Megan J Palmer, PhD

Articles

• Greene D, Alexanian T, Palmer MJ. Disagreement in dual-use risk assessments of synthetic biology projects, Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology, 13 August 2025.

• Greene D, Relman DA, Palmer MJ. Unmet expectations: Life scientists’ Views on Biorisk and Responsibility, Applied Biosafety, 5;30(2):112–123

• Santolini M, Blondel L, Palmer MJ, Ward RN, Jeyaram R, Bringk KR, Krishna A, Barabasi AL. iGEM: a Model System for Team Science and Innovation. arXiv, October 30 2023.

• Trotsyuk AA, Waeiss Q, Bhatia RT, Aponte BJ, Heffernan IML, Madgavkar D, Felder RM, Lehmann RS, Palmer MJ, Greely H, Wald R, Goetz L, Trengove M, Vandersluis R, Lin H, Cho MK, Altman RB, Endy D, Relman DA, Levi M, Satz D, Magnus D. Toward a Framework for Risk Mitigation of Potential Misuse of Artificial Intelligence in Biomedical Research, Nature Machine Intelligence, 6: 1435-1442, 2024.

• Millett M, Alexanian T, Brink K, Carter SR, Diggans J, Palmer MJ, Ritterson R, Sandbrink J, Wheeler N. Beyond Biosecurity by Taxonomic Lists, Health Security, 21 (6): 521-529, 2023.

• Schoenmakers K, Greene D, Stutterheim S, Lin H, Palmer MJ. The Security Mindset: Characteristics, Development and Consequences, Journal of Cybersecurity, 9 (1), 2023.

• Greene D, Palmer MJ, Relman DA. Motivating Proactive Biorisk Management, Health Security, 21 (1), 46-60, 2023.

• Shapira P, Matthews NE, Cizauskas CA, Aurand ER, Friedman DC, Kayton DS, Maxon ME, Palmer MJ, Stanford L. Building a Bottom-Up Bioeconomy, Issues in Science & Technology. 2022.

• Mackelprang R, Adamala K P, Aurand ER, Diggans JC, Ellington A D, Evans SW, Fortman JL, Hillson NJ, Hinman AW, Isaacs FJ, Medford JI, Mamaghani S, Moon TS, Palmer MJ, Peccoud J, Vitalis EA, Hook-Barnard I, Friedman DC. Making Security Viral: Shifting Engineering Biology Culture and Publishing, ACS Synthetic Biology, 2022.

• Millett P, Alexanian T, Palmer MJ, Evans SW, Kuiken T, Oye K. iGEM and Gene Drives: A Case Study for Governance, Health Security, 2022.

• Musunuri S, Sandbrink JB, Monrad JT, Palmer MJ, Koblentz GD. Rapid Proliferation of Pandemic Research: Implications for Dual-Use Risks, mBio. 2021.

• Mackelprang R, Aurand E, Bovenberg R, Brink K, Charo R, Delborne J, Diggans J, Ellington A, Fortman J, Isaacs F, Medford J, Murray R, Noireaux V, Palmer MJ, Zoloth L, Friedman D. Guiding Ethical Principles in Engineering Biology Research, ACS Synthetic Biology, 2021.

• Watters KE, Kirkpatrick J, Palmer MJ, Koblentz GD. The CRISPR Revolution and its Potential Impact on Global Health Security. Pathogens and Global Health. 2021.

• Burgiel SW, Baumgartner B, Bister E, Fisher J, Gordon DR, Novak B, Palmer MJ, Seddon PJ, Weber M. Exploring the Intersections of Governance, Constituencies, and Risk in Genetic Interventions. Conservation Science and Practice. 2021.

• Brister E, Holbrook JB, Palmer MJ. Conservation Science and the Ethos of Restraint. Conservation Science and Practice. 2021.

• Long KC, Alphey L, Annas GJ, Bloss CS, Campbell KJ, Champer J, Chun-Hong Chen, Choudhary A, Church GM, Collins JP, Cooper KL, Delborne JA, Edwards OR, Emerson CI, Esvelt K, Evans SW, Friedman RM, Gantz VM, Gould F, Hartley S, Heitman E, Hemingway J, Kanuka H, Kuzma J, Lavery JV, Lee Y, Lorenzen M, Lunshof JE, Marshall JM, Messer PW, Montell C, Oye KA, Palmer MJ,Papathanos PA, Paradkar PN, Piaggio AJ, Rasgon JL, Rašić G,Rudenko L,Saah JR, Scott MJ, Sutton JT, Vorsino AE, Akbari OS. Core commitments for field trials of gene drive organisms. Science. 2020.

