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Crossposted from synthesis.cc
By Rob Carlson on December 12, 2011 10:09 AM http://www.synthesis.cc/2011/12/the-national-bioeconomy-blueprint.html

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Adrienne Burke, Contributor

Get ready for “citizen science” to transform bioscience. In mid-October, 28-year-old Eri Gentry opened BioCurious, a nonprofit public-use biology laboratory in Sunnyvale, Calif., with 2,400 square feet of “hacker space for biotech.” Similar community labs are sprouting up elsewhere, too. Do-it-yourself biologists are setting up shop in garages, basements, and hacker spaces worldwide. Executive Director Gentry and five co-founders raised $35,000 for the BioCurious lab on Kickstarter.com (a site that enables anyone to raise money from the public for creative projects).

It all suggests we could start seeing more rapid progress in the biotechnology industry. Publications from USA Today to Naturehave heralded the global rise of “biohacker” activities that include personal genome investigations, synthetic biology experimentation, and reverse-engineered research tools. AP journalist Marcus Wohlsen is one of several who have compared DIY biologists to the early code hackers who revolutionized personal computing. His 2010 book Biopunk casts Gentry and her cohorts as pioneers of a movement that is determined to democratize DNA and transform bioscience.

The so-called biopunks have loftier ambitions than building new iPhone apps or social media companies. They want to contribute to society by reengineering life itself, and they want to do it outside the walls of academia and industry. Community labs like BioCurious aim to lower the barrier to entry for biotech startups by providing shared access to costly tools and connections to like-minded partners.

There are plenty of skeptics quick to argue that the next Amgen is unlikely to emerge from a biopunk lab any time soon. Even the best-funded bio-ventures have a high failure rate. Tom Knight, a senior research scientist at MIT’s Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Lab who was among the notable 1970s code hackers, keeps tabs on the biohacker scene through DIYbio.org’s 2,000-plus-member Google group. “I hate to sound elitist,” he says, “but you hear a lot of people talking in a naive way about doing very complex and difficult things that are challenging projects for the very best scientists and engineers in the world.” Biopunk author Wohlsen acknowledges, “There are core differences between computer hacking and biohacking that you can’t underestimate.”

Those differences, however, are diminishing as biotechnology tools and data become more accessible to the masses. Failed pharmaceutical company firesales are putting state-of-the-art tools within reach of community labs. And biohackers are already themselves engineering inexpensive open-source options for cheap DNA extraction kits, centrifuges, DNA amplification, and gel electrophoresis–key tools for sequencing and analyzing genes.

In addition, genomic technology is advancing so rapidly that it’s outpacing Moore’s law. While it cost $2 billion to sequence the first composite human genome 11 years ago, today anyone with $1,000 can obtain their own exome (the code that distinguishes any individual from the reference sequence) in two weeks. Open-science groups such as Genomes Unzipped and the Personal Genome Project are publicizing individual genome sequences, and free online tools such as GET-Evidence and Trait-o-Matic make it easy to analyze them. And with the new $100 GeneLaser kit, developed in a garage by DIYers Mac Cowell and Josh Perfetto, a hobbyist can extract and sequence a fragment of DNA from just about any living organism in a day without a lab.

George Church, a scientific advisor to the DNA testing company 23andMe and a founder of the Personal Genome Project, has trained several DIY bio pioneers in his Harvard Medical School genetics lab. Biohackers are to biotechnology what Steve Jobs was to the IBM S/360 mainframe, he says. Church sees biohackers as early adopters of technology that will eventually be in as many hands as the iPhone and predicts “a complete disruption of the IP landscape” as a result. “Just imagine getting access to knowledge that lets you do something about your genetic destiny. It’s as disruptive a technology as you can get.”

http://www.forbes.com/sites/techonomy/2011/10/25/citizen-science-takes-off-could-community-labs-hatch-the-next-generation-of-bio-innovators/

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So much has happened since BioCurious recently opened. Read on to hear what we've been up to and what we offer to members. Sign up now to lock-in a limited-time only price! The short list:

• Successfully opened and staffed the lab. (Thanks to our volunteer rockstars!)
• Held a well-attended series of classes, ranging from the Business of Biotech to Advanced Personal Genomics to a Genetic Engineering 101 lab, with many more classes to come.
• Hosted meetups and get-togethers, including special events for the Thiel 20 Under 20 fellows, and a well-attended Project Brainstorming night, hosted by professional scientists, with more to come.
• Expanded our suite of equipment through donations and strategic purchases.

