Towards a holistic conception of life?
Epistemic presumptions and socio-cultural implications of systems biology
Home
Welcome to the THCL project website!
The Germany-Austrian research project “Towards a holistic conception of life? Epistemic presumptions and socio-cultural implications of systems biology” (THCL) is part of the ELSA-GEN.
initiative for collaborative research projects on ethical, legal, socio-cultural and economic aspects of genomics and related sciences. It investigates and interrogates the current systems approach in the life sciences with respect to its epistemic and societal implications. It more specifically asks: What are the epistemic preconditions, socio-cultural implications and innovative potentials of the scientific concepts and practices of systems biology? It is designed to fill a gap in science and technology studies (STS) and technology assessment (TA) of systems biology by launching an extensive empirical analysis of this newly emerging and continually expanding scientific field. A detailed description of the project will soon be available.
The project is funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) (project no.: 01GP0904) and by the Austrian Research Promotion Agency (FFG). It officially started in January 2010 and will be completed in April 2013.
THCL is a joint research project carried-out the Research Centre for Biotechnology, Society and the Environment (FSP BIOGUM) – Research Group Medicine and Neurosciences based at the University of Hamburg and the Institute for Technology Assessment (ITA) at the Austrian Academy of Sciences in Vienna.
Contact:
News
"Different Forms of Life? Comparative Perspectives on Systems and Synthetic Biology"
19.01.2012–20.01.2012 - Research Centre for Biotechnology, Society and the Environment University of Hamburg (Germany) Organiser: Research cluster “Towards a Holistic Conception of Life: Epistemic Presumptions and Socio-cultural Implications of Systems Biology”.
12th International Conference on Systems Biology, Heidelberg/Mannheim, August/September 2011 Anne Brüninghaus and Martin Döring will present a paper at the 12th ICSB Heidelberg/Mannheim. The paper is titled: “Framing Cutting-edge Science in a Post-genomic World: The Media-metaphorical Representations of Synthetic and Systems Biology.”
12th International Conference on Systems Biology, Heidelberg/Mannheim, August/September 2011 The project THCL will host a workshop at the 12th ICSB Heidelberg/Mannheim. The workshop is titled: Towards a Holistic Conception of Life? Epistemic Presumptions and Socio-Cultural Implications of Systems Biology.
Project
work package 1
“The conceptual framing of life in systems biology”.
Investigators: Martin Döring and Regine Kollek
The work package examines the basic concepts of systems biology and their conceptualisation by scientists. It provides a philosophical, ‘grounded’ and ‘sts-inspired analysis of new concepts and practices of life by empirically relying on written evidence and contrasting it with data taken from expert-interviews. It addresses a variety of questions which revolve around aspects such as the genesis of the concept of systems biology, its innovative potential for the scientific disciplines involved as well as for technological development, basic concepts of cells/organisms/life, the creation and maintenance of systems via practices and modelling, normative implications of the systems approach in modern biology and possible consequences of modern perceptions for the manipulation of life. The work package takes stock of contemporary framings, analyses them and depicts their dispersion among the scientific core group to tackle the theory and experimental practices of systems biology.
Contact:
Dr. Martin Döring
University of Hamburg FSP BIOGUM/FG Medizin
Lottestraße 55, D - 22529 Hamburg Germany
Phone: 0049/(0)40/428 38-95 19
Fax: 0049/(0)40/42838-49 81
E-Mail: doering@metaphorik.de
work package 2
“Current practices of systems biology”.
Investigator: Karen Kastenhofer
WP 2 examines the epistemic practices, experimental systems and epistemic culture(s) of systems biology. It is based upon an ethnographic conception of scientific cultures and epistemic practices (cf. Pickering 1992, Rouse 1996, Knorr Cetina 1999 and Rheinberger 1997, 2006) and focuses on the micro-level – on the laboratory, on in silico practices, on integrative heuristic models and on interdisciplinary co-operation.
The empirically grounded investigation (in line with Grounded Theory, cf. Strauss 1998) makes use of a combination of methods that proved feasible in recent investigations (Arnold/Fischer 2004, Böschen et al. 2006, Kastenhofer 2007, Torgersen 2009). It relies on semi-structured in-depth expert interviews with established scientists working in the field of systems biology and in related fields (-omics research and synthetic biology), visits to research laboratories and analyses of written evidence such as research papers and conference proceedings.
After specifying the epistemic culture(s) of systems biology, its most important practices, heuristic systems and networks of co-operation – a preliminary list of issues is formulated, that are relevant within epistemological and socio-cultural contexts. WP2 theoretically and methodologically links up with WP1, WP5 and WP6, all of which aim at a detailed understanding of systems biology as a science.
