This research focuses on the global biomedical economy. At present this field is characterised by multiple interests, markets and country partners brought together by novel and diverging knowledge relations in the pursuit of new drugs, therapies and health interventions. Within the various communities that make up this field, the idea of collaboration has emerged as the prominent paradigm for social translation between knowledge partners. Yet, as research is increasingly undertaken across continents, the role of science, technology and bioethics in the creation and transfer of new knowledge – including forms of ‘biowealth’ – has been typically framed by first-world policy makers and in terms of notions of ‘development’. Focusing on 8 countries in Asia, comparative research was carried out by a team of social anthropologists (Universities of Cambridge, Durham, Sussex). The team used ethnographic methods to study ‘collaborative’ practices in international capacity-building. Three closely related subprojects provided the foundation for the research: (i) sponsor-host relations in international clinical trials; (ii) human embryonic stem cell research in society, and (iii) collaborative bioethics networking. The research reveals how commercial and academic research institutions are underpinned by cultural understandings and ethical values. These are expressed through formal and informal regulatory practices and through state and non-governmental organisations. The research sheds light on what happens when discourses of development are reframed or replaced by those of collaboration and new kinds of socio-economic demands emerge in the management of science across cultures. International organisations in the global biomedical economy are sustained increasingly by diverging and interdependent knowledge relations that combine multiple interests, markets and country partners. Within various user communities the idea of collaboration is now emerging as the prominent paradigm for social translation between knowledge partners. Yet, across continents, the role of science, technology and bioethics in the creation and transfer of new knowledge – including forms of ‘biowealth’ – has been typically framed by first-world policy makers and in terms of notions of ‘development’. Focusing on nine countries in Asia, this comparative research by a team of social anthropologists (Universities of Cambridge, Durham, Sussex) applies ethnographic methods to study the practical and conceptual implications of values of ‘collaboration’ for international capacity-building. Three inter-institutional sub-projects: (1) Sponsor-host relations in international clinical trials; (2) Human embryonic stem cell research in society; (3) Collaborative bioethics networking. These sub-projects aim to contribute a culturally reflexive understanding of the drivers of commercial and academic research institutions and forms of regulation by state and non-governmental organisations. We ask: when discourses of development are reframed or replaced by those of collaboration, what kinds of socio-economic demands emerge and how are these formulated in the management of science across cultures?

Ethnography and interviews.