Membership Discounts

For a limited time, we’re offering a special membership rate of $100/month. Members who sign-up now will lock-in this rate for a year. (We’ll also grandfather in current members at this price). The introductory rate is only available for a limited time, so sign up now!  

Pay for a full year, you get 2 months free - a savings of $200!

Equipment

We’ve got new equipment coming in all the time...

• Just this month, we got the donation of a qPCR machine (new: $15,000; used: $5,000 -- thanks to John Schloendorn for the donation!).
• We’re working on getting more lab scales, more refrigeration space, a UV spectrophotometer, and a flow hood. Let us know what you need, and we’ll get it on the list.  
• We've just acquired 3 chemical storage cabinets (thanks, Reto Stamm!), which brings us closer to allowing a much wider variety of chemicals in the lab.
• And, new couches in our reception area (thanks, Kristina and Raymond!). We’ll count that as butt-resting equipment.

Reagent Store

Purchasing reagents can be expensive, especially when you have to purchase more than you need. What you pay for dry ice shipping pushes these prices even higher. That's why we're opening an on-site reagent store which will sell smaller quantities of commonly used reagents, at much better rates. Keep an eye out for news of the reagent store opening later this month!

We will carry:

• electrophoresis reagents (i.e. Agarose, running buffers, DNA dyes),
• growth media,
• PCR master mix,
• lab E. Coli strains,
• And many more -- all biotech quality and contamination-free

Let us know what you need, and we’ll work to get it for you.

Members get a 15% discount on all store items. As always, members can get specialty reagents shipped to and stored at BioCurious.

Free Supplies!

We've created a depot of supplies which are provided free of charge to all members. Free supplies include pipette tips, safety gloves, denatured ethanol, ultrapure water, and bleach. These basic supplies are available to members, making it easier to do basic lab work, and to keep the lab clean and safe. We also maintain a surplus “hack this” area -- donated supplies which are free for members to use for their own projects.

New Equipment Classes -- Free to Members!

To help new members get up to speed, we're working on a series of classes covering basic lab techniques and “how-to” equipment use. This includes classes on pipetting, centrifugation, sterile technique, running the qPCR machine, and more. All of these classes will be free to members, along with the basic orientation and safety classes.  

We hope this helps you get in the lab and doing biotech.

Now is the best time to get a membership, take a class, or start a project.

Come be a part of the next big thing to come out of a Silicon Valley garage!

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BioCurious, a hackerspace for biotech, is now open to the public! For $150 a month, amateurs, entrepreneurs, and professional scientists get access to tools, classes, and community at our 2,400 square foot lab in Sunnyvale. Make genetically-engineered bacteria, sequence DNA, find the tools to get your bio-project growing, or make friends with amateurs and experts in the community. 

BioCurious features a full wet lab, office space, and co-working area. Membership at BioCurious includes access to gel electrophoresis, real time PCR, incubators, fridges, freezers, and we are adding new equipment all the time. Last year, 239 amazing people donated $35,319 on Kickstarter to catapult BioCurious out of the garage and into a full lab space. Over the past year, the BioCurious volunteers established a non-profit business entity, held meet-ups, acquired donated equipment, evaluated lab spaces, and established safety and waste disposal procedures. Why? We believe that innovations in biology should be accessible, affordable, and open to everyone. We’ve built a community biology lab for amateurs, inventors, entrepreneurs, and anyone who wants to experiment with friends.

Education

Beginners can become experts in their spare time. In one of our first classes, we made bacteria glow using DNA from jellyfish, the "hello world" experiment for synthetic biology. Hands-on classes in DNA sequencing, bioinformatics, hardware hacking, and more, are on the schedule. Our “Business of Biotech” lecture series is perfect for people trying to break into this growing field. And classes for everyone from executives to pre-K young scientists are in the works. Membership is not required, and most classes are open to all ages. Hurry over to biocurious.org/classes to sign up – spaces go quickly!