• Kemp L, Adam L, Boehm CR, Breitling R, Casagrande R, Dando M, Djikeng A, Evans NG, Hammond R, Hills K, Holt LA, Kuiken T, Markotić A, Millett P, Napier JC, Nelson C, ÓhÉigeartaigh SS, Osbourn A, Palmer MJ, Patron NJ, Perello E, Piyawattanametha W, Restrepo-Schild V, Rios-Rojas C, Rhodes C , Roessing A, Scott D, Shapira P, Simuntala C, Smith RDJ, Sundaram LS, Takano E, Uttmark G, Wintle BC, Zahra NB, Sutherland WJ. Bioengineering Horizon Scan 2020. eLife. 2020.

• Evans SW, Beal J, Berger K, Bleijs DA, Cagnetti A, Ceroni F, Epstein GL, Garcia-Reyero N, Gillum DR, Harkess G, Hillson NJ, Hogervorst PAM, Jordan JL, Lacroix G, Moritz R, ÓhÉigeartaigh SS, Palmer MJ, van Passel MWJ. Embrace Experimentation in Biosecurity Governance. Science. 2020.

• Palmer MJ. Learning to Deal With Dual Use. Science. 2020.

• Sample M, Boulicault M, Allen C, Hyun I, Levis M, Lowenthal C, Mertz D, Montserrat N, Palmer MJ, Saha K, Zartman J. Multi-Cellular Engineered Living Systems: Building a Community Around Responsible Research on Emergence. Biofabrication. 2019.

• Millett P, Binz T, Evans SW, Kuiken T, Oye K, Palmer MJ, Yambao K, Yu S, van der Vlugt C. Developing a Comprehensive, Adaptive and International Biosafety and Biosecurity Program for Advanced Biotechnology: The iGEM Experience. Applied Biosafety. 2019.

• Rudenko L, Palmer MJ, Oye K. Considerations for the Governance of Gene Drive Organisms. Pathogens and Global Health. 2018.

• Evans SW, Palmer MJ. Anomaly Handling and the Politics of Gene Drives. Journal of Responsible Innovation. 2017.

• Palmer MJ, Tiu BC, Weissenbach AS, Relman DA. On Defining Global Catastrophic Biological Risks. Health Security. 2017.

• Carter AC, Chang HY, Church G, Dombkowski A, Ecker JR, Gil E, Giresi PG, Greely H, Greenleaf WJ, Hacohen N, He C, Hill D, Ko J, Kohane I, Kundaje A, Palmer MJ, Snyder MP, Tung J, Urban A, Vidal M, Wong W). Challenges and Recommendations for Epigenomics in Precision Health. Nature Biotechnology. 2017.

• Palmer MJ, Fukuyama F, Relman DA. A More Systematic Approach to Biological Risk. Science. 2015.

• Palmer MJ, Jewett M. Enabling the Next Generation of Synthetic Biology Community and Leadership. ACS Synthetic Biology. 2014.

• Palmer MJ, et al. Signaling Thresholds Govern Heterogeneity in IL-7 Receptor-Mediated Responses of Naïve CD8+ T Cells. Immunology and Cell Biology. 2011.

• Palmer MJ, et al. Interleukin 7 Receptor Signaling Network: An Integrated Systems Perspective. Cellular and Molecular Immunology. 2008.

Reports & Collections

• Greene D, Brink K, Salm M, Hoffmann C, Evans S, and Palmer MJ. The Biorisk Management Casebook: Insights Into Contemporary Practices, Stanford Digital Repository.

  • Report co-author and co-editor of Volume of 8 Biorisk Management Case Studies:

    • American Society for Microbiology (ASM) Journals. DOI: 10.25740/wb258gg9708

    • Centre for Biosecurity and Biopreparedness (CBB). DOI: 10.25740/bz140yy7585

    • Colorado State University (CSU) Biosafety Office. DOI: 10.25740/bz140yy7585

    • International Genetically Engineered Machine (iGEM) Foundation. DOI: 10.25740/cc191wv3999

    • Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)-Broad Foundry. DOI: 10.25740/mq491gw2822

    • National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM). DOI: 10.25740/hj505vf5601

    • Science. DOI: 10.25740/qr280xp6531

    • United States Department of Energy Joint Genome Institute (JGI). DOI: 10.25740/qr280xp6531

• "Bio Stories: Re-envisioning relationships with nature" With Faber Futures for the World Economic Forum.

• Dasgupta S, deKoning C, Fox C, Fox K, Kinyagia B, Malloy J, Palmer MJ, Vickers C. Realizing Geographical Diversity in Synthetic Biology: The Next Critical Frontier to Deliver Impact and Equitable Futures. World Economic Forum.

• Bray DA, Bovenber R, Chang, MW, Chieza NA, Eckhardt J, Liu C, Molloy J, Palmer MJ, Prather KLJ, Prichep E, Vickers C. Revisiting and Realizing the Promises of Synthetic Biology, World Economic Forum. 2021

• Kirkpatrick J, Koblentz GD, Palmer MJ, Perello E, Relman DA, Denton SW. Editing Biosecurity: Needs and Strategies for Governing Genome Editing. 2018.

