Translational governance research for synthetic biology

This article argues that ethical, legal, and societal implications research on synthetic biology should inform the processes and methods for the design and implementation of governance systems, as well as the policy and technological choices made within them. Historically, this type of work has fallen in the gap between practical policy-making and basic social science or humanities research. Little of it has been funded, yet it is one of the most critical areas for scholarly contributions to how technologies are formed and overseen in society. In this article, key areas for 'translational governance research' are proposed alongside foundations for integrating its results and methods into decision-making.