Ghosts in the Shell: an anthropological investigation on DIYbio and the Cyborg

Abstract

The project seeks to investigate practices known as DIY, especially those known as DIYbio, or do it yourself Biology. The subject is the theory and practice of Cyborg science in relation to the object DIYbio, from where I have been developing an investigation about the problem that is placed in this scientific practice that seems to question the place considered as necessary to realize science and its application in the human body. The acronym refers to laboratories and facilities often without state financial resources and without university or government funding links, assembled by independent researchers of current funding networks and state bureaucratic structures. This movement began in mid-2000 in many places such as the USA, Japan, Europe, Brazil and the main focus is that such researchers seek to create ways to use and share technologies within the concepts and practices already used by hackers and bio-hackers; for example, open access information, cybernetic measures, prostheses and robotic implants, use of synthetic substances, DNA analysis, among others. It seems remarkable that these independent laboratories are experimenting with protocols deemed necessary for scientific studies and the profit expectations arising from these alliances. This research is being done through anthropological fieldwork in ateliers, laboratories, and quasi-laboratories, events, literature review and through the monitoring of DIY and DIYbio processes, in Brazil and Japan. The result of this research will be held by the publication of three articles. The first one aimed at bibliographic research related to DIY; the second will focus on fieldwork research and the solutions to an anthropological-bio-cybernetic research; and finally, one destined to the theoretical contribution to anthropology. The broad achievements of this research will come out at three levels, namely a discussion of ethnographic research methods for a cybernetic context, a discussion of anthropology of science with comparative bias with native theories constructed in the US, Europe and Japan about DIYbio with a center of excellence in the production of cybernetic organisms, and that will be done by cartography of DIYbio, and by mapping the networks and paths of its constitution. Finally, a benefit in the training of researchers through two courses that I intend to offer. (AU)