Why We Won’t Fund Research Towards the Creation of Mirror Organisms

Our mission is to fuel a 21st-century renaissance by increasing the ambition of philanthropists, scientists, and innovators. That commitment requires us to draw a line in rare cases where the potential for risk far outweighs any potential benefits.

We’re announcing today that Renaissance Philanthropy will not fund work aimed at creating mirror organisms: synthetic organisms made of biomolecules of the opposite chirality to those found in known life.

In December 2024, a group of scientists published an analysis arguing that mirror organisms, if created, could evade many immune and ecological checks that normally keep bacterial populations in balance. They warned that this could cause lethal infections that spread across many species and disrupt ecosystems. Since then, many have agreed with the overall assessment of the risks and have called for all work aimed at creating mirror organisms to stop.

We agree that the risks of mirror organisms are severe, and we do not see any plausible benefits that would justify them. We hope other funders and research partners join us in this commitment.