Contact:
Dr.in Mag.a Karen Kastenhofer
Institut für Technikfolgen-Abschätzung, Österreichische Akademie der Wissenschaften
Strohgasse 45, 1030 Wien
Tel.: +43-1-51581-6580
Fax: +43-1-7109883
e-mail: kkast@oeaw.ac.at
work package 3
“Possible futures and present pasts: Young and senior scientists’ framing of systems biology’s past, present and future”.
Investigator: Martin Döring
The work package examines past, present and future potentials of systems biology as envisioned by young and senior scientists. It provides an analysis of past and present framings and future expectations – sociology of expectations and the sociology of the future – about systems biology by empirically relying on data taken from German and Austrian focus groups. It addresses a variety of questions such as the genesis of the concept of systems biology, its scientific innovative potential, basic concepts of cells/organisms/life etc. Furthermore, it explores the relationship between systems biology and related disciplines, the past and present futures of systems biology and its theoretical and practical possibilities of application.
Contact:
Dr. Martin Döring
University of Hamburg FSP BIOGUM/FG Medizin
Lottestraße 55, D - 22529 Hamburg Germany
Phone: 0049/(0)40/74 10-5 63 13
Fax: 0049/(0)40/74 10-5 63 15
E-Mail: doering@metaphorik.de
work package 4
"Expert, public and political discourse on systems biology in Germany and Austria”.
Investigator: Anne Brüninghaus
Work package 4 aims at analysing media representations of systems biology as well as the uptake of issues related to SB within the governance system. Two case studies (Germany and Austria) allow for the comparison of national discourses and governance regimes against the two different national contexts. This is addressed within a media analysis and an analysis of the ongoing regulatory situation and debate. Analysing the media coverage and the regulatory situation and debate, the workpackage examines the interplay of different levels of actors, including media, politics, administration, industry and other stakeholders. Research questions addressed:
- How is systems biology addressed in the media?
- Is it framed as problematic or beneficiary?
- Are specific regulatory approaches discussed in the media or by expert bodies?
- What is the current state of regulation?
Contact:
Anne Brüninghaus
Universität Hamburg
FSP BIOGUM FG Medizin und Neurowissenschaften
Lottestr. 55, D - 22529 Hamburg
Tel: +49 (40) 74 10-5 63 10
Fax: +49 (40) 74 10-5 63 15
E-mail: anne.brueninghaus@uni-hamburg.de
work package 5
“Combining conceptual and technological resources for innovation: the role of systems biology in interdisciplinary translational research”.
Investigator: Dr. Imme Petersen, M.A.
WP5 investigates the relevance of systems biology in interdisciplinary translational research on cancer from a perspective of Actor Network Theory (see Akrich/Callon/Latour 2006, Latour 1989, Latour 2006, Hedgecoe/Martin 2003, Smart/Martin 2006). The selected case is the multidisciplinary EU-project “Advancing clinico-genomic clinical trials” (http://www.eu-acgt.org/). It assembled actors from genomics, medicine, law, ethics and informatics to develop an information technology platform that is supposed to support postgenomic clinical trials in cancer. In order to achieve this goal, a multiplicity of methods, practices, technologies and concepts are developed and applied, creating a techno-scientific environment for the definition and treatment of cancer. Data from this analysis will be used to explore a range of heterogeneous processes which mutually shape the application of systems biology and its ongoing stabilization.
Contact:
Dr. Imme Petersen
Universität Hamburg FSP BIOGUM
FG Medizin und Neurowissenschaften, Lottestr. 55
D - 22529 Hamburg
Phone: +49 (0)51 30-92 10 447
Fax: +49 (40) 74 10-5 63 15
E-mail: imme.petersen@uni-hamburg.de
work package 6
“Private-public partnership: the interplay of science and industry, research and innovation (Case Study B, Austria)”.
Investigator: Karen Kastenhofer
In their article “The changing norms of the life sciences” Shorett et al. (2003) claim that “the development of biotechnology served as an important benchmark in bringing ‘public’ scientific discovery and ‘private’ product development into more overt and explicit contact. (…) The venture capital market, the growth of biotechnology startups, and the convergence of university and industry in areas of scientific labor and technology transfer have built a robust infrastructure linking the laboratory directly to commercial outlets. (…) [This mutual interdependence] requires fresh self-reflection by those who are directly involved as well as those who consider themselves exempt from its influence.” For systems biology – as for other areas within emerging technosciences – the relation between the public and the private sector, between science and industry and between basic research and marketable products is central, nontrivial and takes on increasingly innovative and divers forms (cf. Hood/Perlmutter 2004, Thiel 2006, An et al. 2007).
To empirically address this issue and possible scientific, socio-cultural and economic implications, this work package investigates exemplary cases, based upon an empirical analysis of the institutionalisation of systems biology in Austria. It concentrates on the interconnection between epistemic networks, actor networks and funding schemes as well as on the chains of translation of basic research into applications, patents and products. It provides insights into how systems biology knowledge, objects, techniques and research institutions relate to technological innovation, product development and industry.
