Dr Aisling McMahon has recently published a co-authored article entitled “Genome editing: the dynamics of continuity, convergence, and change in the engineering of life” in New Genetics and Society: Critical Studies of Contemporary Biosciences - a world-leading journal focusing on interdisciplinary and multi-disciplinary, leading-edge social science research on the new genetics and related biosciences.
The article was written by a multidisciplinary team spanning disciplines including law, sociology, science and technology studies, and bioethics, namely: Professor Paul Martin (University of Sheffield), Dr Michael Morrison (HELEX Centre, University of Oxford), Dr Ilke Turkmendag (Newcastle University), Prof Brigette Nerlich (University of Nottingham), Dr Aisling McMahon (Maynooth University), Dr Stevie de Saille,(University of Sheffield) and Dr Andrew Bartlett (University of York).
The article presents a multidisciplinary analysis of the contemporary development of genome editing and the tension between continuity and change. It draws on the idea that actors involved in innovation are guided by “sociotechnical regimes” composed of practices, institutions, norms, and cultural beliefs. The analysis focuses on how genome editing is emerging in different domains and whether this marks continuity or disruption of the established biotechnology regime. The article argues that genome editing is best understood as a technology platform that is being powerfully shaped by this existing regime but is starting to disrupt the governance of biotechnology. It argues that in the longer term it is set to converge with other powerful technology platforms, which together will fundamentally transform the capacity to engineer life.
Dr McMahon writes primarily on health and patent law, and particularly, on the relationship between these areas. Her recent work in the patent field includes an article in the European Intellectual Property Review (2019) (pre-print version available here) which examines the marginalisation of ethical issues within legal approaches to gene patenting and the potential effects of gene patents on the access and delivery of genetic testing.
Dr McMahon is an Assistant Professor in Maynooth University Department of Law where her teaching includes a module on Contemporary Issues in Medicine and the Law and a new module on Patents, Health and Biotechnologies.