Community

Find co-discoverers, co-founders, and friends at BioCurious, whether you're looking for the creative spark of a novice or the technical expertise of a professional scientist. BioCurious is the first lab of its kind in the Bay Area, allowing anyone to participate in science. Our members come from backgrounds spanning economics, philosophy, and art, as well as science and engineering. Members can host meet-ups. Planned activities include science projects, art shows and movie nights. We are collaborating to build something amazing. That's the spirit of BioCurious.

Innovation

Have a great idea, but don't want to pursue it at work or school? We think experiments need a place to flourish. Builders and makers need a place to prototype. And good ideas need to become reality. BioCurious is a not-for-profit organization and does not make any claim to member intellectual property. We encourage start-ups and entrepreneurs to use our facilities and meeting rooms, and have special deals for dedicated bench space, equipment housing, and cold storage.

Change the World

We've come a long way over the last year. Our community now includes over 500 members in the Bay Area. At the Maker Faire we wowed thousands of visitors, and won an Education Award. We presented at an International Synthetic Biology Conference. We piloted hands-on biotech classes for Singularity University. And now we're pleased to open the doors of our new lab in Sunnyvale. We're starting a new biotech revolution in the Valley. Join us.

Become a member today! Visit biocurious.org. Check out upcoming classes. Come see the lab, get a day pass or take a tour, and see the next big thing to come out of a Silicon Valley garage.

Stay Curious,

Eri Gentry, Executive Director
Founding Directors: Kristina Hathaway, Joseph Jackson, Tito Jankowski, Raymond McCauley, Josh Perfetto

Address: 845 Stewart Drive, Suite C, Sunnyvale, CA
Hours: 12 - 10pm weekdays, 10am - 10pm weekends
-

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One a hackerspace, one an NSF funded bi-coastal research facility. Both practice synthetic biology. Now, both sides recognize it's high-time that these disparate groups be brought together by the love of science.

A lab is a lab. What's the difference?

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I was thrilled to meet Esau Kang (left) and his father, Abraham Kang, at our first public class, a build-your-own-biosphere workshop. Almost unbelievably, BioCurious timed its workshop perfectly to help with Esau's honors bio project. Esau - a freshman in at Los Gatos High School - had a terrarium project, with the accompanying soda-bottle biosphere he built at BioCurious (shown in photo), due on Monday. Clearly, he'll be getting an A.

BioCurious packed the house for its first class. A mix of scientists, makers and families joined to learn about microbial life and how to build their own mini-worlds. The happy crowd proved to us that science really is for everybody, and it's fun for the whole family. 

Want to see a three year old biosphere and how MAKE magazine writers handled their own biospheres? Check out http://blog.makezine.com/archive/2010/04/make-biosphere-three-years-and-c.html

To keep up with our future clases, watch http://biocurious.org/classes and http://meetup.com/biocurious

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BioCurious had a fabulous time hosting Tim & Greg from backyardbrains.com for the second time.

It's one thing to simply consider the neuronal activity of cockroaches -- it's entirely another to see it visualized on your iPhone.  

This is a unidirectional reading of neurons. What if we could reverse the signal, and "talk" to the cockroach parts?  Tim and Greg gave it a shot by hooking up an iPhone, loaded with a Beastie Boys recording, to a cockroach leg and found that it satisfyingly danced to the beat.

To end the evening, we took a remote-controlled cockroach (with a chip implanted into its head) for a test-drive. 

Bonus: Kathryn Hedges brought a box of worms to try out with the SpikerBox. It didn't work out with the worms but Kathryn is working on some new tools. See some of her work on the Make blog. 

See the full gallery on Posterous

A note from Backyard Brains:

Are you paying too much for your neuroscience? Are you not smart enough to get into Stanford and UC-Berkeley, weasel your way into a neuroscience lab, and spend 4-7 years of your life and >1 million dollars in taxpayer money to do cutting edge science? Backyard Brains can help you. Using off-the-shelf equipment and our cockroach friends from South America, we'll show you how to study the electrical activity of neurons in your basement and on the go.

