This is my answers for the Week 1 Assignment

📅 Week: 1 (4th February - 10th February 2025)

✍ Author: Muhammad Hadi Kurnia

🧪 1. Biological Engineering Application or Tool

1. Question Number 1: First, describe a biological engineering application or tool you want to develop and why. This could be inspired by an idea for your HTGAA class project and/or something for which you are already doing in your research, or something you are just curious about.

🦠Project Title: MicroBeMe – Tiny microbes, BIG impact on your wellness! 🌱

Description:

I want to design a bio patch that delivers health-beneficial microbes, penetrating the skin and entering the bloodstream for therapeutic purposes. This patch aims to provide a non-invasive and efficient method for promoting better gut and immune health by using beneficial microbes.

⚖ 2. Governance & Policy Goals

To ensure this application/tool contributes to an ethical future, the following policy goals should be considered:

1. Question number 2: Next, describe one or more governance/policy goals related to ensuring that this application or tool contributes to an "ethical" future, like ensuring non-malfeasance (preventing harm). Break big goals down into two or more specific sub-goals. Below is one example framework (developed in the context of synthetic genomics) you can choose to use or adapt, or you can develop your own. The example was developed to consider policy goals of ensuring safety and security, alongside other goals, like promoting constructive uses, but you could propose other goals for example, those relating to equity or autonomy.

🎯 Main Goal 1: Ensure Safety and Preventing Harm

📌Sub-goal 1.1: Rigorous Microbial Safety Standards

Establish a strict criteria for selecting microbial strains used in the patch, including research on potential adverse effects on different skin types and individual health conditions. This ensures that only the safest and most effective probiotics are delivered through the bio patch.

📌Sub-goal 1.2: Transparency in Testing & Approval Processes

All microbial health products must undergo thorough pre-market testing and clinical trials to confirm their safety. These tests should be made publicly available to ensure transparency.

📌Sub-goal 1.3: Ongoing Monitoring and Risk Assessment

Implement an ongoing system for monitoring the health impacts of the bio patch, using feedback loops from users and healthcare providers. This ensures that unforeseen side effects or risks are identified and mitigated accordingly.

🎯Main Goal 2: Promote Equity in Access and Benefits