How to do things with metaphors: engineering life as hodgepodge

Area of Science:

• Interdisciplinary research at the intersection of social sciences, chemistry, synthetic biology, and nanotechnology.

Background:

• Exploration of new therapy development driven by advancements in synthetic biology and nanotechnology.
• Analysis of the recursive relationship in the iconography of life sciences and infrastructure, as identified by Mackenzie (2013).

Purpose of the Study:

• To interrogate the metaphors underpinning synthetic biology and nanotechnology in therapy development.
• To analyze the implications of specific metaphors, such as 'evolutionary life as hodge-podge', in laboratory practices.

Main Methods:

• Ethnographic studies of laboratories.
• Analysis of recorded discussions between social scientists and a chemist.
• Focus on gene editing techniques, bio-nanotechnology, and associated metaphors.

Main Results:

• Identification of key metaphors like 'cutting' DNA and 'sticking' particles to proteins.
• Demonstration of how these metaphors shape understandings of 'life-as-machine' and 'engineering life'.

Conclusions:

• Metaphors of 'cutting', 'targeting', and 'evolutionary hodgepodge' influence notions of engineering and synthesis.
• These findings have interpretive implications for ethnomethodological approaches to life science research.