Warning: some experiments will blow your mind.

Double warning: audience participation in the insect experiments is encouraged."

Bios: Timothy Marzullo and Gregory Gage recently received their Ph.D.'s in neural engineering from the University of Michigan. They like studying neurons, playing with electronics, empowering young scientists of all ages, and trying to pull off being self-employed.

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The list of winners:

See the full gallery on Posterous

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Instructables.com has sponsored BioCurious with 14 free Pro accounts. In order to choose the lucky 14, we're holding a contest!

To enter, send your funniest science-related photo/image/comic to eri@biocurious.org.

You have until noon PT Thursday, Febrary 25 to enter. Go on, make us laugh!

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OpenPCR quickly took shape, turning from a massive spaghetti monster of electronic parts into the beautiful box you know today:

WIth crowd support, they worked to make OpenPCR even better, with tweaks happening every week, as this author hears it.  I'm excited to see the transition of DNA analysis from research lab to, perhaps, eventually, consumers, through the efforts of individuals like Josh and Tito. However, far be it from me to predict the future. Why not take a look at what The New York Times and Nature had to say about OpenPCR and the citizen science movement?

So, contratulations, OpenPCR, from your friends at BioCurious! We look forward to seeing the democratization of science that you're helping drive. Here's to many future years of success!

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Sharing a wrap up of 2010 and what's to come for participatory health in 2011 were Jason Bobe, of DIYbio.org and The Personal Genome Project, and Greg Biggers, CEO and Chief Instigator of Genomera. 

DIYbio has been a force since its inception in 2005. BioCurious is just one example of a group of people with different backgrounds coming together over a shared interest in synthetic biology. There are now chapters spanning the globe, with help from the multi-institutional iGEM competition.   

2010, in particular, has been a year of change. The first citizen science lab, GenSpace, opened mid-December, offering low-cost equipment and help to members of the NYC area. BioCurious itself raised over $35,000 using the crowdfunding platform, Kickstarter, as seed money to open a Bay Area lab. You can take a tour around the google group forums of DIYbio.org to see there's movement across the world to open community labs - in Nicaragua, Germany, and Singapore, to name a few. Last, but not least, the topics of DIYbio and citizen/community science made multiple appearances at the The Presidential Commission for the Study of Bioethical Issues, the group that advises the President on issues arising from advancements in science. Jason Bobe, who was asked to present to the Commission, reported that the overall reception of citizen science was positive. Jason is leading the way, building relationships with government and scientific institutions, which is necessary for citizen science to not only be widely accepted, but to thrive, being a part of the advancement in science.  Thank you,  Jason! 

When Greg Biggers spoke of the future, people paid attention!:

What is the future?

• There will be a change in the locus of control– to the individual– when "N," the participants in a health study, goes from n=They to n=Me to n=We.
•  Imagine the day when your doctor requests access to your records, and not the other way around.
• When we will have all our "lifelogs" in one place.
• When citizen scientists can go from postulating theories to creating studiesin which participant created data provides insight into their questions.

As we create data about ourselves and bring it together in one place, the possibilities for discovery will be endless. The time to start going down this road? Now.

5 Citizen Science Study Ideas

In true participatory form, Greg asked the audience to break into groups and brainstorm citizen science studies for the future. Here's what the crowd came up with:

1. How much sleep is enough? Do you feel better when you sleep 8, 9, etc hours? How different is this in other people?
2. Have you "developed a relationship" with an infectious disease? For example, do you get a cold at the same time every year - or, do your illnesses have a cyclical effect, changing from summer to winter?
3. If you go out in the rain, will you get a cold? 
4. Is chicken soup an effective remedy for colds?
5. http://archives.cnn.com/2000/HEALTH/diet.fitness/10/17/chicken.soup.reut/Is eastern medicine or herbal medicine effective?

Data to inform all of these could be collected by us, as individuals, and aggregated to draft conclusions. Since the participants each perform their own research, creating a study can be as simple as creating a framework and recruiting participants. There will be few barriers to taking an idea from conception to realization.

