DNA Has Gone Digital — What Could Possibly Go Wrong?

This article was originally published at The

Conversation. The publication contributed the article to Live Science's Expert Voices: Op-Ed & Insights.
Biology is becoming increasingly digitized. Researchers like us use computers to analyze DNA, operate lab equipment and store genetic information. But new capabilities also mean new risks – and biologists remain largely unaware of the potential vulnerabilities that come with digitizing biotechnology.
The emerging field of cyberbiosecurity explores the whole new category of risks that come with the increased use of computers in the life sciences.