Ethics, Legality, and Safety for Geneticists

Never before have we had the methods to edit or manipulate genes and genomes in the way we can today. This volume has described technologies that, a generation ago, were unthinkable. But such power raises broader issues on how we wield it. These concerns are relevant at a number of levels, from basic safety, through the importance of scientific reproducibility and transparency, to Ethical, Philosophical, or even Political considerations. But why should this matter to a laboratory scientist - surely results are the main aim of experiments? However, such a view misses the important point that alongside our research generating new information, experience gained conducting research can also be used for influence far beyond the lab bench. Indeed, how research is conducted can be as important as the results themselves because our actions also reflect and inform the values that society and us as individuals view as important. Rather than focusing on the details of policy or legislation, this chapter therefore seeks to reflect on how Ethics, Legality, and Safety impact the molecular biologist, and why researchers need to view these not as bureaucracy, but rather as a critical part of their wider scientific identity and task.