  • Report Co-author and Co-editor of Volume of 7 Issue Briefs

  •  Co-Author of Two Issue Briefs:

    • Kirkpatrick J, Koblentz GD,Palmer MJ, Perello E, Relman DA, Denton S, Tiu B, George K.  Biotechnology Risk Assessment: State of the Field,2017.

    • Kirkpatrick J, Koblentz GD, Palmer MJ, Perello E, Relman DA, Denton S, Tiu B. Biotechnology Risk Assessment: Landscape and Options, 2018.

• Palmer MJ. LEAP In Review: A Five Year View of the Synthetic Biology Leadership Excellence Accelerator Program (LEAP). 2017. 

  • Report Author and Editor of Collection of 16 Peer-Reviewed “Strategic Action Plan” White Papers

• Palmer MJ. The Synthetic Biology Leadership Excellence Accelerator Program (LEAP) Report. 2013.

  • Report Author and Editor of Collection of 13 Peer-Reviewed “Strategic Action Plan” White Papers

Essays & Book Chapters

• Palmer MJ. What Happens When Anyone Can Be A Bioengineer? Neo.Life: 25 Visions for the Future of Our Species. 2020.

Opinions, Letters & Comment

• Pannu J, Sandbrink JB, Watson M, Palmer MJ, Relman DA. Protocols and Risks: When Less is More, Nature Protocols, 2022.

• Phelan R, Baumgartner B, Brand S, Brister E, Burgiel SW, Charo RA, Coche I, Cofrancesco A, Delborne JA, Edwards O, Fisher JP, Gaywood M, Gordon DR, Howald G, Hunter ME, Kareiva P, Mankad A, Marvier M, Moseby K, Newhouse AE, Novak BJ, Ohrstrom G, Olson S, Palmer MJ, Palumbi S, Patterson N, Pedrono M, Pelegri F, Rohwer Y, Ryder OA, Saah JR, Scheller RM, Seddon PJ, Shaffer HB, Shapiro B, Sweeney M, Tercek MR, Thizy D, Tilt W, Weber M, Wegrzyn RD, Whitelaw B, Winkler M, Wodak J, Zimring M, Robbins P. Intended Consequences Statement. Conservation Science and Practice. 2021

• Palmer MJ. Rethinking Biosecurity. Issues in Science and Technology Forum. 2017

• Evans SW, Palmer MJ, et al. Synthetic Biology: Missing the Point. Nature. 2014.

• Keasling JD, Palmer MJ, et al. Synthetic Biology: A Global Approach. Nature. 2014.

Workshop Paper

• Palmer MJ, Hurtley SM, Evans SW. The Visibility Initiative for Responsible Science. Background Paper for NTI Bio Biosecurity Innovation and Risk Reduction Workshop. 2019.

Online Articles & Blog Posts

• Palmer MJ, Imbrie A, Baer D, Puglisi A. Democracies Must Empower a Biotech Future for All, Lawfare, November 20 2022.

• Global Commons Working Group of the World Economic Forum Global Future Council on Synthetic Biology (Kelly J, LeProust E, Xu X, Emmanuel E, Fox K, Kinyagia B, Molloy J, Palmer MJ, Prichep E, Bray D, Fox C), Why Sharing Data is Crucial for Progress in Bioeconomy, World Economic Forum Global Agenda Blog, 2021.

• Gillum D, Moritz R, Evans SW, Palmer MJ. Why Gain-Of-Function Research Matters, The Conversation. 2021.

• Vickers C, Palmer MJ, Malloy J, Prichep E. Realizing the Potential of Synthetic Biology to Help People and the Planet. World Economic Forum Blog, 2021.

Public Testimony & Policy Comment

• Palmer MJ. On Securing U.S. Leadership in the Bioeconomy. Testimony Before the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation Subcommittee on Science, Oceans, Fisheries, and Weather
  of the U.S. Senate. 2020.

• Oye KA, Palmer MJ, Evans SW. Designing Institutions and Processes to Enable Integrative Programs on the Societal Aspects of Biological Research. 2019.

• Palmer MJ. Comment on "Modernizing the Regulatory System for Biotechnology Products". 2015.

• Palmer MJ. Comment on "National Scientific Advisory Board for Biosecurity (NSABB) - September 2015 Meeting on Gain of Function Risk Benefit Analysis". 2015.

• Palmer MJ. Written Comment on "Convention on Biological Diversity Technical Working Group on the Risk of Synthetic Biology". 2015.

• Kuiken T, Millet P, Oye KA, Palmer MJ. Comment on "US Select Agent Regulations". 2015.

• Palmer MJ. Comment on "US Federal Policies for Dual Use Research of Concern". 2013.

• You E, Endy D, Palmer MJ. Prospective US National Paper to the Biological Weapons and Toxins Convention. 2012. [Not advanced]

• Palmer MJ. Comment on "US BioEconomy Blueprint". 2011.