Labconscious scientists focus on sustainable lab work as a means to conserving resources and protecting nature, but the term sustainability can also be defined as” the capacity to endure”. Biotechnology is considered by the U.N. to be a frontier technology, alongside robotics, and artificial intelligence. It has great potential to serve the greater good. The challenge is how to make life science methodologies accessible for everyone. Part of the answer can be found in bioengineering affordable, portable laboratory instruments. In that spirit, today’s post shares a list of frugal laboratory instruments by the Prakash Lab at Stanford University.
Biotechnology has a critical role in global sustainability
Biotechnology can play a vital role in the sustainability of societies in several ways. In recognition of this, there is an ongoing international dialogue on how to enable, catch-up, adoption, and deployment of biotechnology worldwide. The 2021 Technology and Innovation Report released by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development categorizes biotechnology as a frontier technology. The SARS-CoV-2 vaccines immediately spring to mind as a wonderful example of disruptive biotechnology giving societies the capacity to endure in terrible circumstances. The U.N. report also covers the many research institutions focused on developing new agriculture biotechnologies to help poor farmers. In both cases, biomedicine and Ag bio, sustainable biotechnology should be eco-friendly and cost-effective to do the most good.
Accessibility is a big challenge for biotech since samples are inherently fragile and many methodologies require high-tech laboratory instruments. Or do they…?
Bioengineers at the Prakash Lab at Stanford University are broadening access to biotechnology.
In some ways, the possibilities of cost-effective lab instruments enabling mobile diagnostics and environmental readings are analogous to the global good that has come from the cellular phone. The more intelligent and creative people worldwide who can use biotechnologies to solve problems, the better!
Please check out the Prakash Lab website for details:
Foldscope - low-cost microscope
Oscan - device to allow smartphones to scan oral cavity for cancer
Punchcard microfluidics - chemistry kit in a $5 device
Vector-parasite ecology (VectorChip, Abuzz) - detecting and identifying mosquito species
Paperfuge - low-cost centrifuge
MalariaScope - low-cost diagnostic tool
PlanktonScope - An affordable modular imaging platform for citizen oceanography
http://Anmo2l.org - Prototype of a simple, open-source, and rapidly manufacturable oxygen conservation device
Squid - full suite of hardware and software components for rapidly configuring high-performance microscopes tailored to users' applications with reduced cost, effort, and turnaround time.
Octopi - high-throughput imaging for malaria diagnosis
Scale-free Vertical Tracking Microscopy - track a single cell at microscale resolution while allowing free vertical movement over ecological scales for biological oceanography.
As “labconscious” biologists, you may be familiar with other useful, cost-effective laboratory devices. We welcome you to email info@labconscious.com so that those devices can be shared with the rest of the labconscious community!