Unearthing synthetic biology food futures and the changing 'nature' of production. A global ethnography of stevia ka'a he'e

挖掘合成生物食品期货和不断变化的生产“性质”。

• 批准号: ES/X006735/1
• 负责人: Molly Rose Bond
• 金额: $ 12.27万
• 依托单位: UNIVERSITY OF EXETER
• 依托单位国家: 英国
• 项目类别: Fellowship
• 财政年份: 2022
• 资助国家: 英国
• 起止时间: 2022 至 无数据
• 项目状态: 未结题
• 来源: https://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=ES%2FX006735%2F1
• 关键词: Unearthing; synthetic; biology; food; futures

The ground-breaking ability to 'biosynthesise' or produce replicas of 'natural' commodities normally derived from plants or animals is shaping new industrial food futures under the banner of 'cellular agriculture' or 'lab-grown' food, opening up a novel politics between people, plants and the very concept of 'naturalness'. Through an ethnographic journey juxtaposing the multiple 'worlds' of one plant known as stevia - the hot commodity touted to replace sugar and tackle the global obesity epidemic - this original research unearths the cutting-edge genetic technology, livelihoods, knowledges, cultures, and political economies entangled in five multi-faceted 'promises' of stevia. From the promise of a sustainable 'green' commodity; to the promise of a sacred medicinal herb; to a small farmer 'cash crop' for rural development; to a lucrative corporate 'cash molecule'; to the race to exploit the 21st century promise of 'cash DNA', this research exposes multiple transformations occurring as a result of the technological breakthroughs in digital genetic sequencing, synthesis and gene-editing developed in the field of Synthetic Biology.The overarching aim of this fellowship will be to transform and build on this globally multi-sited ethnographic research (funded by the ESRC Global Political Economy PhD pathway) into an 8-chapter book taking the audience on a journey across this new and complex terrain through the 'worlds' and promises of (biosynthetic) stevia exposing 4 striking 'dis/connects' on sustainability, authenticity, ownership and justice. The book will have far-reaching impact and uses for stakeholders from policymakers to farmers to industry to Indigenous communities fighting genetic resource extraction.The fellowship will also enable a range of public and policy communication and engagement activities. Key research findings will be presented at ongoing UN governance and policy processes over emerging technologies, translating the research into action affecting the livelihoods of stakeholders at the 'sharp end' of disruptive innovation and genetic resource exploitation. The fellowship will also provide academic mentoring to help shape and establish the research(er) in building and accelerating the breadth of this critical new field of enquiry.

“生物合成”或生产通常源自植物或动物的“天然”商品复制品的突破性能力，正在“细胞农业”或“实验室种植”食品的旗帜下塑造新的工业食品未来，开辟了一种新颖的政治人、植物和“自然”概念之间的关系。通过一次人种学之旅，将一种被称为甜叶菊的植物的多个“世界”并置——甜叶菊是一种被吹捧为替代糖并解决全球肥胖流行病的热门商品——这项原创研究揭示了尖端的基因技术、生计、知识、文化和政治。甜叶菊的五个多方面“承诺”让各经济体陷入困境。来自可持续“绿色”商品的承诺；神圣药草的承诺；为小农户提供农村发展的“经济作物”；成为利润丰厚的企业“现金分子”；在争夺 21 世纪“现金 DNA”承诺的竞赛中，这项研究揭示了合成生物学领域开发的数字基因测序、合成和基因编辑技术突破所带来的多重转变。这项奖学金将把这项全球多地点的人种学研究（由 ESRC 全球政治经济学博士途径资助）转化为一本 8 章的书，带领观众踏上穿越这个新的、通过“世界”和（生物合成）甜叶菊的承诺，了解复杂的地形，揭示了关于可持续性、真实性、所有权和正义的 4 个引人注目的“分离/连接”。这本书将对政策制定者、农民、工业界和与遗传资源开采作斗争的土著社区等利益相关者产生深远的影响和用途。该奖学金还将促进一系列公共和政策沟通和参与活动。主要研究成果将在联合国正在进行的新兴技术治理和政策进程中公布，将研究成果转化为影响颠覆性创新和遗传资源开发“尖端”利益相关者生计的行动。该奖学金还将提供学术指导，以帮助塑造和建立研究，以建立和加速这一关键新研究领域的广度。