The Ethics Platform

This TWB platform intervenes as part of the ethical and societal accompaniment of TWB’s research projects.

At the dawn of the XXI

century, the study of microorganisms constitutes a major research axis in the knowledge of the finest functionalities of life. Biological system engineers now model the nanometric architecture of microbial strains

. TWB Ethics Platform is a

. Indeed, the increasing modification of life’s properties raises

that need to be analyzed more closely. The specific approach of the Ethics Platform is to participate directly in these projects by putting the debates on a laboratory bench. The Ethics Platform is run by an “on-board philosopher” whose service was made available by the Graduate School for Ethics in Science and Health of the Catholic Institute of Toulouse. Present part-time at the TWB premises, he proposes to address ethical issues by considering both theoretical (for instance, philosophy of nature, philosophy of life) and practical (for instance, societal impact of the research projects) aspects. To that end:

• Conferences on the philosophical approach to nature and life are proposed during academic encounters, to which TWB researchers contribute. The intent is to give everyone the tools necessary to take account of the ethical reflection.
• These conferences are relayed on TWB’s site itself through “ethical cafés” intended to promote exchanges with all the personnel.
• More specific encounters, organized with the teams working on a particular project, help to refine the ethical reflection based on a concrete case.
• The works coordinated by the Ethics Platform are presented twice a year at the Ethics and Sustainable Development Committee¹ of TWB composed of prominent figures of the academic and industrial world.

This field experience in the laboratory makes it

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• Academic conferences on the ethical issues of bio-nanotechnologies.
• Participation in Workshops and Research Seminars.
• Teachings in Ethics of Science and Technologies (Masters, Engineering Schools).
• Continuous training session “Ethics of biotechnologies” (inter or intra-company, via INSA Toulouse – France).

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Publications:

• Des machines vivantes en Biologie de Synthèse? VRIN, coll. Sciences, Histoire, Philosophie, pp. 57-82, 2014
• L’éthique des sciences entre enseignement et recherche : exemple de la biologie de synthèse Les Etudes Hospitalières, pp. 85-100, 2014
• Nano-biotechnologies et rapport à la vie. Les Etudes Hospitalières, pp. 99-115, 2013

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Members of the CEDD of TWB on 1st September 2016: BENSAUDE-VINCENT Bernadette (Philosopher and Historian, Paris-I Sorbonne University), CAMBON-THOMSEN Anne (Doctor, Research Supervisor CNRS); BOIZARD Hervé (Sustainable Development INRA), BOUDET Alain-Michel (Plant Biology, Member of the Academy of Sciences and of the Academy of Technologies), MAGNIN Thierry (Rector of the Catholic University of Lyon, member of the Academy of Technologies), François MONNET (Director of Research & Innovation, Solvay). [/bloc_note]