We envision a world where people know what they buy.
We're building a third-party certification label for genetically engineered products that are safe, effective, socially responsible, and environmentally sustainable.
We're building a third-party certification label for genetically engineered products that are safe, effective, socially responsible, and environmentally sustainable.
A world where consumers can trust what they buy, and innovators can prove their work is safe, effective, socially responsible, and environmentally sustainable.
We are bridging the gap between curious consumers and responsible innovators by emphasizing transparency as the way to move forward together. The Genetic Engineering Transparency Label will provide verifiable certification for products derived from genetically engineered processes to inform people on what they consume.
The Genetic Engineering Transparency Label is being built by Kiara Reyes Gamas, Ph.D., a synthetic biologist and advocate for the responsible use of synthetic biology tools to address the environmental crisis, while ensuring that these technologies are developed and deployed safely, effectively, and in ways that are socially responsible. Dr. Reyes Gamas got her Ph.D. from Rice University in Systems, Synthetic, and Physical Biology and spent her postdoc co-hosting a seminar series on the social, technical, and cultural dimensions of using biotechnology in the environment.
"I took on the project after reading a consumer attitudes study from scientists at ZBiotics that found that when companies hide genetically engineered ingredients or communicate vaguely about them, it makes consumers feel disenfranchised, distrustful, and suspicious.
I started the label because I'm frustrated at the lack of transparency in my field. I became a synthetic biologist because I understand the potential for good that genetically engineered technologies can have on people and the environment, but I am also troubled by the ways these technologies have been used to perpetuate harm.
I see scientists retreating into vague claims and hiding the origins of our work, driven by a fear of being misunderstood. But this attitude only erodes the very trust we need to prove the potential benefits of what we're building.
I'm building this label because I want to see a world where technology is used for the good of people and the environment, where scientists are incentivized to be open about their work, and where anybody can make their own informed decisions about the ingredients they put in their body."
"I hope this label can empower people to make informed decisions about what they consume, companies to be honest and transparent about their products, and all of us to move toward a better, united future."— Kiara Reyes Gamas, Ph.D., Founder / Executive Director
Ensuring the safety of the final product during use. Safety transparency includes demonstrating absence of introduced risks and comprehensiveness of testing data. This will include testing for toxicity, allergenicity, fermentation purity, no off-target gene edits, and testing for secondary molecules or chemicals of concern.
Proving that claims made by products have been tested and verified, and that the genetic engineering provides a real benefit to the end user. We require open-access research of effectiveness or clinical studies to be easily available to consumers.
Determining who benefits from this product, who bears risk in production or displacement, and who can access it. Respect for source communities, provable benefit sharing when genetic knowledge is used, traceable supply chains, and programs for community input.
Showing how the genetic design of the organism used meets best practices to minimize impacts on biodiversity and human health. How the manufacturing facility meets sustainability metrics through carbon reporting, renewable electricity use, sustainable feedstocks, and responsible waste treatment.
Finalizing rigorous transparency standards through consumer surveys and expert collaboration with scientists and non-scientists.
Introducing the label through select artisan and innovative GE products to test real-world impact.
Scaling the certification to assess more products and build a trusted, recognizable standard across the industry.
We're just getting started, and we can't wait to show you more.
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