Here is an article on the hardware, problems with wetware and DNA, and community labs as a solution to more efficient biohacking.
There was a time when only scientists used computers. Now systems that are thousands of times more powerful are available to nearly everyone. Bio-technology could follow the same course. However, if you want to tackle genetic testing, synthetic biology, etc then you’re going to need some serious hardware. Electrophoresis, polymerase chain reactions, fluorescent spectrometry – these are all really basic techniques but they still require specialized machines that can cost thousands of dollars. Luckily, that may be about to change. We’ve seen several projects to make cheap and even open hardware versions of lab devices – helping biotech become more do-it-yourself. While at the
Open Source Summit I had the chance to talk with some of the forces behind these projects, as well as with the DIY enthusiasts that hope to one day use them. We may be approaching the age of the personal biology lab but there are some major hurdles still in the way.
It’s been more than a year since
we covered DIYbio.org, the online website where many would be bio-tech hobbyists share information.
DIYbio is just the most prominent face on a much larger trend – the growing interest among amateurs and citizen scientists to perform modern biology experiments. Whether you want to isolate some genes, engineer new form’s of brewer’s yeast, or track diseases, there may be a place for you in the DIY biology movement.
If you have a lab. Unlike amateur astronomy or amateur programming, amateur bio-technology needs a lot of equipment and supplies. To that end, certain members of the community have worked tirelessly to provide cheap, simple, and hackable versions of lab necessities. Once they become widely available these devices could also have an impact outside amateur science. What works for DIY hobbyists will help high school education, and could be leveraged for third world medicine as well.
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