We are delighted to welcome Prof Bill Adams, Claudio Segré Chair of Conservation and Development at the Graduate Institute of Geneva, to speak about his new book.
"Strange Natures" is published by Yale Books. Prof Adams says:
"Synthetic biology gives scientists unprecedented powers to reshape the genomes of living organisms. The technologies of gene editing are starting to transform the agricultural and biotechnology industries, with numerous applications in areas such as public health, pest control and food production. Their use in the field of nature conservation is also being discussed, for example to control invasive species, to fight wildlife disease, or even to bring extinct species back from the dead How should conservationists think about such interventions? Is gene editing a vital tool in the conservation toolbox, or a threat to wild nature? When scientists can use synthetic biology to reshape genes more or less at will, what does the conservation of nature mean?"
Prof Adams will be joining us for an in-person discussion, introduced and chaired by Dr. Chris Sandbrook with PhD student Rogelio Luque Lora. There will be a limit of 40 people in total in the Main Seminar Room, and we will admit people on a first come first served basis. In line with the latest DAB guidance, please wear a mask if you are able, and consider taking a lateral flow test before you come in as this will be a cross-organisation event.
You can read more about the subject here:
- Adams, W.M. and Redford K.R. (2021) ‘Editing the wild’, Biological Conservation https://doi.org/10.1111/cobi.13741.
- Adams, W.M. and Redford, K.R. (2021) ‘Fix that genome?’, Oryx 55: 481-2. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0030605321000697.
