Dual-Use Bioethics

International Conference

Responsible Conduct of Research for Scientists and Engineers: Twin International Meeting
The Norcroft Conference Centre, University of Bradford, Bradford, UK
Monday 9 - Wednesday 11 July 2012

European COST Network – Delivering Social Responsibility: Ethics in Sustainable Training and Continual Professional Development for Scientists and Engineers

Annual Bradford Biosecurity Education Meeting 2 – Biosecurity for Life Scientists: Progress and Challenges after the Seventh Review Conference of the BWC.

The advance of the life sciences and biotechnology has the potential to bring great benefits to humankind through responding to societal challenges. However, it is also possible that such advances could be exploited for hostile purposes, something evidenced in a small number of incidents of bioterrorism, but more particularly by the series of large-scale offensive biological warfare programmes carried out by major states in the last century. Dealing with this challenge, which has been labelled the `dual-use` dilemma requires a number of different activities. However, one of the essential ingredients in ensuring that the life sciences continue to generate great benefits and do not become subject to misuse for hostile purposes is a process of engagement between scientists and the security community and the development of strong ethical and normative frameworks to compliment legal and regulatory measures that are being developed by states.

This website is tied to the collaborative, interdisciplinary project on building a sustainable capacity in dual-use bioethics, which has been funded by the Wellcome Trust. The project brings together a number of leading experts from different fields, including Professor Malcolm Dando and colleagues at the University of Bradford's Department of Peace Studies, Dr Brian Rappert in the Department of Sociology and Philosophy, University of Exeter, Dr Alexander Kelle in the Department of European Studies, University of Bath and Dr Michael Selgelid of the Australian National University. The website provides a wealth of material related to dual-use bioethics, `biosecurity' and biological weapons control. Specifically, the website includes the following:

Academic Publications related to dual-use bioethics;
Policy material and presentations related to dual-use bioethics;
Audio-Visual resources on this topic;
Links and details of leading experts in this field; and
Links to further sources of information and partner organisations working in this field.

For further information, expressions of interest or any other queries, please contact the project team either by email dualusebioethics@bradford.ac.uk or through the other means of contact outlined in the about section of this website.

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