Have your science, and eat it, too!

Eri tried her hand at baking a gel electrophoresis cake. Inspiration (lasinolide):

 And, the "real" thing:

Yum. Happy New Year!

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What: Ending the Year of Citizen Science + the Future of Participative Health.

When: Tuesday, December 21, 2010 6:30 PM

Where: Institute for the Future
124 University Avenue
Palo Alto, CA 94080

You are cordially invited to the BioCurious end-of-year holiday party/lecture! In typical fashion, please bring what you can to share. I'll handle the rest. I made a public spreadsheet you can add your items to. Also, if you can volunteer to help setup or cleanup, please email me (very little time commitment). Thanks, everyone! Now, a word about the event:

Schedule:

6:30-6:45: Meet and greet
6:45-8:15: Talks
8:15-9:00: Q&A, social hour

"May you live in interesting times." It may be the Chinese curse, but I believe it depends on perspective. Some have problems... and some have problems to solve. It's the latter group I bring to your attention - those who've created globally-impacting, innovative solutions to problems facing us.

Our next speakers thing big, actualize their ideas, and bring you - the community - along for the ride.

First up will be Jason Bobe, Director of Community for the Personal Genome Project, Cofounder of DIYbio.org, and Cofounder of BioWeatherMap.org. Jason will share the latest news on DIYbio and what we might see moving forward.

Next will be Greg Biggers, Founder & CEO of Genomera, a Silicon Valley startup focused on making health more accessible, understandable, and participative.

Finally, I will say a few words about BioCurious in 2010 - how we moved from garage to (almost) our own building and, wow, how things have changed. I'll also explain the CitSci Study Contest I'm holding. Design a study, enter it, and (if you win) have it hosted on Genomera + receive a 23andMe Complete Edition. See more.

Many thanks to Institute for the Future, for hosting us!

RSVP to this Meetup:
http://www.meetup.com/BioCurious/calendar/15681331/

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From the MAKE blog:

Foibles — we've all got them, be they of personality or biology. Some have been talked about and explored for ages. For instance, why do we sneeze when looking at the sun? Why? Because we have Autosomal Dominant Compelling Helioophthalmic Outburst Syndrome (ACHOO Syndrome)!

For every ACHOO Syndrome, there are dozens of unexplained idiosyncrasies we may have experienced, but really, we have no proof that anything real is happening. Is it possible that green tea makes me sleepy and black tea makes me anxious? Or that my friend John writes better term papers when he's drunk? When weird stuff goes on inside us, we wonder whether it's "just us" or if there is something inherently human about our conditions.

Turns out, we can do more than wonder. Those whose curiosities drive them to dig deeper for answers will be rightfully super excited (like me!) about the progression of Citizen Science and DIWO (Do-It-With-Others) Science. Two things are going on to enable these movements: (1) a growing group of people curious about life in general, insistent on understanding what makes us tick, and (2) the online platforms and communities that let users engage with one another.

Groups like Quantified Self and DIYbio help bring out (1) and platforms like Genomera and CureTogether take care of (2), enabling (1). Citizen Science has gotten to the point where people from around the world are joining together to be participants in scientific studies. Participants have some sort of lifestyle intervention and track their progress with metrics available online.

The last study I ran had people eating butter, coconut oil, or nothing, then taking a daily math test to collect their reaction times. We were testing the hypothesis that butter improves cognition. I liked the nature of DIWO exploration so much that I'm doing it again! But, this time, there's a contest. The winner will have their study hosted by Genomera and will receive a 23andMe Complete Edition.

Have you ever wanted to take a closer look at an aspect of life, such as how diet effects exercise, how exercise effects cognition, how sleep effects your work? Test it out! Any field of study is free game. And, if you are reading this, you are qualified to submit an entry! Submit questions and entries to eri@genomera.com. For more details, see here. You have until December 15th.

Bio: Eri Gentry is a biotech entrepreneur, citizen science community organizer, and the co-founder of BioCurious, the first hackerspace for biotech, in the San Francisco Bay Area.

http://blog.makezine.com/archive/2010/12/contest_the_curiosity_driven_life_y....

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