It’s a fair guess that most people reading this site will be a fan of technology, optimistic for the changes that synthetic biology is able to bring to the world. But new ideas can bring great wonders and great dangers, and the fork between the two is often quite hard to distinguish as you pass it by. This is why innovators need to be aware of the consequences of their new ideas, and thus we in synthetic biology need to look forward to what we may bring about. To help keep this topic on our minds and on our lips, SynBioBeta London is hosting a panel of experts under the theme of Innovating Responsibly. This panel includes such speakers as:Ryan Burnette from AT-RISK InternationalAT-RISK International is slightly different to our usual line-up of companies, being a global protective and investigative services company. The company has offices in Washington, Florida, and Brazil, as well as clients in industries ranging from Biotech to Insurance. From the biotech side (our focus, after all), they offer support in biosafety management, security training, as well as personal and corporate protection.Ryan Burnette is AT-RISK’s Director of biosecurity and biosafety programs, a role in which he has worked with over 100 universities and companies to develop biosafety systems and strategies. He has a very special set of skills, acquired over a very long career in biosafety. Skills which make him the perfect choice for groups who are developing research capabilities in biotech and want advice on the best way to go about it. While we cannot promise that he will pull off a fast-rope entrance into the SynBioBeta panel discussion, we do promise that he will have some great insights for the audience.Paul Freemont from SynbiCITEBased at Imperial College London, SynbiCITE is a major hub for the commercialisation of synthetic biology technology, essentially helping their academic partners to turn interesting technology into marketable ideas. With a wide network of collaborations (including our very own SynBioBeta) and a number of entrepreneurial programs (including the well-established LEAP fellowship) they have done much to boost the synthetic bio field in the UK.Paul Freemont is co-director of SynbiCITE, having been involved in the synthetic biology world, both scientific and policy, since 2002. With a ridiculously long list of scientific publications and a number of public lectures and debates under his belt, we’ll be looking forward to hearing his erudite and entertaining commentary.Beatriz San Martin of FieldfisherBased in numerous cities across the world, Fieldfisher is a fast-growing legal firm with over 400 lawyers. The company focuses on developing legal expertise within a number of high-growth sectors such as life science, finance, and technology. Their life science/healthcare group advises on issues such as patents, mergers and regulatory challenges – all of which can make or break an upcoming biotech firm.Beatriz San Martín is an intellectual property specialist and Partner at Fieldfisher, having looked for greater challenges after completing her PhD and postdoc at the University of Cambridge. Life science and patent disputes, of course, go together like bangers and mash, and so it is no surprise that she has gained a significant amount of experience in courtrooms and boardrooms across both the UK and the EU. Interested in hearing a part of this experience? Better come along to SynBioBeta London then!Joyce Tait from the Innogen InstituteThe Institute for Innovation Generation, better known as the Innogen Institute, sprung from a collaboration between the University of Edinburgh and the Open University. Their mission, (should they choose to accept it…which they have), is to support both the development of innovative ideas in life science and research into their effects on society and the economy.The Director of Innogen, Joyce Tait, will be joining us at the SynBioBeta panel discussion. With a long and storied research career covering both natural and social sciences (I tried to count her publications and had to give up), she has gradually moved towards a central role in interdisciplinary research, social impact, and policy development.Moderating: Piers Millett of BiosecureRiding herd over this group of experts will be Piers Millet of Biosecure, who is currently involved in the policy and research surrounding the prevention of biowarfare and bioterrorism. Having been previously employed by such prestigious groups as the Woodrow Wilson Center, UN Office for Disarmament Affairs, and World Health Organisation; he has a deep knowledge of the role that ethics and responsibility play in biotechnology.SynBiobeta London will be running from April 6th-8th, while you’ll find the Investor Panel on April 7th at 10:05am. Be sure to be there.