BENEFITS AND RISKS OF ADVANCED BIOTECHNOLOGY APPLICATIONS BENEFITS APPLICATION RISKS Misdiagnoses plummet and healthcare DIGITAL HEALTH / Access disparities due to costs or outcomes improve. PERSONALIZED MEDICINE location. Personal health data misuse Tailored medical treatments using AI to or manipulation. combine data from genetic sequencing, diagnostics, and biomonitoring. Rapid, more effective ON DEMAND MEDICINE PRODUCTION Disputes over R&D prioritization in medical treatments. developed vs. developing countries. Cell-and gene-based therapies, combined with improvements in drug design and production, for faster disease response. Reduce delays and rejections of organ BIOPRINTING AND Access disparities due to the transplants and repairs. XENOTRANSPLANTATION high up-front costs. Additive manufacturing to “print” biological parts for medical testing or tissue replacement, grow human- compatible organs in animals for transplantation. Major reduction in inherited REPRODUCTIVE ENGINEERING Ethical and social divides over genetic diseases. applications. Unequal access. Using genomic technologies to select and modify human embryos for broad range of traits and abilities. Novel treatments for neurological Tensions between augmented and disorders. Enhanced cognition and COMPUTER-HUMAN INTERFACES non-augmented individuals. New expanded perception. cyber/bio vulnerabilities. Machine augmentation of human cognitive processes. Improved speed and reliability in Increased potential for misuse and designing and making novel BIO-MANUFACTURING workforce restructuring. materials, medicines. Bio-design and production of enhanced or highly specified materials, medicines and foods. Ready production of new and novel Potential for weapons applications or molecules, materials and treatments. SYNTHETIC ORGANISMS accidental misuse. Unknown environmental impacts. Genetically modified organisms and biological processes create new materials and medicines. Make barren or depleted lands Unintended, potentially global productive. Mitigate human-induced ENVIRONMENTAL RESTORATION environmental or public and natural threats to the environment. health consequences. Large-scale ecological intervention, through biotechnology, reforestation, or ocean engineering creates, manipulates, or rescues damaged environments. Practically unlimited capacity for DNA-BASED DATA STORAGE Increased potential for long-term long-term data storage. social monitoring. DNA used to encode and store data. Increased variety of cheaper, more TRANSFORMED AGRICULTURE AND Reduced biodiversity, social tensions nutritious foods created with lower FOOD PRODUCTION over genetic modification, workforce environmental impact. and supply chain disruptions. Automated precision production processes and integrated crop-livestock systems use genetically altered organisms. A MORE CONTESTED WORLD 61