the proprietary computing market.
Sunday, April 24, 2005
Suit filed against German GM law
target=_blank>Sachsen-Anhalt, one of Germany's 16 states, yesterday
(April 12) filed a lawsuit at the country's highest court against
national regulations governing genetically modified (GM) crops.
Biotech market
href="http://www.forbes.com/home_europe/markets/2005/04/22/
cx_pk_0422roundupbiotech.html">Stock reports from Forbes
The Biotech Pope
target=_blank>A discussion of the newly elected Pope and the Roman
Catholic Church's relationship to biotechnology, by the Chairperson of
the Green Party in Malta.
Same, but different, controversies rage around embryonic stem cell research in Australia/Tasmania and the U.S.
href="http://etopiamedia.net/empnn/pages/cpt-emnn/cpt-emnn321
-5551212.html" target=_blank>California, other U.S. states, and
Washington, D.C., are not the only places where violent controversies
are swirling around questions relating to embryonic stem cell
research.
Thursday, April 21, 2005
outta sight, outta their minds
This href="http://www.ascribe.org/cgi-bin/behold.pl?
ascribeid=20050420.143013&time=14%2050%20PDT&year=2005&public=1"
target=_blank>press release from Controlled Pharming Ventures LLC,
and Purdue University discusses a plan to grow GE corn and other crops
underground. Seeing underground facilities as "contained," the idea is
that they can grow pharma crops - even ones requiring biosafety
regulation.
Wednesday, April 20, 2005
THE DNA STORY: An Incomplete Answer
This is a first person story about a person trying to track their
ancestry through a DNA analysis (from tolerance.org)
href="http://www.tolerance.org/news/article_tol.jsp?id=1193"
target=_blank>I'm disappointed. I paid $160 for a DNA genealogy test
and all I got was a computer-generated certificate. A jumble of
random-seeming number and letter sequences indicate about 60,000 years
ago my ancestors migrated from Central Africa to Southwest Africa.
Tuesday, April 19, 2005
Biotech Art Workshop and Seminar
For those of you in Australia (or those of you just following
developments between art and genetics), the arts collective SymbioticA
is holding a great workshop
href="http://www.uow.edu.au/crearts/sad/SymbiotechWshop05.html"
target=_blank>A five day intensive workshop dealing with hands on
exploration of biological technologies and issues stemming from their
use. Through the arts, SymbioticA seeks to take science beyond the
laboratory and help the public develop a critical awareness of science
and new biological technologies. The workshop will introduce
participants to issues, concepts and techniques relating to
contemporary art practices dealing with the manipulation of life.
Emphasis is placed on developing critical thought, ethical issues and
cross-disciplinary experimentation in art.
Biodemocracy 2005 - Reclaim the Commons
Call to Action: Converge
in Philadelphia, June 18th to 21st, 2005
Counter convention to
the Biotech
Industry Organization's annual convention that brings together a
variety of interests giving voice to a growing global opposition to the
current direction of biotech and genetic sciences.
Tuesday, April 12, 2005
Steve Kurtz/Robert Ferrell case update
It looks like the bioterrorism charges are being brought back to the
table by the FBI in their case against Critical Art Ensemble co-founder
Steve Kurtz and scientist/professor Dr. Robert Ferrell...
href="http://www.caedefensefund.org/" target=_blank>On March 17, Steven
Barnes, also a founding member of the Critical Art Ensemble, was served
a subpoena to appear before a Federal Grand Jury in Buffalo on April
19. According to the subpoena, the FBI is once again seeking charges
under Section 175 of the US Biological Weapons Anti-Terrorism Act of
1989, as expanded by the USA PATRIOT Act--charges which a previous
Grand Jury appeared to reject when they handed down indictments of mail
and wire fraud last summer.
There's an April 17 href="http://www.caedefensefund.org/auction" target=_blank>art
auction at the Paula Cooper Gallery in NYC to help raise the needed
funds for their defense.
Biggest Study of GMO Finds Impact on Birds, Bees
target=_blank>The world's biggest study to date on the impact of
genetically modified (GMO) crops on wildlife found birds and bees are
more likely to thrive in fields of natural rapeseed than GMO seed,
scientists said. But scientists behind the British study were keen to
stress the differences between the two arose not because the crop was
genetically engineered but because of the way pesticides were
applied.
Zambia reaffirms its ban on GMOs - looks to alternatives
target=_blank>... instead of following the GMO route, Zambia, like
several other African countries, is currently in the process of
developing a biosafety legislation to regulate GM products. The Zambian
government effectively has reaffirmed its position to ban GMOs in the
country until it is satisfied with safety reports to humans and
animals.
Friday, April 08, 2005
New Yale Study on Population Genetics for Dept of Justice
Via a Freedom of Information Act request: This document (PDF) explains a project at the Kidd Lab at Yale University to develop a system to analyze single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in a DNA sample and, allegedly, thereby determine the geographic origin of an individual. The Lab has a large and diversse collection of human cell lines. The system is being developed for law enforcement. From The National Biodefense Analysis and Countermeasures Center a Sunshine Project initiative.Monday, April 04, 2005
International Campaign to Stop Smallpox Genetic Engineering
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