Mirror Biology Dialogues Fund
Advancing the conversation on mirror life
Mirror life refers to hypothetical synthetic organisms built from molecules that are the mirror-images of their naturally occurring counterparts. If created, mirror life could pose catastrophic risks to humans and global ecosystems.
In a December 2024 article in Science, a working group of leading scientists raised concerns about the creation of mirror life, supported by a comprehensive technical report that provided the first systematic assessment of its feasibility and risks.
Since the publication of the Science article, a growing international community—including government bodies, multilateral organizations, scientists, and research funders—has acknowledged that mirror life could pose serious risks. The authors of the Science article and many others are calling for governance to prevent the creation of mirror life, absent significant new evidence for reassurance.
The Mirror Biology Dialogues Fund (MBDF) works to advance and support the global effort to understand and address risks posed by mirror life. We fund and co-organize international conferences, workshops, public seminars, and other initiatives to foster constructive dialogue and decision-making between academic, policy, commercial, and public stakeholders. Our team and advisors are based in the U.S., U.K., China, and France, reflecting our international focus.
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Our work
We lead, support, and contribute to research and discussions about the risks of mirror life and how they can be addressed. Examples include:
Supporting a working group of 38 researchers to publish an article in Science, informed by extensive technical analysis, calling for discussion and recommending a path forward
Funding and hosting international events on topics related to mirror life involving scientists, policymakers, ethicists, funders, industry leaders, and members of the public
Supporting technical work to understand key precursor technologies for creating mirror life and possibilities for their governance
Recent news
The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists cited the threat posed by mirror life as a key factor pushing the 2026 Doomsday Clock closer than ever to midnight and noted that preventing its creation could help to turn back the clock.
UNESCO’s International Bioethics Committee recommended a precautionary global moratorium on the creation of mirror organisms.
MBDF recently co-hosted a workshop with Professor Patrick Cai at the University of Manchester to advance technical understanding of the precursor technologies for mirror life and evaluate their potential benefits.
Germany’s Central Commission for Biological Safety (ZKBS) issued a statement that mirror organisms could pose serious risks and that “a broad scientific and societal debate” was necessary.
The Alfred P. Sloan Foundation and Renaissance Philanthropy stated that they will not fund research with the goal of creating mirror organisms.