Promissory identities: Sociotechnical representations & innovation in regenerative medicine

TY - JOUR

T1 - Promissory identities

T2 - Sociotechnical representations & innovation in regenerative medicine

AU - Gardner, John Grant

AU - Higham, Ruchi

AU - Faulkner, Alex

AU - Webster, Andrew Joseph

N1 - © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

PY - 2017/2/1

Y1 - 2017/2/1

N2 - The field of regenerative medicine (RM) is championed as a potential source of curative treatments and economic wealth, and initiatives have been launched in several countries to facilitate innovation within the field. As a way of examining the social dimensions of innovation within regenerative medicine, this paper explores the sociotechnical representations of RM technologies in the UK, and the tensions, affordances and complexities these representations present for actors within the field. Specifically, the paper uses the Science and Technology Studies-inspired notions of ‘technology identity’ and ‘development space’ to examine how particular technologies are framed and positioned by actors, and how these positionings subsequently shape innovation pathways. Four developing RM technologies are used as case studies: bioengineered tracheas; autologous chondrocyte implantation; T-cell therapies; and a ‘point-of-care’ cell preparation device. Using these case studies we argue that there are particular identity aspects that have powerful performative effects and provide momentum to innovation projects, and we argue that there are particular stakeholders in the UK RM landscape who appear to have considerable power in shaping these technology identities and thus innovation pathways.

AB - The field of regenerative medicine (RM) is championed as a potential source of curative treatments and economic wealth, and initiatives have been launched in several countries to facilitate innovation within the field. As a way of examining the social dimensions of innovation within regenerative medicine, this paper explores the sociotechnical representations of RM technologies in the UK, and the tensions, affordances and complexities these representations present for actors within the field. Specifically, the paper uses the Science and Technology Studies-inspired notions of ‘technology identity’ and ‘development space’ to examine how particular technologies are framed and positioned by actors, and how these positionings subsequently shape innovation pathways. Four developing RM technologies are used as case studies: bioengineered tracheas; autologous chondrocyte implantation; T-cell therapies; and a ‘point-of-care’ cell preparation device. Using these case studies we argue that there are particular identity aspects that have powerful performative effects and provide momentum to innovation projects, and we argue that there are particular stakeholders in the UK RM landscape who appear to have considerable power in shaping these technology identities and thus innovation pathways.

KW - Cell therapies

KW - Innovation

KW - Regenerative medicine

KW - Science and technology studies

KW - United Kingdom

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85007196295&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1016/j.socscimed.2016.12.018

DO - 10.1016/j.socscimed.2016.12.018

M3 - Article

VL - 174

SP - 70

EP - 78

JO - Social Science & Medicine

JF - Social Science & Medicine

SN - 0277-9536

ER -