Contact:
Dr.in Mag.a Karen Kastenhofer
Institut für Technikfolgen-Abschätzung, Österreichische Akademie der Wissenschaften
Strohgasse 45, 1030 Wien
Tel.: +43-1-51581-6580
Fax: +43-1-7109883
e-mail: kkast@oeaw.ac.at
Publications
Monograph:
Anthology:
Contributions to anthology:
Scientific articles:
Miscellaneous scientific articles:
Kollek, Regine/Döring, Martin/Petersen, Imme/Brüninghaus, Anne/Kastenhofer, Karen/Torgersen, Helge (2011): "Systembiologie: Implikationen für Wissenschaft und Gesellschaft", in: Technikfolgenabschätzung – Theorie und Praxis 20/1, 60-64.
Kastenhofer, Karen/Torgersen, Helge (2010): "Wie "neu" ist die Synthetische Biologie?", in: ITA-Newsletter 2011/Juni, 18.
Kastenhofer, Karen (2010): "Interdisziplinarität und Technowissenschaft", in: ITA-Newsletter 2010/Dezember, 12-13.
Kastenhofer, Karen (2010): "Vom Umgang mit den neuen Technowissenschaften", in: ITA-Newsletter 2010/September, 7-6.
Kastenhofer, Karen/Torgersen, Helge (2010): "Systembiologie: Der ganzheitliche Ansatz in den neuen Lebenswissenschaften", in: ITA-Newsletter 2010/März, 4-5.
Presentations:
Anne Brüninghaus (2011): Systems Biology as Orientation of Play? Comparing Methaphors in the Media for Germany and Austria. The 12th International Conference of Systems Biology, Heidelberg/Mannheim, August 28 - September 1, 2011.
Anne Brüninghaus; Martin Döring (2011): „Framing Cutting-edge Science in a Post-Genomic World: The Media-metaphorical Representations of Synthetic and Systems Biology“ .
The 12th International Conference on Systems Biology, Heidelberg/Mannheim, August 28 - September 1, 2011.
Kastenhofer, Karen (2011): "The interdisciplinary culture of the new technosciences: re-assembling epistemic constellations in systems biology and synthetic biology", presentation at the Society for Philosophy of Science in Practice (SPSP) Third Biennial Conference, Exeter, UK, 22-24 June.
Kastenhofer, Karen (2010): "On Types and Roles of Interdisciplinarity within Systems Biology Research", poster at Frontiers of multidisciplinary research: mathematics, engineering, and biology, Univ. of Exeter, UK, 21-24 Sept.
Kastenhofer, Karen (2010): "Die neuen Technowissenschaften: hybride Praktiken, Governance-Regimes oder performative Diskurse?", presentation at Ringvorlesung 'Sind wir nie modern gewesen? Gender in der technologisierten Leistungsgesellschaft', Universität Wien, 9 Nov.
Schmidt, Jan C./Kastenhofer, Karen (2010): "Beyond nature and culture: (Baconian) technosciences and ‘their power to change the world’", presentation at the Second Annual Conference of the Society for the Study of Nanoscience and Emerging Technologies, Technische Universität Darmstadt, 29 Sept.-2 Okt.
Kastenhofer, Karen (2010): "Was passiert mit Wissenschaftskulturen, wenn Disziplinengrenzen obsolet werden? Interdisziplinarität im techno-wissenschaftlichen Kontext", presentation at Forschungstag „Wissenschaftskulturen“, Univ. Klagenfurt, 17 Nov.
Kastenhofer, Karen (2010): "What happens to interdisciplinarity when disciplines become extinct? On interdisciplinarity in a technoscientific context ", presentation at Philosophy of / as Interdisciplinarity, Udo-Keller-Stiftung, Hamburg, 18-21 Sept.
Döring, Martin/Kastenhofer, Karen/Kollek, Regine/Torgersen, Helge (2010): "Combining discourse analysis and ethnography in research on the epistemic culture of systems biology", presentation at EASST_010: Practicing Science and Technology, Performing the Social, Trento, IT, 2-4 Sept.
Kastenhofer, Karen (2010): "On the technosciences’ power to change the world", presentation at EASST_010: Practicing Science and Technology, Performing the Social, Trento, IT, 2-4 Sept.
Torgersen, Helge/Kastenhofer, Karen (2010): "Ethische Problematisierung von Technowissenschaften: Synthetische Biologie und Systembiologie im Vergleich", presentation at Die Ethisierung der Technik und ihre Bedeutung für die Technikfolgenabschätzung, Österreichische Akademie der Wissenschaften, Wien, 1 June.